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Anyone else keeping up with this drama from Halsey. It opens up a much bigger debate about the current state of the music scene.

 

The tl;dr version is:

 

- She has claimed that her label won't let her release a song until it becomes a viral smash on Tiktok

- She has posted this on Tiktok, which has gained attention (with the song playing in the background)

- People have said she is in on the marketing campaign to get the song exposure

- She denies she is part of the marketing plan and just wants to release the song

 

So - do you think labels are pushing this narrative or are the artists part of the plan too? What world are we in when songs can only be given time and day if she become part of a flash-in-the-pan trend on Tiktok for a few weeks.. Isn't music so much more than that? How can artists take a stand? Are the artists part of the marketing plan or are they being held at Tiktok-point?

 

Do you know any other artists that are under a similar chokehold?

 

Here is more on the matter:

 

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more artists just need to start speaking out tbh

I find the irony in this particularly eyeroll worthy, given the initial platform used to promote this stance was on Tiktok with the song playing in the background. If you're truly against something, why then do exactly what it is you're against?

 

But then, this does sadden me massively too. I am a HUGE fan of artistic visions and integrity in terms of release strategies, and artists having a say in the way their music is consumed and when. It is so upsetting to see artists held on a leash by their labels. Made to put a song #1 on their album, and shift 'Intro' to track 5 (Mabel, hello?), made to make songs that appeal to Tiktok (sub-2 minutes and inciting a dance trend). So much of this vicious cycle is upsetting and I can't wait for the trend/fad to end!

 

Bring back the art of the ALBUM.

Its become quite 'trendy' for artists and labels to have "fall-outs" quite publicly to promote a song, i mean the kid laroi and sc**ter br*un had a 'fall out' in order to promote the kid laroi's new song quite recently, however i do believe thst in halsey's case they do actually want a viral video (well she said it was 6 viral videos they wanted from her)

TikTok has really been one of the worst things to happen to pop music but I don’t see the forced pandering ending anytime soon.

 

as for this case of Halsey - its a shame really that this kind of label drama is still so commonplace in the streaming era.

Try and get Tiktok hits by all means, but don't create and release music tailored just FOR a Tiktok smash? :( it won't be taken seriously and how will these artists last without a full vision or without integrity behind them. They'll get a flash-in-the-pan smash but no-one will know who they are as an artist, invest in their merchandise, their albums, their tour and they'll be disposed a year down the line. It's sad.

Is there even any and I mean ANY examples that labels have just decided to release a "TikTok smash" and it has actually turned out to be one?

 

One case is Charlie Puth's Light Switch. That song was teased for a while and it did so much better than his singles usually do.

Yeah I was discussing this at work the other day. It also saddens me that many artists feel that they are being pressured into making a viral hit on what is fundamentally a fickle, fast-paced and unpredictable platform. Like - what's the strategy here? Seeking a viral hit isn't going to help an artist develop or grow their fanbase, it may give them a big hit and y'know temporarily bring some cumulative recency bias to favour anything subsequently released by them, but that will soon fade and leave them frustrated and disenfranchised without the long and successful career that they desire.

 

I know some will say that they've signed the right away when joining a label under contract and that dumbing down art has always been what the music industry is driven towards but I still fundamentally believe that the artist should have overall control over how their work is promoted by them and put out into the world, not have the label hold them to ransom over their own lazy vision. That work is very personal and highly valued by the artist and this would appear in their eyes at least to be cheapening it. Sadly it's not surprising that it is mostly women who are affected by this recent trend with the music industry remaining incredibly sexist (just look at the male:female ratio of headliners at UK festivals this year for starters), but I'm glad that some have taken to speaking out openly and shone a light on this increasingly commonplace practice. It's pretty clear: The label shouldn't be able to bully an artist into doing something that they are really not comfortable doing. I'm sure that some will be more than happy to use the platform to interact and connect with their fanbase - and that's fine and probably makes sense as it'll be organic and natural for them - but for those who aren't happy the record companies really aren't going to achieve much by forcing them to use it. Also the fickleness and fast pace means you have to actually know what you're doing and be very social media savvy, many artists have been ridiculed for the outdated trend of 'leaking your new song on TikTok'.

