Music Industry Transformation through TikTok: The Impact of Brief Clips
In the ever-evolving world of entertainment, one platform has taken centre stage, revolutionising the way we discover, consume, and engage with music – TikTok.
Originally known for its short-form videos and viral trends, TikTok has become a significant platform for new and niche music genres, from hip hop and pop to electronic music, hyperpop, indie pop, and lo-fi beats. This transformation has made it a powerful force in the music industry, significantly accelerating music discovery and reshaping how artists break through to mainstream success.
Artists are increasingly using TikTok as a primary source of marketing and exposure, releasing music parts to gauge interest before a full release. This innovative approach has proven effective, with many tracks going viral and driving billions of streams.
One of TikTok's most influential features is the "Add to Music App" function, launched globally in 2024. This tool allows users to save songs directly from TikTok videos to their playlists on music streaming platforms, generating over a billion track saves as of mid-2025. The recent integration with YouTube Music has expanded this impact globally, encouraging fans to engage more seamlessly with music discovered on TikTok.
The platform's algorithm and viral culture create a multiplier effect on song popularity. Viral challenges, dances, and memes routinely trigger rapid increases in on-demand streaming, with artists linked to TikTok experiencing around an 11% weekly streaming growth compared to 3% for those outside its ecosystem. Roughly 75% of TikTok users discover new artists there, and 67% search for songs they've heard on the app elsewhere, driving streams, sales, and playlist placements beyond the platform.
Legacy tracks also benefit from TikTok's viral potential. Fleetwood Mac's 1977 hit "Dreams" saw dramatic sales and streaming spikes years after release due to TikTok trends, illustrating how the platform accelerates music life cycles and nostalgia-driven resurgences.
Looking ahead, TikTok’s continued expansion of music-focused tools and partnerships is expected to further consolidate its central role in music promotion and consumption. Record labels now consider TikTok analytics as part of their decision-making process for which songs to promote. The platform's innovations will likely deepen the integration between TikTok trends and streaming behaviours, benefiting artists through new discovery pathways and generating sustained audience engagement worldwide.
TikTok offers brands new opportunities to collaborate with artists and leverage music in marketing campaigns. Its ability to cater to diverse musical tastes and contribute to the resurgence of older songs has completely altered the traditional music industry model, particularly in how trends and genres are born and how artists break through.
As we move forward, TikTok will remain at the forefront of how music is shared, experienced, and celebrated in the digital age. Its influence on the music industry is profound, and its future developments promise even greater synergy between short-form video engagement and music consumption patterns, consolidating TikTok as a key driver of both music discovery and industry revenue growth globally.
TikTok's expansion into music promotion and consumption has elevated it as a significant platform for discovering diverse genres, including hip hop, pop, electronic music, hyperpop, indie pop, and lo-fi beats, reshaping the musical landscape. Stemming from its innovative approach, artists are increasingly using TikTok as a primary marketing tool, with many tracks going viral and generating billions of streams due to the platform's viral culture and "Add to Music App" function.
