2020 in Review: TikTok’s Takeover Changes The Game

Published: Thursday 31st Dec 2020 by Sam

Whether penciled in history books for reasons good, bad, ugly, and/or everything in between, 2020 brought with it some of entertainment’s most memorable moments.

Now, as the year draws to a close, That Grape Juice is reflecting on our favorite moments that rocked – and to some degree maybe even reshaped – the Urban and Pop cultural landscape as we know it.

Next, we’ll look back at how TikTok changed the game...

The mechanics of the music industry are well-established. So much so that one could argue that, for all the change that has occurred, its core remains the same. For, the gatekeepers, the hit formulas, and the promotional pillars integral to the field have been firmly rooted and resonant for decades.

But then came TikTok.

Armed with the momentum of the social media platforms before it, the video clip app has become the love-child of Gen-Z and the potency of their usage is remoulded the musical landscape.

Indeed, TikTok dance challenges are igniting careers and shaping the charts, case in point Megan Thee Stallion‘s #1 ‘Savage’ and recent bop ‘Body.’ Then there’s also Jason Derulo, who has taken residence on the platform (with over 10 million followers), collaborated with one of its key contributors Jawsh 685 and bagged a Billboard Hot 100 #1 with ‘Savage Love’ – his first in 10 years.

And the industry is sitting up and paying attention. From lucrative licensing deals, to marketeers adding the term “challenge” to almost any and every of your fave’s releases, it’s clear TikTok is making a mark that cannot be ignored.

Read: Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Savage’ Soars to Rap iTunes #1 Thanks to Viral TikTok Challenge