On September 14, 2023, Billboard TikTok Top 50 Chart was introduced by the reputed US-based music agency to recognize the influence of TikTok in the masses’ discovery of music. Due to the popularity, exposure, and impact it gives to songs released in the market, the social media platform TikTok has developed into a major player in the music business.
While netizens commended the new chart to be a great addition since it allows TikTok users to find different kinds of music, it also naturally calls for an understanding of how it would affect or shift the global influence that K-pop has been exerting on the music industry worldwide. Despite the Billboards’ commendable and significant presence in the industry, many fans still believe that its recognition of the K-pop influence is still restrictive and limited.
However, with the introduction of the Billboard TikTok Top 50 chart which promises a commitment towards diversity and inclusivity of music belonging to the multiplicity of cultures across the world, K-pop’s recognition might further flourish.
All you need about the Billboard TikTok Top 50 chart and its possible effects on K-pop’s influence in the industry
K-pop has undoubtedly been one of the most influential aspects of the music industry worldwide, with fandoms and chart performances excelling in countries across the world. While fans have always celebrated the same, many have continuously expressed their discomfort with the categorization of K-pop into a separate genre and treating it as a completely different field outside of global music releases.
Billboard has also been guilty of the same and fans have expressed too many times that they’d like to see a representation of inclusivity rather than excluding them from how other Asian artists or global artists are treated.
Here’s what fans have said in the past:
However, in an effort to change the same and achieve its goal of inclusivity and concentration of diversity, the agency revealed a brand new weekly chart release, Billboard TikTok Top 50. With the ever-increasing influence of TikTok and its intricate engagement with songs such as users creating different kinds of videos like dance challenges, overs, or viral trends, Billboard’s recognition of the same has been a commendable one.
The chart, therefore, works on a database that tracks the most popular and frequently used songs by the entirety of TikTok users not just in the U.S. but also globally. In addition to these factors, the Billboard TikTok Top 50 chart also takes into account other significant features such as the users’ views of videos with that particular song, how users engage with the sound, and the degree of unique videos it creates.
With quite a classified list of events judging the chart’s nominations, it also proudly stands as the first and only chart to recognize songs’ activity on TikTok.
Previously, many fans expressed Billboard’s inability to recognize the K-pop industry for its global efforts without being blatantly categorized under K-pop. However, with its promise to create more recognition for diverse music genres through its performance on TikTok, it can be said that K-pop has a better chance to reach a more accepting audience and enhance its exposure efficiently.
TikTok and Billboard representatives dish on their new collaborative music chart
Additionally, given that K-pop songs’ presence and influence on TikTok are impressively high due to the extensive dance challenges created with every artist’s comeback, fans are excited to realize a possible greater future and exposure of K-pop artists, especially the underground ones.
Regarding the one-of-a-kind creation of the music chart, the global head of Music Business Development of TikTok, Ole Oberman, shared a few thoughts on their newly created link with Billboard. He said,
“TikTok is already the world’s most powerful platform for music discovery and promotion, and each week our passionate community of music fans drives songs onto the Billboard charts. It therefore made perfect sense to partner with Billboard to create the Billboard TikTok Top 50 Chart. The chart gives a clear picture of the music that is being listened to on TikTok.”
In addition, the president of Billboard also dished about the intentions behind the introduction of a new kind of music chart.
“We are thrilled to partner on the first Billboard chart on TikTok. We are constantly evolving our charts to reflect how fans engage with music and connect them more deeply with the artists they love. We see a clear opportunity to recognize the way music discovery on TikTok is shaping popular culture and are proud to offer this tool to the industry while offering brands a new way to engage with music fans at scale.”
Following the disappointments fans have previously faced with Billboard and its interactions with the K-pop industry, they hope that the intentions and promises of the new Billboard TikTok chart work in recognizing the industry’s influence globally
