TikTok, AI and beyond: tracking the evolution of the music industry

Is TikTok a good incubator for talent? Can AI create the perfect pop song? Kelly Betts, editor of BBC Introducing, tells us in this episode.

As the editor of BBC Introducing – BBC Radio’s platform to support unsigned, undiscovered and under-the-radar UK music talent – Kelly is at the forefront of championing emerging artists. She joins us this week to examine the workings of the music industry and uncover the process of nurturing undiscovered talent in this new internet era. 

Tune in to this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, where WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi and Kelly Betts unravel the future of music, exploring the impact of social media platforms, the potential of AI in songwriting, the enduring appeal of live music and more.

The ever-evolving music scene

“Going back to Myspace, when artists could start to do it themselves without having the label, money and management. But if you fast forward to the likes of TikTok, where artists are breaking because they’ll have a song that matches what somebody does within their day. And those songs are going viral or clips of their songs are then going viral. It’s changing all the time.”

AI and creativity in music

“The music industry is a really creative industry. It has continuously evolved through social media. I think it will continue to change. Look at AI now – Capitol Records have signed their first AI artist. There’s still creative input, there’s still a lot of people doing work behind it. That’s quite groundbreaking and quite scary as well.”

Are music superstars a thing of the past?

“I think in a lot of cases we will still have those superstars. Some cases it will be the song over artists and it will be that immediate, quick viral sensation and then nothing. But in other cases, it will be those artists of longevity who are really powering through.”
– Kelly Betts, editor, BBC Introducing

Head to Apple or Spotify to hear the full discussion on our Lives of Tomorrow podcast episode, Welcome to the Future – Does Social Media Rule the Music Industry?