By Ethan Goddard, Wax Trax | On January 19, TikTok could be banned in the United States. Reportedly there will be a way around it, at least for a while, or maybe Elon Musk will add it to his evil empire, but as somebody who was a high school freshman when the app first started, it’s strange to contemplate the platform’s final days as an adult with a full time job and bills to pay. While the platform created countless controversies, I do feel it’s important to highlight some of the amazing things to come from it over the years; specifically musically (and I mean actual music, not the app’s former name).
When it comes to pushing up-and-coming musicians or making a new hit song, there’s no denying TikTok’s crucial role. Whether it’s creating a phenomenon around a specific artist and their marketing (as seen with 2024’s Brat Summer), or reviving older classics like Fleetwood Mac’s song “Dreams.” As a user, it’s been fascinating to see which songs end up going viral, and I know for a fact it’s raising the curiosity of those not engulfed in internet culture! I’ve been fortunate to have brief conversations with the older generations who pass by our mini-shop at Stanley Marketplace:
“You know, for Christmas my granddaughter asked for a copy of Rumors on vinyl.”
“Who’s Chappell Roan? Why is she so popular?”
“Oh no way dude! They have “Kid A” on vinyl!”
I’m not gonna say Gen Z is the first generation to like older music; but all three of the artists, or albums stated above, went viral on TikTok within the last couple of years. The amount of fluidity in today’s teenage music taste is wildly diverse, and I can’t help but wonder if it can be attributed to TikTok’s diverse user base. This has been one of the biggest letdowns with the ban – TikTok communities with people all over the world (both online and in person) could start to crumble! And all of these communities have been vastly built around the fashion and music surrounding each niche.
But apart from the older music that’s found a new home on the platform, some of the biggest modern day artists were discovered on the app. As listed above, the midwest princess herself, Chappell Roan found massive success last year thanks to TikTok. And these aren’t just statistics on the screen, we’ve seen the real life fans shopping in our stores everyday. I can’t begin to describe the amount of faces I see light up when finding a copy of “Brat” or “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” at Wax Trax; it really is incredible! As an avid doomscroller myself, seeing my favorite internet-born artists in a real life store, with tangible music, is something that warms my heart. It’s hard to explain, but having these artists’ LPs in hand makes it feel more real; like a confirmation they are real artists and not just “silly internet musicians.” And I know I’m not the only one who feels this way–as I hear that same excitement every day at Wax Trax from people my age.
> > > > > > > > > >
Read the full article here:
https://wastedenergy.co/2025/01/15/a-eulogy-for-tiktok-from-a-gen-z-audiophile/?mc_cid=c1b9683444&mc_eid=84acb4f0d3
WaxTrax Volume 3, Issue 3