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Young people’s social media usage is frequently trivialised, and TikTok has been no exception—diminished as only dance tutorials by those unfamiliar with its complexities. Since its rising popularity, newsrooms have grappled with the laborious task of condensing entire conflicts into videos that would spark algorithmic attention, failing to capture the DIY and relatable approach that actually resonates with a young audience.

Writing about TikTok today, it’s impossible to ignore the role the app currently plays in informing young people about the war in Ukraine. As Ukrainians document the worsening conflict, the FYP provides insight for teenagers across the world into how their peers navigate times of national crisis. Now dubbed the first ‘TikTok war’ by the Telegraph, users witness historical events through flashes of blue light, and war imagery sits between quick pasta recipes and weekly outfit recaps.

The slew of content claiming to display military activity has been criticised for a multitude of inaccuracies, but what stands out is the way humour and music is intertwined with the most sobering realities. While their parents access updates on the war via the carefully vetted sources of the evening news, teenagers witness alleged firsthand accounts, underscored by pop music and littered with joke captions.

The following songs are evidence of TikTok’s use as an escape from reality, a tool for emerging artists, and a space for young people to vent. However, it is important to note that these things exist alongside civilian journalism, political commentary and, often, misinformation. 

The King Khan & BBQ Show - Love You So

@jenellelevans

Kind of thick but do we like it? ✨🤨

♬ Love You So - The King Khan & BBQ Show

Released in 2004 by garage-rock band The King Khan & BBQ Show, ‘Love You So’ has garnered mass TikTok attention, with over 1 million videos using the song. It’s positive, '00s movie montage-esque riffs have resonated with those keen to romanticise small moments of their day, solidifying its status as a new staple among users. Once retired, it's bound to serve as a constant reminder of the period it trended in, as each month’s popular music documents fractions of internet history. For now, it’s an exciting spotlight on a record older than some users and, as is often unfortunately not the case, it seems the band are actually accessing royalties from the song’s newfound success. 

The Black Eyed Peas - Just Can’t Get Enough

@gabby_carmona I wanted to die \ud83d\udc80 @in n ♬ original sound - childhood charts

Teen magazine cringe pages were once a sanctuary for awkward adolescents—a reminder that someone’s blunder was always more excruciating. So it’s no wonder a modern reincarnation thrives on TikTok, though this time removing the anonymity awarded to those writing to Shout Magazine. As long as Fergie’s unmistakable delivery of the lyrics “boy, I think about it every night and day” is looped in the background, users freely and publicly share their most painful anecdotes of embarrassment. Tap the sound for an ego-boost and know it could always be worse...much, much worse.

Rachel Chinouriri - All I Ever Ask

@rachelchinouriri Hi team, let’s go again #fyp #trend #viral ♬ Rachel Chinouriri All I Ever Ask - Rachel Chinouriri

In an open attempt at orchestrated viral marketing, Rachel Chinouriri asked her followers to use her forthcoming single as the background for “absolutely anything”. Less than a month later, over 35k videos are soundtracked by a brief snippet of the chorus, building buzz for its release and allowing her to reach a wider realm of potential fans.

It’s an interesting example of how artists can offer ‘trailers’ of their new music in exchange for fan assistance in publicity. There’s an ability to generate an appetite for new music, while simultaneously allowing the audience to be involved in the release process. As the larger conversation on supporting artistry in the streaming age wages on, at least TikTok provides a small alternative for fans keen to platform their favourites.

Zion & Lennox - Yo Voy (ft Daddy Yankee)

@acevault #euphoria #maddy #maddyperez #alexademie #mommy#pushinp #foryoupage #CloseYourRings ♬ original sound - ZEN

Euphoria’s second season may have ended, but the finale won’t extinguish Alexa Demie’s moment in the spotlight. Her increasing star power is evident here, not in the abundance of copycat make-up tutorials for her signature winged eyeliner, or clips of her most iconic Season 2 scenes, but in the trending of ‘Yo Voy’. Surprisingly, this song hasn’t reached TikTok success following a feature from the show’s soundtrack, but rather a video of Demie lip-syncing it from the passenger seat of a car, while flecks of golden light bounce off her hoop earrings. Truly influential.

The 1975 - Robbers

@tannerjacksonroyal When I say it was a life changing moment, I mean it #the1975 #robbers #robbersthe1975 #the1975fans #the1975tiktok #the1975uk #mattyhealy ♬ original sound - Log 12

As the return of Indie Sleaze looms, we reminisce about an era when Tumblr was the dominant social network, boasting an ability to shape youth listening habits. Though two years of lockdown and political turmoil have tainted adolescence for many, this sound is full of fans happy to have at least been alive at the right period to be able to hear the intro to ‘Robbers’ for the first time in their teens.

The 1975’s influence on the 2010s is undeniable, their debut as synonymous with internet subcultures at the time as American Apparel tennis skirts and aesthetic photos of Voss water bottles. Nostalgia is potent these days, with a collective longing for simpler times—and it’s almost impossible not to indulge. 

Issue Two of the Gigwise Print magazine is on sale now! Buy it here.

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