Welcome to the Future: Does Social Media Rule the Music Industry?

Lives of Tomorrow

In 1979, The Buggles sang Video Killed the Radio Star. If they were to rewrite that hit today, the new title might well be TikTok Killed the Radio Star.

On the one hand TikTok and other social media platforms surface music in very short snippets, so a song that lasts around three minutes stands little chance of a full airing. But on the other hand, TikTok is a fantastic global creator of viral earworms, so you could argue it’s an excellent window where artists can show off their work.

These are some of the things that Carla Buzasi talks to Kelly Betts about in this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, where we discuss the future of music. Kelly is the Editor of BBC Introducing, BBC Radio's platform supporting unsigned, undiscovered, and under-the-radar UK music talent. It launched in 2007 and has helped support the careers of artists including The 1975, Florence and the Machine and Tom Grennan.

Carla and Kelly also consider whether AI can write the perfect pop song, why concerts were the first thing to bounce back after the pandemic, and how music engages us in a way that nothing else can.