Does viral music on social media really build fandom?
New MIDiA Research suggests that social virality doesn’t translate into lasting fans or streams, despite social platforms’ deeper integration with music discovery features.
MIDiA’s latest report
Going viral might sound like the dream for every artist. A trending clip, millions of likes, a rush of new followers. It can feel like a shortcut to fandom. But according to MIDiA Research’s latest ‘All eyes, no ears | Why virality is not building fandom’ report, social media virality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
This news may seem surprising given social media platforms positioning themselves as the go-to hubs for music discovery. Take TikTok for example, who released its first major campaign earlier this month focused solely on its role as a crucial music discovery platform. This includes its ‘Add to Music App’ feature that lets TikTok users easily add songs found on TikTok to their music streaming service.
Despite this, MIDiA suggests the conversion to actual streams and loyal fans isn’t as strong as you might expect.
So, what does the data show?
MIDiA surveyed over 10,000 consumers on their music discovery habits, and the findings show it doesn’t really deliver long-term fandom and meaningful streams. Here’s the info that matters:
- 52% of people who hear a track on social media follow it up with a stream. While that’s encouraging, MIDiA emphasises that this means almost half don’t.
- Younger listeners (aged 16-24) are less likely to dig deeper after hearing a song than the age group above (25-34).
Tatiana Cirisano, via MIDiA Research Blog
Why virality doesn’t always mean fandom
In short, MIDiA thinks the more that music is pushed at social media users, the less impact it seems to have in driving real engagement. Here are the reasons MIDiA suggests for why:
Competing for attention
Instead of driving more streams, social media platforms are actually taking attention away from music platforms. If fans are scrolling through TikTok, that means less streams for artists.
Integrations aren’t effective
Social media features like TikTok’s ‘Add to Music App’ exist to bridge the gap between social media discovery and actual streams. However, MIDiA says less than a third of TikTok users have ever tried it. Still, TikTok said the feature had racked up over a billion saves back in February despite only launching last year. That seems like a lot.
Following an artist doesn’t guarantee streams
On TikTok, 20% of users might follow an artist after discovery, but only a quarter (26%) of those go on to listen to more of their music. In comparison, almost half of the 15% who follow an artist on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram will listen to more of their music.
Heard it all before
For many, hearing a song repeatedly in short clips on social media feels like enough. In fact, it’s the second highest reason people don’t check out the music they find on social media. As a result, discovery is limited to short clips of the catchy part and doesn’t translate into full streams.
What this means for artists
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of this problem either. Duetti’s ‘Music Economics Report’ found that while TikTok can be a powerful promotion tool to reach new audiences, it doesn’t guarantee long-lived success.
Still, this doesn’t mean social media is useless. Social media remains a powerful tool to get noticed, reach new fans, and gain streams in the process. Artists just shouldn’t mistake virality for fandom.
It’s all about balance. Use social media to open the door, but don’t stop there. Give new listeners reasons to take the next step. You could engage with them directly and deepen connections, before encouraging them to check out more of your music. Traditional discovery sources like live performances, and offline strategies can also help fans stumble across your music, without relying on social media.
Final thoughts
Social media can still be an incredible tool for artists, but MIDiA’s research is a reminder not to rely on it as the only path to build your fanbase. In the end, viral moments can open the door, but it takes more than a trend to turn a casual listen into a true fan.