TikTok
Watch a Preview of Calvin Harris’ First-Ever “Immersive” Virtual Concert
Chart-topping DJ and dance music producer Calvin Harris is set to debut his first-ever virtual concert via TikTok LIVE. According to a press release, fans of Harris can catch him DJing as a virtual avatar during the “immersive” gig, which will feature audio-reactive visuals in a nature-inspired virtual world. They’ll also be able to tune into the “Calvin Harris Experience” in VR via PICO. The groundbreaking concert, which can also be streamed on Wave, marks Harris’ first foray into the intersection of music and the metaverse. “It’s an honor to host Calvin Harris’’ first-ever virtual concert, which will push the boundaries of what is possible for artists going LIVE on TikTok and PICO,” said Paul Hourican, Global Head of Mu...
Calvin Harris Announces First-Ever Virtual Concert
Chart-topping DJ and dance music producer Calvin Harris is set to debut his first-ever virtual concert via TikTok LIVE. According to a press release, fans of Harris can catch him DJing as a virtual avatar during the “immersive” gig, which will feature audio-reactive visuals in a nature-inspired virtual world. They’ll also be able to tune into the “Calvin Harris Experience” in VR via PICO. The groundbreaking concert, which can also be streamed on Wave, is Harris’ first foray into the intersection of music and the metaverse. “It’s an honor to host Calvin Harris’’ first-ever virtual concert, which will push the boundaries of what is possible for artists going LIVE on TikTok and PICO,” said Paul Hourican, Global Head of Music...
Cringe: Watch Gullible Fans Swarm a Prankster In a Knockoff Marshmello Helmet
“Oh my God, Marshmello!” That’s what passersby in a Las Vegas hotel heard as groups of gullible fans chased after TikToker Mordy, who decided to don a knockoff Mello helmet as a social experiment on New Year’s Eve. Surprise: the humans failed. Despite the visibly fake helmet—most likely purchased at his local Spirit Halloween store—they were easily deceived and hounded Mordy, who shared a video of his experience on TikTok. As Mordy saunters through the hotel, crowds of people quickly take notice before following him through the halls, stalking him like prey for selfies. As the TikToker quickens his pace, dozens of “fans” are seen literally running after him, abandoning their sense of boundaries as they throw their phones in his face. Scroll to Conti...
Flighthouse’s Jacob Pace On Phonk’s Surging Popularity: “The Growth Around the Genre Has Been Like Nothing I’ve Ever Seen”
Few foresaw TikTok’s ability to shape the current state of the music industry like Jacob Pace. At the helm of Flighthouse, one of the most successful media brands on TikTok, the serial entrepreneur observed early on the platform’s ability to amplify specific sounds by way of unmatched organic reach. Pace helped spur the success of numerous trends that spread like wildfire, transcending the bounds of the short-form video sharing platform and achieving mainstream attention. However, despite repeated success, even Pace acknowledges there’s no surefire formula for concocting the next TikTok hit—only rigorous trial and error. To that end, he’s been laser-focused on bringing critical infrastructure to fruition to support the next generation of sounds and creators—starting...
Angela Bassett’s Son Apologizes For Fake Death TikTok Prank
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Jerritt Clark / Getty The son of heralded actress Angela Bassett, Slater Vance, landed in hot water, issuing an apology after pulling a video prank involving faking the death of Michael B. Jordan on TikTok. On New Year’s Eve, Slater Vance filmed a video that he shared on the social media platform apologizing for the stunt where he claimed that her fellow Black Panther actor Jordan had died to the actress and his father, actor Courtney B. Vance. “I apologize to Michael B. Jordan’s entire family, his extended family, and him directly as he is an idol of mine,” he said in a video posted to his Instagram account which was deleted shortly after. “Taking part in a trend like this is completely disrespectful. I don’t wish any bad ramifications upon his fami...
A Figure Skater Just Recreated Wednesday Addams‘ ’Goo Goo Muck’ Dance on Ice
Kamila Valieva took the 2023 Russian Figure Staking Championships by storm last week by performing a routine to The Cramps‘ “Goo Goo Muck” dressed as Wednesday Addams. Starting outside the edge of the rink, the 16-year-old sensation nailed her recreation of the herky-jerky dance on the Jenna Ortega-led Netflix series — all the way down to the hand motions, gothic party dress and long black pigtails. “When the sun goes down and the moon comes up/ I turn into a teenage goo goo muck/ Yeah, I cruise through the city and I roam the streets/ Looking for something that is nice to eat,” Lux Interior’s voice sang as Valieva executed the choreography flawlessly and the audience in the stands clapped along to the beat. Then, halfway through the program, Valieva went full TikTok as the music abruptly ...
