Algorithm Musicians or Highway Musicians: Which one does Gen Z prefer?

The term ‘viral song’ has now become one of the music references that enters the Gen Z playlist. The term ‘viral song’ signifies that a song has reached an extraordinary level of popularity. Viral songs can be classified as newly released songs or old songs that resurge in popularity. These songs can be domestic or international. The virality of a song generally starts from the social media platform TikTok.

From interviews conducted by Youthlab with Gen Z, including students and university students, it’s evident that they consume music primarily through the TikTok platform. TikTok serves as one of their go-to music streaming services. This group can be categorized as ‘TikTok Music Listeners’, individuals who belong to a new category of music enthusiasts whose musical preferences are influenced by the exposure to trending music on the app.

The behavior patterns of songwriters have also adapted to these changes, influenced by the emergence of streaming services and shifts in listener preferences. Nowadays, there’s a tendency among musicians to focus on creating songs that captivate listeners within the first few seconds. This ensures that the released songs resonate well with the musical tastes of TikTok users.

TikTok’s Musical Influence

In Indonesia, TikTok’s influence on popular music has been immensely significant. The platform accommodates a wide range of genres and introduces many emerging musicians to a larger audience. Among the most consumed genres are folk, pop, dangdut koplo, K-pop, and remixes. 

In Indonesia, TikTok’s influence on popular music has been immensely significant. The platform accommodates a wide range of genres and introduces many emerging musicians to a larger audience. Among the most consumed genres are folk, pop, dangdut koplo, K-pop, and remixes. Previously unknown musicians are now gaining widespread recognition among Gen Z users. Several previously unknown musicians have gained rapid recognition among Gen Z audiences.

“A person with zero followers can go viral,” as Christal Cody, Warner Records’ associate director of fan engagement and digital marketing, once mentioned in an interview with Billboard. This statement underscores the democratizing effect of TikTok, where even individuals without a large following can suddenly find themselves thrust into the spotlight.