Out with viral, in with niche: TikTok’s impact on music changes form

In 2020, TikTok users proved their power for turning songs into hits. Tracks associated with dance challenges, memes and other TikTok trends regularly cracked the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, and major labels entered bidding wars to sign the previously unknown artists behind TikTok smashes, such as Powfu (of “Death Bed”) and Jawsh685 (of “Laxed [Siren Beat]”).
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