In an incredible new documentary short, VOX and The Pudding deliver an in-depth look at the wild and miraculous ways TikTok is upending the music business.
Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta sharply criticized the rush to ink TikTokers to lucrative label deals earlier this year by pointing to the lackluster results. “Not any of those [Tiktok stars] that got signed to big deals have worked,” Borchetta bluntly assessed while urging others to consider the difference between “a moment” and longer-term success potential.
Learn How TikTok Broke Music Marketing FOREVER!
But many in the industry believe Borchetta’s comments may miss the bigger picture. While many artists who experience past viral success on TikTok do not have the talent or community-building skills to leverage that moment into bigger opportunities, others do, and an increasing number of musicians are choosing to forgo the allure of major label deals in preference of the DIY lifestyle.
After all, what can a label offer someone whose already garnered more success and attention than artists on that label’s roster?
The answer, it seems, depends on your understanding of business. As a new documentary short from VOX and The Pudding explores, TikTok has forced labels and artists to reconsider how they interact with one another. As one talking head puts it, “It turns out the app is completely revolutionizing the way record labels work and giving artists more leverage than ever.”
VOX and The Pudding spent months pouring over datasets related to TikTok success, industry signings, and revenue to uncover the truth. They also spoke to a dozen or so experts on the topic, including former TikTok executives and music industry experts.
