In recent years, the way in which music is discovered, shared and discussed has significantly changed due to the growth of digital platforms. Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have become important spaces for music discovery and visibility. Short form content has changed how music gains attention through algorithms and has reshaped the way audiences interact with artists, media outlets and music related content.
In the past, music journalists played a vital role in shaping music taste and discovery. They acted as gatekeepers, deciding which artists or genres received coverage and visibility. However, the rise of social media has allowed artists to communicate directly with audiences and has created a space where influencers can also generate content for music promotion and discovery. This has raised questions about whether music journalism still holds the same level of relevance as it once did.
The product examines the changes that have taken place within the music journalism career by analysing how music journalism media outlets, artists and influencers operate on TikTok and Instagram. By comparing how the three respond to the same music related events or moments of visibility, the product aims to explore how attention, engagement and visibility are shaped on these platforms.
The study will be presented as a dissertation by practice in the form of a comparative video analysis. This approach allows the study to explore what the rise of social media platforms suggests about the role and relevance of music journalism today.
Aims of the Product
The main aim of this product is to examine whether music journalism media outlets can compete with artists and influencers for audience attention and engagement on TikTok and Instagram.
To do this, the product will:
- Compare how the different types of accounts respond to the same music related events or moments of visibility on these platforms.
- Analyse the types of music related content produced by media outlets, artists and influencers on these platforms by focusing on comparing the patterns of audience engagement such as likes, comments, shares and views across the different accounts.
- It will consider how differences in content format and tone may influence music discovery and visibility.
- Explore how platforms and algorithms shape visibility or gatekeeping power in relation to music content and whether music journalism media outlets are still able to shape visibility, or have they lost relevance compared to artists’ own social media activity or influencer content.
By examining these patterns, the study aims to assess the relevance and viability of music journalism in digital media.
Evidence of Research
Before the digital age, music journalists used to have significant gatekeeping power, meaning they used to shape the taste, visibility and music discovery. Existing research suggests that this may have changed due to the rise of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Studies show that social media platforms now play a vital role in music discovery, promotion and visibility due to algorithms designed to provide the user with personalised content (Negus, 2018). These algorithms allow for social media platforms to receive more audience engagement and interaction by constantly pushing content that they assume the user wants to see and interact with on digital platforms.
Quandt (2023) also argues that these platforms increasingly shape journalistic visibility and authority, meaning that content is distributed through algorithmic systems rather than editorial decision making. Although his work doesn’t focus specifically on music journalism, it raises important questions about whether similar changes are taking place within music journalism, and whether platforms now hold more gatekeeping power than traditional music journalists or media outlets. This is particularly relevant on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram where algorithms play a key role in determining which content gains visibility. As a result, the research suggests that visibility is no longer primarily shaped by editorial decisions but by engagement systems that prioritise interaction and platform activity.
Social media platforms have enabled artists to communicate directly with audiences through their own profiles, potentially reducing the reliance that they once had on media outlets for promotion and visibility. This direct communication allows artists to choose how their music is presented and discussed, particularly around album or song releases and tours. Artists are also able to share personal and behind the scenes content which may encourage higher levels of audience engagement in comparison to music journalism media outlets that do not have the same level of access. Järvekülg and Wikström’s study (2021) highlights that music promotion is now increasingly shaped by digital platforms rather than traditional music media outlets and this is changing how visibility is generated and maintained. Rather than having to rely on traditional media coverage, artists can now self-promote within these platforms which gives them insight into fan perceptions and reactions. This further allows them to be able to have an insight into what fans desire which would have been harder to achieve through media coverage only.
Influencers have also become increasingly important in shaping visibility and music discovery on social media platforms. This often occurs when influencers use music within the content they produce, exposing songs to large audiences in an informal and entertainment driven way. When the content receives high engagement it can encourage other users to create their own content using the same music.
This is commonly seen on platforms such as TikTok, where viral dance trends become associated with specific songs. In these cases, influencers can play a significant role in bringing attention to music, without offering any commentary or critical discussion. This suggests that influencers may shape music discovery through visibility and repetition making them another competitor to music journalists and artists in attracting audience attention. Due to this music journalists and media outlets are now actively on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, using them to share and promote music related content. Research suggests that this has resulted in the boundary between influencers and journalists becoming increasingly blurred on these platforms (Bastin & Bert-Erboul, 2024). As audience attention is shaped by algorithms and interaction, maintaining editorial quality may be challenging for music journalists when competing with informal and personality driven content. Larsen’s research (2024) demonstrates how journalists have begun adapting more influencer like behaviour within their writing in order to remain relevant or to maintain engagement. The blurring of roles raises questions about whether music journalists and media outlets must now adapt influencer like behaviour in order to maintain audience engagement.
While existing research explores the impact of platforms on music promotion, visibility, much of these works focus on broader industry changes. We do not know how these dynamics affect the relevance of music journalism in the digital age. There is limited research that directly compares music journalists, artists and influencers on these social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram and how they compete for audience attention and engagement. There is also limited analysis on content specific to those platforms and the engagement it has. For example, there is little study on content from Instagram, such a ‘reels’, and the engagement it receives from a music journalism perspective. Overall, existing research shows a shift in how music visibility and promotion have evolved in the digital age, with platforms playing a central role. As artists, influencers and journalists increasingly compete for audience attention within these platforms, questions remain about the relevance of music journalism.
Design of Technical Application
This product will analyse how music journalism media outlets, artists and influencers respond to the same music related events or moments of visibility on TikTok and Instagram. A small number of three to four events or moments will be selected for analysis. These events will be chosen purposively allowing for direct comparison across different account types during the same timeframe. For each selected event, the content will be examined across both social media platforms and from three account types: the artist, the influencer and the media outlet.
