Within a 90-second reel, some musical dreams have come true.
Videos by American Songwriter
Posting to the social video platform TikTok, dozens of artists have broken through with their music. Whether it’s bedroom pop videos to more experimental covers and original songs, some artists’ TikTok clips turned them viral or catapulted them into the mainstream.
Here’s a look at five artists who can thank TikTok for the video boost that helped propel their careers.
1. Olivia Rodrigo
Disney star Olivia Rodrigo, who had starred in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, became an overnight star at 17 with her power ballad “drivers license” when it went viral on TikTok. The song also broke the record for the most one-day streams for a non-holiday song on Spotify. Released on Rodrigo’s 2021 debut Sour, “drivers license” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won a Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance in 2022.
2. Doja Cat
Already using social media to her advantage, Doja Cat first caught attention in 2018 after posting her DIY video for the Amala track, “Mooo!” The TikTok video, featuring Doja Cat dancing in a cow costume and singing Bitch I’m a cow, quickly turned her into a meme star.
By 2019, Doja Cat hit her first No. 1 with “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj after the song gained traction on TikTok. Featured on Doja Cat’s second album, Hot Pink, “Say So” hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Doja Cat released her third album Planet Her in 2021 and has a fourth, forthcoming release, Hellmouth, scheduled for 2023.
3. Lil Nas X
Before Montero Lamar Hill, better known as Lil Nas X, was a star with his country-rap hit “Old Town Road,” the song went viral after the “yeehaw challenge” meme appeared on TikTok. The challenge helped pushed the song onto the Billboard country chart. Initially, Lil Nas X released the song on SoundCloud in December 2018.
“Old Town Road” went to No. 19 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was later remixed with a video featuring Billy Ray Cyrus and won two Grammys for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video. Lil Nas X released his debut album, Montero, in 2021.
4. PinkPantheress
British singer and songwriter PinkPantheress, real name Vicky Beverly Walker, started posting on TikTok on Christmas Day of 2020, with her song “Pain.” She continued to use TikTok as a test center for new songs. She shared several more songs on the platform, which went viral, including “Break It Off,” “Passion,” and “Just For Me.” All were also released on her 2021 debut album To Hell with It.
PinkPantheress recently teamed up with Bronx rapper Ice Spice for a new remix titled “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2.” The original version of the track appeared on PinkPantheress’ Take Me Home EP, released in December 2022.
5. Walker Hayes
Walker Hayes didn’t expect to go viral singing about eating Applebee’s Bourbon Street Steak and sipping a Wendy’s frosty on a date with his song “Fancy Like.” To get through the pandemic lockdown together, Hayes and his family shared TikTok videos with choreographed dances to “Fancy Like” and other tracks from his Country Stuff EP including “I Hope You Miss Me” and “Country Stuff.”
In 2022, Hayes released “Fancy Like” on his third album, Country Stuff the Album, and also picked up a CMA nomination for New Artist of the Year. Last month, the singer released two new songs, “If Father Time Had a Daughter” and “6 String American Dream.”
Photo: Robert Chavers / Courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media
