The Role TikTok Plays in the World of Music

There comes a time in your life where you can no longer fight the cringe. One day you just pick up your phone to watch one TikTok that your friend sends you. All of a sudden, you’ve been scrolling for two hours and have attempted to learn almost three dances.

TikTok + Music = :D

It is no surprise the advancements TikTok has made in the music world. Before TikTok was TikTok, it was Musical.ly. An app made for the user to share videos of themselves lip-syncing songs while moving the camera in awkward angles. Now it’s more than just lip-syncing. Users on TikTok are using the platform to showcase their passion for music through dance, rap freestyles, a cappella singing, and still of course – lip-syncing.

At first, I was not on board with TikTok. But those tweets about watching one video and then ended up on the app for 3 hours are true. I don’t even know how I make it to my 9am after nights trapped on the app. But at the end of the day, I need new song recommendations and to learn these dances.

TikTok’s influence on music has helped so many songs reach the top charts. Songs like Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” or Y2k and bbno$’s “Lalala” grew a lot of their fame from users creating videos on TikTok using their songs. All it takes is one line from a song, and in no time, there will already be thousands of meme videos created. After Roddy Ricch released ‘Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial’ users were quick to go to TikTok to make parody videos of the squeaking sound on the track “The Box”.

And would this really be a good blog about TikTok if I didn’t mention the rise of TikTok dances? One word. Renegade. Yes, the dance that I see people practicing any time of the day and anywhere. But, I am guilty of it too. Sometimes when I am waiting in line at Chick Fil A in the HUB, I can’t help but do the classical woah clap figure 8 combo. Shout out to 14-year-old Jalaiah Harmon for creating the original Renegade dance and to Charli D’amelio for making it slightly easier to follow.

I am not saying TikTok is no longer cringey. Because it is. But I am saying that it is a major flex to know how to do some of these dances. I am also proud to say that I have earned and renewed my aux privileges with playlists that had a lot of TikTok songs on them.

Major Flex

These are just a few of my favorite TikTok videos that have made an impact in the music world.

Even the Willard Preacher knows the music trends on TikTok! If that doesn’t make you want to download TikTok now, I don’t know what will.

Stay tuned for more blog posts coming your way! Be sure to follow us on all our socials to keep up with all things Movin’On!