What’s a TikTok Hit Worth? This Year’s Most Popular Track Grew Over 1,000% on Streaming
TikTok has proven its success at renewing widespread interest around old songs countless times over the past several years. 2022 was no exception, as the short-form video platform announced Swedish Sadboy rapper Yung Lean’s 2013 track “Ginseng Strip 2002” was its most popular track of the year thanks to a trend of users singing along for about 10 seconds and then kissing at the end. The nearly decade-old track was used in almost 11 million videos across the app in 2022, and while TikTok royalties are notoriously low to music rights holders, the upside proposition has been established that a viral hit there will drive streaming elsewhere. With “Ginseng Strip 2002,” that was most certainly true. Since the “Ginseng Strip 2002” TikTok trend started to take off around the turn of the new year, ...
What’s a TikTok Hit Worth? This Year’s Most Popular Track Grew Over 1,000% on Streaming
TikTok has proven its success at renewing widespread interest around old songs countless times over the past several years. 2022 was no exception, as the short-form video platform announced Swedish Sadboy rapper Yung Lean’s 2013 track “Ginseng Strip 2002” was its most popular track of the year thanks to a trend of users singing along for about 10 seconds and then kissing at the end. The nearly decade-old track was used in almost 11 million videos across the app in 2022, and while TikTok royalties are notoriously low to music rights holders, the upside proposition has been established that a viral hit there will drive streaming elsewhere. With “Ginseng Strip 2002,” that was most certainly true. Since the “Ginseng Strip 2002” TikTok trend started to take off around the turn of the new year, ...
TikTok a National Security Threat Vulnerable to Chinese Government ‘Manipulation,’ FBI Director Warns
FBI Director Chris Wray is raising national security concerns about TikTok, warning Friday that control of the popular video sharing app is in the hands of a Chinese government “that doesn’t share our values.” Wray said the FBI was concerned that the Chinese had the ability to control the app’s recommendation algorithm, “which allows them to manipulate content, and if they want to, to use it for influence operations.” He also asserted that China could use the app to collect data on its users that could be used for traditional espionage operations. “All of these things are in the hands of a government that doesn’t share our values, and that has a mission that’s very much at odds with what’s in the best interests of the United States. That should concern us,” Wray told an audience at the Uni...
This AI-Powered App Makes You the Subject of a Fred again.. Song
You can now generate an endless feed of song titles using Fred again..‘s distinct discographic nomenclature—all with the help of artificial intelligence. If you’ve ever wondered what being the subject of a Fred again.. song would look like, visit the AI-powered “You as a Fred again.. Song” site. Enter your first name and a selfie, and viola—you too can (spiritually) become a part of Fred’s Actual Life 3 universe. Built by Claire Wang, the programmatic platform applies Fred’s signature transparent blue tint to your image and generates a song title with your name, followed by a tongue-in-cheek parenthetical ad-lib. “You as a Fred again.. Song” was so true to form that even Fred himself couldn’t resist the urge to use it.&nb...
Trending Up: ‘Wakanda Forever’ Soundtrack Soars, Patty Loveless Lands a CMAs Comeback
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip. This week: The much-anticipated release of blockbuster sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever leads to huge streaming gains for much of its soundtrack, while Aerosmith experiences a bizarrely 2022 revival for one of their signature hits and Patty Loveless enjoys a more old-fashioned sort of comeback. ‘Black Panther’ Box Office Mojo Is Translating Into Streaming Wins Last weekend, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever blasted into movie theaters with a box office haul of $1...
TikTok Has Gen Z Hooked — Can Its Streaming Service Get Them to Pay for Music?
Ask music business executives to characterize their relationship with TikTok and the response is typically a variation of, “It’s complicated,” as one major-label executive puts it. As the short-form video streaming platform continues to dominate pop culture — last September, it claimed 1 billion monthly active users globally, a figure that has surely ballooned in the 13 months since — it has continued to draw the ire of the music industry for its low payouts to rights holders, even as labels, managers and publishers increasingly rely on the platform to market singles and break artists. But as TikTok’s parent company ByteDance explores an expansion of its fledgling music streaming service Resso — currently only available in India, Indonesia and Brazil — into new territories, another respons...
