Vietnamese singers disillusioned by TikTok.

The widespread popularity of TikTok has helped many singers solve the problem of promoting their products. However, many singers have also followed TikTok's lead and received results that did not meet their expectations.

Over the past two years, TikTok's rapid growth has disrupted the Vietnamese music market. Most notably, TikTok has significantly influenced the promotion and dissemination of music . As a result, singers and rappers are focusing more on TikTok in their promotional strategies. While many artists have achieved outstanding success thanks to this platform, a number of products have suffered negative consequences.

Unlike a short clip on TikTok, Han Sara's music video "I'm Your Christmas Present" has less appeal.

Han Sara's stumble

Among the many ways to promote music on TikTok, one tactic favored by singers is using the platform to gauge its impact before the official release. Specifically, singers often upload the most impactful snippet of a song to TikTok, do everything they can to spread it to the audience, then release the complete version and hope the TikTok effect will reciprocate.

Recently, Han Sara released a song following a similar formula. The only difference is the musical segment. I'm your Christmas Present The viral hit on TikTok originated from someone else. Given the immense impact of the music clip, which appeared in over 400,000 TikTok videos, Han Sara completed the song, hoping to continue the huge social media effect.

However, after a few days of release, Han Sara's music video received mixed reactions. Many viewers compared Han Sara's vocals to the original version (which was considered clearer, more natural, and more in line with the Christmas spirit). This particular song became popular on TikTok in a different way. As for the music video... I'm your Christmas Present Releasing something on YouTube is a different game, so it's unlikely to go viral.

The spread of music on TikTok is unpredictable. Many products have gone viral with a demo when released early on TikTok, but the official music video version doesn't maintain that momentum. Huyen Vi Masew's case is another example.

Conversely, many products almost disappear from the public eye upon official release. Thanks to TikTok, those songs suddenly resurfaced with a 30- to 40-second "viral" snippet. Most recently, a segment from a product... Truong Dinh Hoang The song by young rapper Lil Van - a contestant on Rap Viet season 4 - has unexpectedly become a sensation.

It's impossible to calculate a formula for creating a viral music video on TikTok. A track might go viral due to its unique musical style on the platform – a remix into genres like House, Phonk, or Lofi. Alternatively, another track might become a sensation with trending lyrics, like: "Anyone who touches my girl, I'll punch them like Truong Dinh Hoang."

Ngo Kien Huy wanted to create a trend with the lyric "Everyone stand still, don't move," but it was unsuccessful.

Disillusionment

The years 2021 and 2022 marked the peak of TikTok's impact on the music market. TikTok's influence during that period was so significant that many singers and rappers prioritized TikTok in their strategy for generating sales. Specifically, they studied the formula for creating TikTok viral content and proactively incorporated it into their music, choreography, and music videos from the outset.

Because of TikTok ambitions, many songs cram in musical intentions (drops, hooks) or lyrics designed to create trends in a confusing way. Everyone stand still. Ngo Kien Huy's case is a prime example. Another example is... Yes! I'm sorry. by Hoang Yen Chibi.

Two years ago, singers competed to dance on TikTok. They proactively invested in at least one drop segment following the TikTok formula to incorporate choreography, then invited colleagues to join in and spread the trend. This approach was remarkably successful for a short period. But then, the dance craze turned out to be just a temporary phenomenon.

SOOBIN did everything he could to make the "fan dance" in the product perfect. Heyyy It went viral on TikTok but failed. Thieu Bao Tram with He must have some hidden troubles , which led the audience to jokingly call him "inviting everyone." showbiz Even "jumping in" couldn't generate enough buzz for the product.

Thanks to TikTok, Vietnamese music has experienced turbulent years as the number of listeners/viewers on familiar platforms like YouTube has sharply declined. Meanwhile, music trends change rapidly on TikTok. Many phenomena have emerged thanks to TikTok, and many singers have been revived by this platform.

By 2024, TikTok's popularity had cooled down. Once explosive trends like house remixes had become tiresome. The remix style on TikTok, after a period of widespread adoption, had reached a point of exhaustion in terms of appeal and lacked new elements to replace it.

Vietnamese music is returning to its familiar strengths: a resurgence fueled by game shows, well-produced music videos on YouTube, and high-quality, replayable songs on digital platforms. Cutting sorrow in half, Life partner arrive "Don't Break My Heart ," music videos with hundreds of millions of views, are back. Audiences are increasingly accustomed to listening to music on specialized platforms, such as Spotify.

"Can TikTok replace YouTube and other digital music platforms?" was once a frequently asked question. After a few years, the answer is clear: TikTok is essentially just an ideal media platform for artists. However, it's not the ideal platform for listening to music.

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