Music makes people feel something, but in recent years, listeners have been starting to conflict with each other. To summarize these issues, it’s the divide of music taste- specifically the mass criticism that popular music receives.
One of the greater issues of music taste disagreements between two sides is the use of the term “basic”, which can instantly characterize one’s music taste as “too mainstream”. Social media is to blame for this, as it creates this problematic idea.
An artist’s typical source to promote their music is through the use of social media. By the stroke of luck, they’ll get the rare opportunity to become a star. This happens because they make their big break by going viral on these platforms.
Soon enough, the viral song’s contagious lyrics will be stuck in everyone’s heads. Give it about a few days to a week, and the song will be in front of millions. This process is just one of the many ways to send an artist on their way to becoming famous and living up to the legacy of other artists that inspire them.
One of the most notorious social media apps for spreading music is TikTok. Our society loves TikTok for its endless hours of scrolling, but new artists grow to hate it after their song is added to the long list of “TikTok music”. It’s official; the song is now “basic”.
This is what causes the great divide between people with opposing taste in music. A great song or album can be ruined in an instant after receiving the harsh labels and pressure that critics place on these modern artists.
For example, artist GAYLE gained attention mostly on TikTok for her song “abcdefu”, and not for the best reason. The song received mixed reviews overall, but GAYLE gained some of the harshest critics. Being told that her viral song sounded too much like a nursery rhyme was not so pretty for her reputation. To little surprise, her song is now considered as “TikTok music” after all the backlash it received.
Social media can instantaneously make or break an artist. A song viral on TikTok can go down either path; to never make music again, or succeed and feel motivated by fame and positivity.
