TikTok is gone…well, is it?
Last night, the social media platforms ceased all operations, so Americans could not utilize the app. While many thought the app would go black at midnight, in the first minutes of January 19th, as the order noted, TikTok shut down hours before midnight, leaving users confused.
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.
We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned.”
BREAKING: TikTok has shut down in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/71p82PhjpJ
— BNO News (@BNONews) January 19, 2025
However, I discovered this morning that TikTok is still functional on my web browsers if you have withdrawals and need a good doom scroll.
While many influencers are freaking out about the future of the app, given it provided income for many creators, it does not appear that the app will be gone for long. Donald Trump has announced that he will sign an executive order on his first day in office to reinstate the app. In light of this announcement, TikTok has said it’s working to reinstate the app so by the time you read this, you might have access again.
However, in the 12 hours the app has been unusable on our phones, it has brought up some interesting points from creators, especially artists, and how the lack of TikTok will change the musical landscape. It’s not a secret that many artists started by going viral on the app. TikTok single-handedly changed many newcomers’ lives, leading them to skip many steps that other bands and musicians had to do to get a record deal. While that app was a game-changer for some, it also created conversation among those who came up in the industry being road dogs about how having a viral moment could hinder your career as well. People liking your video does not equate to ticket sales or streams or that you possess the drive to spend your life on the road, vulnerable, writing about your experiences and feelings.
Zach Top recently spoke about his perspective on making it big off a viral moment. Top, I feel like, has seen both sides of the conversation very well as he did have many viral moments helping him make it big, but he also had been playing bluegrass shows for a decade before his big break.
“Especially in this age of, you know, people going viral on TikTok, and if it goes big enough, they get a record deal out of it. But they’ve never played in front of 20 people before. It was just a 15-second video, you know, and that’s not the case for all of them. But a lot of times, you see that, and I feel like they get to skip a lot of steps on the front end. That ends up probably hurting them later on and maybe damages the longevity of the career.”
Now, those aspiring artists might have to go back to pushing their music the old-fashioned way, as the landscape of TikTok is uncertain. While this uncertainty is terrifying for some artists, Muscadine Bloodline took to social media to share their feelings that maybe this is all for the better. Their thoughts about the app ban highlight that maybe this is a lesson for the music industry that it’s not always about chasing that viral moment.
To their Instagram story, they shared:
“James 1:2: Consider it all joy when you encounter trials.
TikTok is gone. It was a helpful tool, not the end all be all for musicians. Maybe it’s a reset for the good. Maybe we won’t be so worried about selling the song, but letting the power of a song sell itself and not hinge how good a song is by not having a ‘viral moment.’
Think it’s time we all double down on honing in on our crafting of songs and make an experience for people through live performance. It’s always worked and always will. Excited to see (…if this lasts) what it will do for music creation. Control what you can control. Ain’t in our hands anyways. The West just keeps getting wilder. Fun time for it.”
The Alabama boys are speaking the truth in this statement.
Songwriting isn’t always supposed to be about what songs work to fit a trend. It’s about connecting deeply with your fans and those who have walked a similar path as you. It’s about forming connections through melodies and words and shaking hands with those who support you during your live shows.
While I don’t think this ban will affect the musical landscape significantly, this brief pause should show pairing artists that having a social media presence can only take you so far. Those who stream your music, buy the vinyl and merch and show up to shows make you successful.
While you’re here, fire up their latest single with Josh Meloy, “Ain’t For Sale.”
