If you don’t know who Tommy Richman is, there’s a strong possibility you’re not on TikTok. The singer and rapper from Woodbridge, Va. is becoming increasingly recognized, particularly after performing onstage at the Spotify Celebrates Songs of the Summer 2024 event on July 24, 2024, in New York City. Last summer, he became the latest artist to gain significant traction through the social media platform TikTok.
It all began when Richman posted a snippet of his track “Million Dollar Baby” on his TikTok page. This song was not the single his label had initially planned to promote from his debut album, “Coyote,” which dropped last September. Despite this, it gained immense popularity, leading to fans actively requesting its release. Richman shared with Variety, “I probably got a couple thousand DMs, which was insane, and then I told my label, ‘We gotta drop the song next week! We need to chase this moment — it’s time.’”
“Million Dollar Baby” made quite the splash by debuting at number two on the Billboard Hot 200. Even more impressively, it remained at the top of the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for ten consecutive weeks, becoming the first song ever to achieve this milestone. The song's distinct electro-funk sound and heavy bass, featuring the 808s, became synonymous with viral TikTok posts from users around the globe. Just like its catchy beats, Richman’s meteoric rise to fame reflects the power of the platform.
TikTok has undeniably transformed the music industry. No longer just a venue for kitchen dance challenges and makeup tutorials, it has emerged as a multi-billion-dollar clubhouse for music discovery and promotion. Specifically for millennials and Gen Z, discovering new hits through TikTok has become far more commonplace than tuning to radio stations. Quinn Bishop, owner of Cactus Music, remarked, “TikTok is a remarkable driver for music sales when the music is available.” He mentioned how many customers ask for songs they’ve encountered on TikTok, whether they’re from new artists like UK singer Lola Young, whose breakout hit “Messy” went viral last year, or from nostalgic artists like Vashti Bunyan, who originally released her music over fifty years ago but is now experiencing renewed interest thanks to the app.
The music industry has quickly adapted to the changes precipitated by TikTok and its user base. According to Business Insider, marketers have started hiring influencers to generate buzz around songs, and artists have organized listening parties where interactive sessions engage fans and creators alike. For many artists, building a following involves time and perseverance, yet for others, fame can arrive overnight.
One notable example is Houston-based dance artist Odetari, who bolstered his TikTok presence to 3.1 million followers by sharing his infectious EDM tracks. Initially, he began sharing clips of his music alongside video-game footage, but he cleverly captured listeners’ interests by creating catchy tunes, prompting fans to eagerly anticipate his releases.
Another artist, known as d4vd (real name David Anthony Burke), highlights the whimsical approach many new artists take to engage followers. The 19-year-old alt-R&B singer became well-known on TikTok for songs like “Romantic Homicide” and “Here with Me,” but he also gained popularity through humorous clips where he performed covers at higher pitches, reminiscent of the famous Alvin from “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” d4vd said, “People were knowing me for the ’Alvin and Chipmunks‘ meme and not my music, and I used the ‘Alvin and Chipmunks’ meme to kind of promote my music. When I got a big-enough following, I got around like 500,000 followers off of just being a meme.”
The reality is, artists today are crafting their own narratives, using TikTok as their stage where popular music is championed by the masses rather than dictated by record labels or radio programmers. The unprecedented success of Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby” serves as just one example of how audiences dictate the hits. Richman had the foresight to realize, “They’ll give you a hit if you just give them what they want.”
With this paradigm shift, it's clear TikTok continues to shape music trends, propelling artists toward stardom based on the organic connections they forge with fans. For those on the edge of their seats, waiting for the latest TikTok sensation, it’s evident this platform is far more than just an app; it's where tomorrow’s musical stars rise today.