 

As for TikTok itself: I just don't like it when something appears to become so powerful and influential as to become its own kingmaker, and then ultimately begins to shift and create its own distinct trends but this platform seems to accelerate trends to a breakneck speed which I feel makes the music even more throwaway and cheap (there'll be another new trend around later to replace it immediately). It seems to be having an impact on the length of songs too (also see: Spotify and the streaming rules for the UK Album Chart). I don't have an issue with trends, and short songs definitely have their place in the medium, however when everything starts sounding like it is being deliberately cut short then it begins to grate.

I agree with pretty much all of that Doctor Blind - couldn't have put it better myself! Where's the 'like' post function at!

Is there even any and I mean ANY examples that labels have just decided to release a "TikTok smash" and it has actually turned out to be one?

 

One case is Charlie Puth's Light Switch. That song was teased for a while and it did so much better than his singles usually do.

I think the only case is Gayle and to a much lesser extent Leah Kate. Both of which are now seen as a laughing stock and won't get further hits I imagine.

Sad to see :/

and the worst part is that people that use tiktok care zero about music, they only care about the silly videos

and for them the songs are just background music

Edited May 27, 20223 yr by Bjork

more artists just need to start speaking out tbh

 

Well, the reason they can't is because they sign massive contracts at the beginning stating that they are not allowed to say a LOT of things. Lawyers are involved when they sign it, and will be involved if they break the contract. The pop star's pop music career is basically over if they reveal certain secrets about the inner workings of the music industry. The rare cases of people like Ke$ha who speak out, well she wanted out of her contract anyway. Halsey likely wants to continue her mainstream pop career so I don't think she will speak out.

 

Which is why I think Halsey is doing this as part of an orchestrated marketing campaign here. This sort of thing fits very well with the image they've created for her over the years. And it's far from the first time they've used the "female artist goes against her label's orders" story as a marketing strategy. It's happened countless of times. You can basically tell if it's real by how much they get punished for it.

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The campaign worked then? ^_^

Glad they listened to Halsey.

I should state for the record that I've not engaged in TikTok, nor will I ever; it's origins and safety concerns and general brash noisiness that appeals to those with the attention span of a mayfly has put me off it. I'm in my early 30s and have a clear idea of what is and isn't appealing to me now.

 

But like it or lump it, it is part of most current social and business fabrics now, the music industry included. Evidently, there probably are some artists who are making videos like Halsey's one with intentions that aren't genuine or coming from a place of despair.

 

But that's equally not to invalidate those artists who are feeling pressured under their contracts to do certain things or be set completely unassailable goals in the name of chasing virality. You only need look at Raye and the dramas she went through last year with Polydor.

 

You would think after the last few years and different things happening like #metoo, Black Lives Matter etc that labels would be showing more responsibility for looking after the very asset that is keeping them in business in the first place. Artists are humans, not preprogrammed robots. Sadly on this basis, it doesn't seem like they are. It's not the 80s or 90s where you can get away with any old crap. Fans are not stupid and they will make themselves quite as if not just as vocal as the artist if they sense bullshit or uncompromising behaviour at play.

 

By all means incorporate TikTok into the wider marketing plan - and also make it make sense relative to the artist, their music and audience - but pinning all your energies on virality on there for a hit will inevitably come back and bite them on the arse once TikTok reaches and passes peak saturation point, which it probably will do within a year or two.

How can a song go viral on TikTok before it has been released- surely people need to hear it first?

How can a song go viral on TikTok before it has been released- surely people need to hear it first?

I think they get teased on TikTok and gather steam from there, that’s how Jack Harlow’s First Class was such a huge smash when it was first released, I believe.

Snippets of yet to be released songs go viral on TikTok all the time - I don't know if there is a snippet of the Halsey song out though?

I don't like how streaming site playlisting and TikTok together have almost 100% influence in what becomes a hit.

Snippets of yet to be released songs go viral on TikTok all the time - I don't know if there is a snippet of the Halsey song out though?

Wasn’t it in the background of her first TikTok on this matter?