The content analysis consists of social media posts and short videos on the different accounts that directly relate to the selected events or moments of visibility. Examples of these events would be album releases, song releases, tours and viral moments. Only posts that directly relate to the selected event will be included in the analysis. To maintain focus and comparability, the analysis will concentrate on posts within a defined period of time surrounding each event. Focusing on these events or moments allows for a clearer comparison across the different account types.
The content will be analysed using a comparative qualitative content analysis. These posts will be analysed with specific attention to format, tone and patterns of audience engagement such as likes, comments, shares and views. By comparing how the three respond to the same events across platforms, the study can identify trends, similarities and differences in how they compete for audience engagement and visibility, and how this may shape music discovery and gatekeeping. This will provide insight into the relevance of music journalism in comparison to artists and influencers.
The product will take the form of a video documentary that brings together an analysis of music related content surrounding specific events on TikTok and Instagram. It will be approximately 30 to 40 minutes in length and consist of an introduction, a series of sections structured around each selected event and a conclusion. While the work will be presented as one complete video, it will also have the option to be split into shorter videos in order to present it on the platforms being examined, if desired. Each section will focus on how music journalism media outlets, artists and influencers respond to the same event, with attention to audience engagement, visibility and music discovery.
Presenting the analysis in video form is suitable for this research as music related content can be conveyed better visually. Using spoken commentary with visual on-screen examples allows ideas about music, tone and engagement to be communicated more clearly than text alone. This format also reflects how music content is typically encountered on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram and therefore allows the analysis to be experienced in a more natural and accessible way with the potential of having a more significant impact.
Identification of Potential Challenges and Possible Ethical Implications
One of the main challenges of this product is the role of platform algorithms in shaping visibility and engagement. TikTok and Instagram do not make their recommendation systems visible, meaning it is not possible to determine why certain posts may receive higher levels of engagement compared to others. As a result, patterns of visibility observed in this analysis cannot be fully explained.
Another challenge is the use of engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares and views. These metrics are useful for identifying visible patterns of audience engagement, but they do not show us why audiences choose to engage, meaning they don’t indicate influence or relevance. Engagement is also shaped by timing and trends rather than content alone. For example, posts relating to a music related event or moment of increased visibility may generate higher engagement during a specific period of time. This makes it challenging to select a fixed timeframe for the analysis as levels of engagement can fluctuate depending on trends or moments of increased attention about specific songs or artists.
Interpreting tone, format and meaning in social media content can also be another challenge as it can vary depending on the person analysing it. While this analysis looks for patterns across multiple events and account types, the interpretation of the content is shaped by the researcher’s perspective. For this reason, the focus will be on repeated patterns that appear across multiple posts rather than on individual examples.
The product analyses publicly available content on TikTok and Instagram. All posts or videos to be examined are accessible without interacting with users or accessing private accounts. This means that no direct consent is necessary from the creators. The content will need to be treated responsibly and avoid any harm or misrepresentation.
The analysis focuses on the posts regarding the music related events or moments of visibility and not the individuals themselves. Therefore, care will be taken to ensure that the content is not taken out of context for the purpose of criticism or judgement. The focus will be on patterns and approaches rather than singling out individual creators.
Another ethical consideration relates to the interpretation of engagement metrics and audience response. Likes, comments and views do not provide insight into the audience’s intention or motivation so care will be taken not to make assumptions about influence or relevance. Engagement is shaped by platform algorithms and visibility rather than user choice alone. For this reason, conclusions will be drawn carefully and framed as observations rather than definitive claims.
Conclusion
This product sets out a dissertation by practice approach to exploring the relevance of music journalism in the digital age. By focusing on TikTok and Instagram, the product investigates the growing importance of social media platforms in shaping how music is discovered, shared and discussed. These platforms have become highly important spaces where artists, influencers and media outlets all compete for audience attention and visibility.
Using a comparative qualitative content analysis approach, the product examines how music journalism media outlets, artists and influencers report about the same music related events or moments of visibility. Focusing on these shared events such as album releases, tours or viral moments allows for direct comparison across the different account types within the same timeframe. This approach also makes it possible to explore the differences in content format, tone and patterns of engagement, while also considering how visibility and attention are shaped by platform features and algorithms.
Presenting the analysis through a video documentary allows social media content to be examined in the same form in which it is originally encountered by audiences. Using narration alongside visual examples will make it easier to demonstrate differences, similarities, findings and conclusions across the different platforms and accounts.
This product aims to contribute to discussions around the role, viability and future of music journalism by examining how it operates alongside artists and influencers within platform environments. The product will offer insight into how music journalism currently competes for visibility, engagement and gatekeeping power on social media and highlights the challenges it faces within these platforms. Overall, it will explore whether music journalism remains relevant in digital media or whether it must continue to adapt in response to changing platform dynamics.
Bibliography:
- Bastin, G and Bert-Erboul, C. (2024). Journalists’ authority and it’s bounded trade; Twitter, journalists and boundary work in contemporary France’s music scene. Journalism. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849241255941.
- Järvekülg, M and Wikström, P. (2021). The emergence of promotional gatekeeping and converged local music professionals on social media. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 28(5), p.135485652110323. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565211032376.
- Negus, K. (2018). From creator to data: the post-record music industry and the digital conglomerates. Media, Culture & Society, [online] 41(3), pp.367-384. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443718799395.
- Larsen, I.S. (2024). Getting emotional: Emotions and ‘journalistification’ in Norwegian music reviews, 1981-2022. Journalism. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849241260196.
- Quandt, T. (2023). Euphoria, disillusionment and fear: Twenty-five years of digital journalism (research). Journalism (London). doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849231192789