How the Internet is Building Audiences for Musicians Worldwide

In August, Julián Berdegué, known as EVNTYD, had never uploaded to the TikTok platform. By May the following year, he had reached over 60K followers and built a consistent following.

‘‘In November, one of my videos blew up and that completely changed my life in a way, because then more videos did really well and I was in full-community-building mode.’’ Berdegué added.

He is one of many musicians and creatives capitalising on the success of TikTok. The free video-sharing platform is undoubtedly the greatest force in social media and music in the current climate. TikTok found that in 2021 75% of US users discover new musicians on the app. It also has a handy algorithm that allows new talent to come through via the 'For You' page, and the use of music combined with video is the magic combination for virality.

While TikTok is perhaps the most relevant platform nowadays, obviously it didn’t all start there. Musicians getting their breakout through online has lasted since the days of YouTube, even MySpace, in the 2000s, with artists like Justin Bieber or Adele citing the respective sites for helping them be discovered.

MySpace was heavily used in the 2000s to discover new musicians. While not as popular today, it still exists as a curated music and entertainment site.

YouTube launched in 2005 and has remained a constant platform for people to upload their material.

The term 'Soundcloud artist' is commonly known within communities. The site is generally targeted at musicians and is a way for them to upload material without it being officially distributed.

Many musicians make a living by releasing music on Bandcamp, also serving as a useful place of music discovery for fans.

It is a much easier way of gaining traction and getting your name out there compared to the pre-internet days and is almost taken for granted. Working your way up the ladder and finding a fanbase of loyal supporters through an online platform is ideal for any musician. This audience can come from every corner of the world and can lead to musicians becoming successful in countries that they’ve never even been to.

That’s something singer-songwriter Sam Tompkins experienced when his cover of Talking To The Moon gained traction, and has since caught the attention of the likes of Shawn Mendes, Justin Bieber and Sir Elton John just through posting online.

‘‘I think the world feels so small now with this social media thing, but it is always crazy to think I’m just some guy from some place that’s pretty small in the UK and to know the quantity of people I’ve managed to reach has been really amazing, I’m so grateful’’ Tompkins said.

His cover was then picked up by rapper Jnr Choi, with this version going viral over on TikTok at the start of the year. ‘‘That was extra crazy because it had its own viral moment and has had its second lease of life, I’m really proud of the whole situation.’’

Sam’s presence on social media is what took him to the next step. He’s now releasing his own material, with his latest EP landing in the top 10 of the UK album charts, and spoke to us from the glamour of his own tour bus as he completed his European tour.

Although there are some benefits to posting online, there are some others that feel the pressures of having a social media presence. Constantly having to create new content and ideas to keep audiences engaged and seeing that change in real time can be challenging. It has led to some artists saying posting videos for TikTok and other platforms is creating burnout.

Ant Thompson, founder of Notion Live Events, works specifically with artists on modern marketing strategies, including the internet, to help build their career. He reinstated the importance of marketing online, saying: ‘‘I believe it is necessary for artists to communicate with their audiences through social media. There is an online audience that should be fed content and entertained. Not doing so means an artist will be missing a trick.

‘‘Certain personalities, I believe, use social media more than others. With that said, if an artist can do their best to have a presence, I can only imagine positive outcomes as long as they portray authenticity.’’

Singer-songwriters shouldn’t be afraid to post their own material either, as it is clear that music discovery through the app is generating success for the artist. People are either consciously or subconsciously discovering their new favourite song through the platform. A study by MRC Data found that 67% of the app’s users are more likely to seek out songs on streaming services after hearing them on TikTok, and anyone that knows popular music trends on the app and follows the charts will know this to be true. This means that naturally, the labels have also followed suit too, and are on the lookout constantly to see who is trending and who the next talent is.

‘‘Everything you put out into the world, whether it is your latest single, a TikTok video, an Instagram story or a tweet, is a piece of your story.’’ Julian Berdegué added: ‘‘Collectively, all of these pieces make up your brand, and if you build your brand right, people won't just like the latest single you put out - they'll like you.

‘‘Having your audience at your fingertips is also about how you let them know that you are visiting an old friend or eating a sandwich at home (which may start conversations with fans and help you build meaningful relationships with them).

‘‘This means they'll listen to your other music, they'll tell their friends about you, and they'll follow you on socials so you can keep them posted on the latest from you.’’

A week following Lost by Frank Ocean on Spotify, which went viral on TikTok earlier in the year. (Data from Spotify)

A week following Lost by Frank Ocean on Spotify, which went viral on TikTok earlier in the year. (Data from Spotify)

A graph showing Julian's social media growth from October 2021. Julian noted a TikTok that took off in November that helped his platform take off fully.

The Lounges.tv website homepage.

The Lounges.tv website homepage.

There are of course other creative ways outside of TikTok that can help artists gain recognition. One site that has grown rapidly in the pandemic age is lounges.tv, a new entertainment platform where artists can stream live shows online, combining the online live streaming world with concerts, allowing the artist to make money.

Finley Gardner, Talent Executive at lounges.tv, said: ‘‘With the unique set of tools that the platform offers and our carefully considered business model, creators are beginning to jump on board from different locations and different demographics.

‘‘Our proposal to the grassroots music community of today is to take advantage of the change in the music industry.’’

There is no denying that TikTok and other social media platforms will continue to shape the music landscape, and artists will naturally be expected to adapt to this in order to connect with new audiences and fans alike. In fact, TikTok have just launched their own music distribution platform, SoundOn, aiming to make it easier for independent artists to get their music onto the platform and learn how to reach audiences, proving that they also see the potential in what their platform can do for musicians.