How TikTok is changing the entertainment industry, from books to music

• TikTok has become the de facto audition stage for musicians, dancers, comedians and even writers.
• Choreographers, record label A&R heads, and comedy scouts use the app to find new talent.
• Our CultureTok series delves into TikTok’s impact on the entertainment industry.

This story is part of a series examining TikTok’s impact on the entertainment industry.welcome to the times Culture Toque.

TikTok is a giant in the entertainment industry.

Its powerful recommendation algorithms and fast-browsing videos have already transformed media viewing habits, making it a real competitor to established players like YouTube, Netflix and Spotify vying for attention time.

Publishers and book retailers have Embrace BookTok Serves as a powerful tool for promoting an author’s work.music marketers have Also leaning toward apps As a way to push the song into the mainstream.

The platform has become a launching pad for undiscovered ideas music, dance, comedyand writing — a de facto global talent show of dancers and musicians, as Broadway choreographer, record label A&R specialist, and more Search the app for untapped talent.

As TikTok’s influence on entertainment grows, it attracts enhanced scrutiny From U.S. Lawmakers About Its Ties With China, Insider examine How the app has transformed every corner of the industry.

Dancers are among the artists who have benefited the most from TikTok. Some use the app to get the attention of casting agents. Professional dance companies such as the American Ballet Theater have also used TikTok as a branding and recruiting tool.

“For artists like me who are still looking for their big break, this app is a gold mine,” said TikTok creator and dancer Neha Dharmapuram, who used the app for the Broadway musical “Falling in Love — —DDLJ Musical.”

The company’s cultural cachet in entertainment, especially among young people, has raised concerns in the U.S. state and federal Politicians believe the app, owned by the Chinese company Bytedance, may be used as a propaganda tool by the Chinese Communist Party.

In addition to clashing with Washington, the company’s relationship with the entertainment industry has not been easy.it developed a “Friend and foe” relationship As record labels start encroaching on their territory Provide services directly to the artist.

“TikTok has to find a balance without pissing off the major labels,” says one music marketer Tell Insider.

some music artists also Expressed TikTok fatigueas the need to balance content creation with the standard work of recording songs and touring became “exhausting”.

Still, the app is largely unskippable for budding performers looking to kick-start their careers.

“This is the most important thing that’s happened in the music business in a long time,” said Jonny Kaps, co-founder and CEO of independent label +1 Records. Tell Insider“It just allows us to build new audiences of artists in a way that we’ve never really been able to do before.”

In the comedy world, TikTok provides a resource for comedians to pay the bills through brand deals and other paid opportunities while using the app to build a known brand.

Laughter on TikTok can translate into business opportunities elsewhere, whether it’s on a stand-up stage or in the SNL writers’ room.

“TikTok opened up a whole new genre of comics to the world, because before, everything was controlled by gatekeepers,” said Zarna Garg, a TikTok comedian with about 700,000 followers. Tell Insider“A 48-year-old woman like me couldn’t get past them, but now the person in charge looks at my followers and gives me a chance.”

Book authors and their publishers have also turned to the platform for marketing, using TikTok to promote new and old books and drive actual sales.

Some authors even started to feel the pressure Include TikTok-friendly “metaphors” In their stories as a way to raise awareness of their work.

If the author’s videos can get enough attention, starting a writing career through the app is real, writer Tell Insider. Author Alex Aster used TikTok to launch her book idea and landed a publishing deal worth $460,000.

“This is the power of TikTok,” she said Tell Insider“People are discovering my book every week, word of mouth is so powerful…it changed my whole life, it changed my career.”