November 6, 2020
Have discovery platforms like TikTok and Instagram become increasingly more important in your evaluation of new music/artists?
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Rick Vaughn, KENZ: TikTok definitely builds familiarity for us. It’s another way for songs to get familiar. If a song spends enough time on TikTok, especially with the younger audience, it certainly lays solid groundwork for us. Takes a little longer with the upper-end.
Jammer, WEZB: Depends on the song and/or artist. We need to becarful not to rely on just one platform. It’s just a piece of the puzzle. Valentine, WBHT: I think you have to stay more on top of it these days and hit the right records while they’re hot and then lose them when they’re not. You have to read them closely, because there are patterns. Outside of your main heavier-played currents, these are great flavor/trendy songs. But you can’t wait for them to research, as soon as they’re not cool anymore, you have to move on. Jagger, WKSS: Definitely paying more attention to it as this year unfolded more. I feel you need to be selective though. Certain songs you need to get to more quickly. If we played everything that’s big on TikTok, your station wouldn’t sound so good.
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Dom Theodore, Radio Animal Media Strategies: Yes, these platforms are good incubators for hits. But smart programmers need to pay attention to other data points to figure out what’s real and what’s not.
Drew Heyman, Y100: Yes, it’s all part of the bigger picture. We watch it for sure. Lee Abrams, mediavisions: We are ages away from the old way of evaluating music popularity. Watching station trends is only one component in an increasingly necessary 360-degree analysis of listening sources and sales. Spotify, TikTok, and even international sources are new elements to designing current playlists, particularly on the younger end. Jon Zellner, iHeartMedia: It certainly represents something else we look at when making music decisions. In fact, our CHR’s teamed up with TikTok a couple months ago for a nightly TikTok mix, featuring the hottest songs trending on TikTok. Kobe, WZNE: Yes, TikTok is more important. It’s the most realistic “real time” stats and info with our most active listening audience.
Java Joel, Javajoelmurphy@gmail.com: TikTok has definitely had an influence on certain songs getting on our radar quicker, but… We can’t become TikTok Radio. That would just be… Obnoxious. |
Matt “MJ” Johnson, matthot1079@hotmail.com: I’m agnostic to the sources, it’s best to have a compass on what will and won’t work with a terrestrial radio audience.
Mike “OD” O’Donnell, WKRZ: Like many other digital platforms, it’s another barometer when looking at teens and what is hot with them. However, it’s one piece of a larger pool of data to digest each week. Josh Wolff, WAEB: They are a bit more important simply because there are more users on them, and something like TikTok started with the kids and now has acquired more of a demographic spread as the platform has matured. |
Brian Mack, WXXL: As someone in charge of growing an audience in the music world, you’d be a fool not paying attention to these movements…how much? I think we’re all trying to figure that out.
Jonathan Shuford, WRVW: TikTok is super-meaningful for identifying and evaluating trends, and as a medium we have to part of those records. But I believe we’re still trying to figure out how to be a part of it in an effective way.
Heather Deluca, WSJO: Totally. I think there are a lot of super talented people out there that get lost in or rejected by the typical ‘music industry’ machine. I think whatever platform shines a light on that talent should be lent some credibility. And, platforms like MySpace and YouTube gave us Colbie Caillat, Justin Bieber, and some other really successful artists.
Bartel, WKTU: Yes. I think especially during covid we need to be open to any and all platforms the move the music needle.
Buzz Knight, Buzz Knight Media: These platforms are crucial to music discovery because they foster the spirit of innovation and experimentation without barriers to entry. We have to keep our ears to the ground everywhere, especially there!
Randi West, WRMF: I think CHR and HAC stations right now that are playing Fleetwood Mac “Dreams” because it was big on TikTok, are making a big mistake. TikTok is a very visual platform and the songs that go along with that visual are not necessarily good radio songs. I don’t think “Dreams” is meeting the expectations of CHR/HAC audiences. Did we blindly follow myspace? Don’t blindly follow TikTok. The visual on TikTok can be very powerful, but if it doesn’t translate within the realm of your programming, there won’t be a connection there.
Jana Sutter, WXXL: TikTok more so than Instagram, because you can watch something take off on TikTok and then you know your entire young-end is hearing it. It’s definitely something we pay attention to, but it’s not the end-all, be-all decision maker.Next Week’s Question Of The Week:
What are going to be the hot giveaway items this holiday season?
e-Mail your responses to: jodorisio@deanemediasolutions.com or bburke@deanemediasolutions.com
