The internet has revolutionised many things, one of which is the music industry; it’s enabled artists to reach a much wider audience without needing to have a recording contract and a big record label behind them. It also means audiences can access music much easier, which is particularly important after the last few years when live music hasn’t always been possible. You can download music with just a couple of clicks, without even leaving the house, and without having to spend a lot of money.
TikTok has played an important role in this change; available in over 150 countries and with over 1 billion users worldwide, it’s become an essential tool for promotion. Figures show that 67% of users are more likely to look for songs on streaming services after hearing them on TikTok.
Previous TikTok Stars
Olivia Rodrigo – her ‘Driver’s License’ song was the soundtrack to every breakup in 2021 and made her a huge star, leading to a successful album.
Lizzo – her song, ‘Truth Hurts’, didn’t chart when it was originally released in 2017, it only became a hit when it appeared on TikTok in 2019. She’s since become a huge star, with three Grammys under her belt, and is a spokesperson for the body positivity movement.
Megan Thee Stallion – her song, ‘Savage’ became a TikTok dance challenge in March 2020 and went viral, leading to her becoming one of the biggest names in music who is reportedly worth 3 million dollars.
There are also a lot of people who can’t hear the opening bars of The Weeknd’s hit, ‘Blinding Lights’ without being reminded of the viral TikTok dance challenge that dominated the first lockdown in 2020, something that surely played a part in that song recently being announced as Spotify’s most streamed song of all time, knocking Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’ out of the way.
So, who are the breakout TikTok musicians of 2022?
Sam Ryder
The most followed UK artist on TikTok, Sam started his musical career posting covers on the platform during the first lockdown. He then went on to become the highest-scoring UK Eurovision entry, taking us to second place with his song, ‘Space Man’. He’s since had an international tour and released a debut album at the end of last year.
Venbee
Venbee is a 22-year-old drum and bass artist whose first ever track, ‘Low Down’ went viral on TikTok with 1.6 million views. Her natural, laid-back image and unique style of video are a far cry from the polished norm of music videos. She’s now signed to Columbia records.
Fred Again
This producer and songwriter has worked with Brian Eno, George Ezra, Swedish House Mafia and Stormzy. He was part of the TikTok #ElectronicMusic campaign in the summer of 2022 and had over 4.7 million likes. He’s had a sold-out album tour is now one of the UK’s most sought-after artists.
Piri & Tommy
This young DIY dance duo have over 200 thousand followers on TikTok after their single, ‘Soft Spot’ because the soundtrack for over 100 thousand videos on the site. They’ve since been championed on Radio 1 and have played at Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds festivals.
Wet Leg
This Isle of Wight duo joined TikTok after releasing their single, ‘Chaise Longue’, which became a familiar soundtrack to the last year, with its jaunty alternative pop beat. They took part in the TikTok #AltMusic live performance event – live streaming their performance at the O2 Kentish Forum in London to their 500,000 followers.
Cassyette
Cassyette manages to mix metal, emo and electronic music. She already had a big rock following, but then amassed over a million TikTok followers. She’s performed with Frank Carter at Download and supported My Chemical Romance.
Flo
RnB girl group, Flo, released their single, ‘Cardboard Box’ last year and the TikTok remix, by Afrobeat’s DJ Happi, sparked a viral dance trend, with over 1.2 million videos created. They’ve recently been announced as the winner of the BBC Radio 1 Sound of 2023 poll, voted for by artists such as Elton John, Dua Lipa, and Sam Smith. Previous winners of this award include Adele, Ellie Goulding, and Haim.
Eliza Rose
Eliza’s single, ‘B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All) was released in August 2022. The unforgettably catchy House track was played everywhere all summer, including Glastonbury. After gaining a huge popularity on TikTok it went on to enjoy chart success and topped the singles chart, making her the first female DJ to get to number one since Sonique, in 2002.
Stepz
This young rapper was announced as TikTok’s most-viewed UK artist of 2022. He has over 2.8million followers on the site and his single, ‘Cramp Dat’ was one of the sounds of the summer and inspired a classic TikTok dance challenge. He also posts videos and comedy sketches, using his comedy to promote his music to a wider audience.
Cat Burns
If you’re on TikTok chances are you’ll have come across Cat’s heart-breaking song, ‘Go’, about the end of a relationship. Originally a busker, she started posting videos during lockdown, and her single went viral after being used as the soundtrack for a TikTok trend, earning her a record deal and a collaboration with Sam Smith.
Conclusion
In a world where we’re used to everything being instantly accessible, TikTok is the perfect platform to discover music. 30% of Gen Z social media users prefer to use TikTok for product research and artists are making the most of this.
Talent is still important but having music on a platform such as TikTok helps it stand out; it evens the playing field in an industry that’s already saturated as you don’t need a lot of followers to get views. If this has inspired you to put yourself out there too, you might want to think about insuring your equipment.
Our range of Music Insurance policies start with standard benefits that you can tweak, starting at £1.61 per lunar month*; whether it’s DJ equipment, or the bass guitar you play in your friend’s garage, accidents and theft are a reality, so why not take a look and get a free, no-strings quote. Who knows, this time next year you could be a viral TikTok star too!
*Premium shown is paid lunar monthly and based on minimum insurable value including introductory discount.
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