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I want to create a room for discussion: how moral is it for a band to promote themselves through TikTok? I am noticing quite a big dilemma here. Some say it’s an amazing way for small artists to get noticed. Others argue it’s totally unethical, reducing music to a product that just feeds the ever hungry algorithm.
Personally, I tend to side with the latter. The thing is, and I will state my personal opinion as a musical artist: TikTok doesn’t care about the value of what you make. Its problem is the rapid circulation of trends, which pushes you to create short, bizarre, "trendy" content instead of something with real artistic depth. In the end, you’re basically turning yourself into something for sale.
TikTok often favors the weird and absurd over genuine talent. I can think of many bands that only have clout because they made themselves into grotesque memes. Most of them don’t even respect underground spaces, don’t care about the people who keep the scene alive, they’re just chasing attention. I could see that in person with several bands like that. You often notice right away when someone makes music to pursue an art form and when they are just another TikTok band.
Beyond that, TikTok rewards instant gratification over craft. Originality is pushed aside in favor of trends and whatever rigid form the industry wants, and art gets homogenized into templates anyone can copy. You could say that back in the day, bands got on TV as well. They also were visible through all forms of platforms. But the difference is - they HAD TO prove themselves; now, anyone can get unfiltered attention, no matter what they create. The system distorts what counts as valuable art, and it kind of subtly forces artists to play by its rules, even those who claim to reject it.
I personally value authenticity, respect, and honesty over any short-form gratification TikTok can grant you. To me, it feels like a trap: on one side, you say fuck the system, smash capitalist pigs, and on the other, you’re feeding it, supporting it, playing the game it wants you to play. Art deteriorates, creativity suffers, and the underground scene: the spaces that actually matter, loses another genuine voice to the algorithm.
The scene is slowly dying. The same stuff keeps circulating over and over again. Subcultures aren’t what they used to be. Personality often gets swallowed by trends. Cookie-cutter is becoming the new norm. Ever since TikTok got popular, the dynamics of music and underground culture have changed in a way we’ve never seen before. Virality can now be achieved with minimal talent, bypassing traditional gatekeepers, and the algorithm often rewards repetition over originality.
And I’m asking you: what is your stance on this? Can you offer a different perspective without falling back on clichés like "we’re progressing forward" or "things are different nowadays"? - I mean, it's true, but it doen't explain much of anything. And by no means do I think I am 100% correct. I am interested in how some of you might view it tho, if you've perhaps made your own research as well.
Comments
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maureen ⛧
honestly its nothing immoral except when they're just trying to impress the fanbase. overall i lowkey find it corny. like just upload your content honestly..,.,
Wicked crøw
i hate bands trying to get famous on tiktok they feel so corporate and fake! in our current sate of the world its almost impossible to get popular with out posting online but its also hard to get noticed so it feels so hopeless! how are you even supposed to get famous nowadays honestly
I honestly kinda miss the world where TV was relevant, Facebook still had games and Instagram was a purely picture based app that almost nobody used. The current state of world is really depressing honestly, I feel like something shifted in 2020 and hence we are here. Begging for likes on TikTok to get noticed.
by Kristian; ; Report
I honestly kinda miss the world where TV was relevant, Facebook still had games and Instagram was a purely picture based app that almost nobody used. The current state of world is really depressing honestly, I feel like something shifted in 2020 and hence we are here. Begging for likes on TikTok to get noticed.
by Kristian; ; Report
𝓟𝓡𝓘𝓝𝓒𝓐🎀
I mean while it’s important to stay authentic, I think we also have to come to terms with the fact that the world doesn’t really value authenticity anymore. a lot of people are just desperate to get their name out there, and sometimes that means setting aside what they truly stand for just to match what social media wants. Social media practically runs the world now. imagine how chaotic things would be if apps like TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook suddenly disappeared. Everything is digital. Millions of people don’t even collect physical media anymore, and being “real” isn’t something most people value the same way they used to. It’s sad in all but it’s also the reality of how people chase attention and recognition nowadays
I agree with what you said here. Real, but painful point. But still, it makes me question how far can we let this go?
by Kristian; ; Report
i believe if we all stick together maybe we have a chance at changing things but the problem is not many people are willing to stand up and that sucks
by 𝓟𝓡𝓘𝓝𝓒𝓐🎀; ; Report
Real stuff. I mean, some bigger cities in Poland, Austria or Czechia really have this thing where the underground community sticks together like family and really tries to push in a different direction. Including me and my friends. And we really believe that by not buying into the commercial stuff, we can build a counter culture. Or well, I mean it's already happening. Small steps, but unless something shakes the ground really hard, I think nobody is willing to abandon these values.
by Kristian; ; Report
I wish it was like that here in America
by 𝓟𝓡𝓘𝓝𝓒𝓐🎀; ; Report