How PinkPantheress Got a Record Deal Without Ever Playing a Show
TL;DR TikTok is fueling a radical transformation of the music industry, challenging the current reality where 0.7% of artists drive 90% of streams. Substantial capital and upfront investments by record labels are no longer required for an artist to gain exposure. Gone are the days of traditional A&Ring. Instead, the 1 billion users of this app are determining who the next breakthrough artist will be.
Utilizing Minimal Viable Songs & The Next Generation of A&Rs
A Minimal Viable Song is an unpolished, bite-sized demo of an upcoming release. Music creators can upload these snippets as a way to pressure test songs to a global audience before the official drop.
After going viral off clips of unreleased tracks, London-based PinkPantheress struck a major label deal without ever having played a live show. When music creator ASTN uploaded a short, R&B cover of Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” he received 2.5 million likes within 24 hours and 800,000 followers within a week. He further gauged interest by uploading a longer version of the track, asking his audience whether or not he should release the full song. Accompanied by an overarching positive response, the track was uploaded to Spotify, garnering 1.6 million streams within 48 hours.
Screenshot/TikTok - @pinkpantheress
These excerpts of songs have a validating effect, allowing artists to build up hype before an official version is uploaded to streaming platforms. Ultimately, this is a radical shift in the industry because the 1 billion users of TikTok are deciding whether or not you go viral, which is basically free, global distribution of your music–no labels necessary. With this in mind, this digital audience may be the next generation of industry A&Rs.
All in all, by eliminating traditional financial barriers to distribution, TikTok is democratizing the process of getting your music heard.