Rise of the microsong: the platformification of music on TikTok as an artform

Abstract

The platformification of music has led to a significant reorganisation of music culture with the rise of microsongs on short-form video platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook Stories, and Instagram Reels. This paper analyses the current state of microsongs on social media platforms, focusing on TikTok, and explores the challenges faced by musicians in navigating the digital reimagining of their art and the new aura this creates. Drawing on the thought of Walter Benjamin's (1935) and their critique of reimagined art, the paper argues that the challenges facing twenty-first century digital musicians echo those faced by creators of newly mechanically reproduced art. The symbiotic relationship between social media platforms and artists is examined, highlighting the benefits for musicians and songwriters, as well as the potential pitfalls of algorithmic based user direction. Data is gathered from a range of secondary sources and presents an analysis based on user behaviour and interaction with music content. The findings suggest that while established artists and music production teams are better placed to overcome the challenges of platformification, the creation of microsongs remains a significant challenge for all musicians and their authenticity.