MRC’s study also weighs in on TikTok’s impact on the junction of brands and music, with 68% of respondents saying they better recall a brand’s video that uses songs they favor. And on that note, MRC’s study shows promise, stating that 67% of TikTokers are more likely to seek out songs on music-streaming services.

No matter which platform drives discovery, that awareness only becomes meaningful if it inspires consumer action. While not denying TikTok’s impact on discovery, the source says with labels focusing so much energy on the platform - in the same manner they courted Spotify two years ago - some of that discovery traction is inevitable.

“The interest is there, and the music industry is buying into what TikTok is selling,” says an industry source who works closely with TikTok. With music discovery being one of the platform’s most talked-about attributes, it won’t surprise most music marketers to learn that 75% of TikTok visitors discover artists there, while 63% say it’s a source for music they’ve not heard before and 72% indicating they associate certain songs with TikTok.Īside from Lil Nas X, whose TikTok exposure propelled him from self-released artist to a Columbia Records contract, the app has also been cited as a key building block for the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat.

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