That Song from TikTok: How Independent musicians develop their careers through the short-video platform.

2022

Through my master’s thesis I have explored the relationship between TikTok and the music industries, through the interactions of independent musicians. With a qualitative approach through conducting semi-structured interviews with four independent musicians who are active on TikTok, this thesis has discussed themes such as TikTok’s place in the music industry, algorithms and music discovery, and potential revenue streams. These themes have been discussed throughout the thesis based on established theory within participation culture, digital disruptions, artist health, and Do-it-yourself social media marketing. The thesis argues for TikTok’s place within the recording industry and explains h…