In just a little under a decade, Tiktok has become one of the biggest forms of social media for users across the world. With its dancing and lip-sync cultured videos, music plays a big role in the content being produced and advertised to viewers. It has also become a community where exceptional song and artist recommendations are exchanged. Because of this, Tiktok has become a platform for many artists to get their big break or the beginning of hit singles.

The 502s:

This is a band of six from Maitland, Florida. Their style contains a touch of indie folk and an overall upbeat or celebratory ambience. Their first song to gain popularity on Tiktok was “Just a little while” which was often paired with videos capturing beautiful views or happy memories. As of now, there have been 36.4 thousand videos posted using the song. For many, they reminded audiences of a modernized version of the Lumineers. Their second song that got immense attention was “Magdalene” which is the name of the lead vocalist’s wife. Their band represents a sense of intimacy and humbleness which sets them apart from the rest.

Bailey Zimmerman:

Zimmerman is a country singer from Illinois whose career skyrocketed after posting videos of him singing on Tiktok. It only took one video posted in December of 2020 which got over one million views in just five short hours and his life was forever changed. The song featured is called “Never Comin’ Home”. Another one of his songs that got a lot of traction through Tiktok advertising was “Religiously” which now has over 80 thousand videos using the song. He even went on to have a song included in a new movie called Twisters, which brought him even more attention as an artist.

Addison Rae:

Many know Addison Rae as one of the original stars of Tiktok that goes along with the rest of the “Hype house” members. Although many seriously doubted her talent beyond dancing, she has recently proven them wrong with her new single, Diet Pepsi. This shocked all audiences across the platform, unknowing of her musical abilities. However, shortly before the release of this single, she was featured in a Charli XCX song. In the song she performed a screaming riff that was praised to the point that some only liked the song for that sole reason. Tiktok is what put Addison Rae under the spotlight and the reason behind the mass support she got from this single, kickstarting her musical career.

Old Town Road by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus:

Before his hit single, Lil Nas X was known for his hip hop and rap style. Releasing a country styled song seemed very out of character and caught the eye of many. On Tiktok, this song was created along with the trending #Yeehaw goes with each video. Tiktok became a place to advertise the song and is a big part of the reason behind why it did so well. Within Tiktok, it has 668.8 thousand videos containing this one song. Without Lil Nas X’s massive support of followers on Tiktok, there is a high chance that the song would not have done as well as it did.

2 Days Into College by Aimee Carty:

Aimee Carty is a 21-year old singer from Ireland who posted a video of herself singing an original song on Tiktok that blew up. As of now, the original video has 41.6 million views and over five millions likes, with thousands of comments praising her work. She wrote this song based on personal experiences, as a new student in college, struggling to find where she fits in. Many loved the honest vulnerability of the lyrics paired with the upbeat rhythm. However, this was also a song that many could relate to as freshman in college, scared of what was to come, and this provided a sense of comfort to the younger demographics who indulge in social media.

The Way That I Am by Abby Powledge:

Powledge is a 20 year old singer, guitarist, and songwriter who gained popularity posting a cover of her new song, The Way That I Am. She refers to herself as a “silly little song girl” and this most definitely shines through in the spirit of her music. Her lyrics touched the hearts of many, with their pure intentions and sense of holding onto hope for true love. Within the confines of Tiktok, this song was used as the background of videos and pictures with many different loved people, things, and hobbies. Through all of the negativity that social media holds, this song was a reminder to take a breath, remember you are perfect as you are, and that the right one will come when the time is right. The original video got over two million views and was used in over 77 thousand different videos. Powledge continues to sing and produce music using her new Tiktok platform, but nothing beats the original.

Tiktok is unlike other social media platforms in the way that it encourages creativity and provides an outlet for aspiring artists. With its multitude of users, it has forever changed the music industry and the importance of expressing one’s emotions and hardships through their music.