Every musician on TikTok has most probably seen how Lil Nas X, with his song 'Old Town Road', CKay with 'Love Nwantiti', Tyla with the track 'Water', and hundreds of other musicians have been blowing up on TikTok lately. But what TikTok music video ideas can really work? This questions can really drain your enthusiasm. To help you find the answer, we've put together 15 TikTok ideas for artists that you can use to see your following grow.
But just before we get started, there's one important thing to mention. If you’re an artist planning to leverage TikTok, you'll need to put your music there first and do it the right way. When you are ready, drop us a message, and we'll help with everything from account verification to music promotion. Now, let's take a look at those ideas!
1. Show Your Transformation
You've been through a lot learning to sing, play, or remix songs, so why not share that journey in a TikTok video? This kind of content comes with a bunch of benefits, and one of the most important is that it keeps your audience hooked until the end, boosting your watch time. This metric is key for the TikTok algorithm and could help you score big on virality. The trick here is to grab attention right from the start. Throw in on-screen text, captions, voiceovers, or just your own voice in the first few seconds to let viewers know that the end of the video will blow their minds. Here are three examples of what you can do:
- If you can showcase a before-and-after, like a glimpse of you as a child, and then cut to the present to highlight your progress, use it in your TikTok videos.
- Some musicians use captions like "1 day, 1 month, 10 years of playing the piano" to demonstrate the evolution of their skills over time.
- You can also showcase your first-ever song VS your most popular song now.
All of those ideas have the potential to create anticipation, which is gold for boosting your video on TikTok.
2. Turn One Song into Different Styles
Congrats on creating your song – you've done the hard part! Now, how about shaking things up on TikTok to grab more attention? Try giving your song a makeover in different styles – Rock, Country, Rap, Blues, Electronic, Jazz, Metal, or whatever vibes with you. It's a cool way to get your tune in front of the right ears since we all have different music tastes.
You can go even further by playing with different music genres and styles by going deeper into one particular genre. For instance, if you are a rap artist, you can try to perform your track in 10 different rap styles and the same goes for every genre. This way you not only give people more options to use your track in their videos but also educate your fan base on your music style. This kind of content sparks curiosity which can lead to virality. One more idea to add here - you can use the already super popular or currently trending song and remake it in different styles, including yours.
3. Make Covers of Popular Songs
Here's another idea for music covers – take a song that's already super popular or trending, and give it your own spin in different styles. Cover songs are a huge deal on TikTok, and that's awesome for you as an artist because, let's face it, they're probably the easiest idea to implement if you are a music artist. It is also a great way to get more eyes on your music.
But here's the flip side - the bar is set pretty high. There are already tons of talented musicians dropping covers regularly, so it's a bit of a friendly competition. You can always try to nail it, just like Sam Ryder does.
4. Show Demo VS Final Cut
People love a good before-and-after story, right? We've chatted about showing your personal journey as a creator, but why not do the same for your songs? It's like this: you can reveal what your song sounded like in the beginning, all raw and basic, and then drop the final masterpiece.
And it's not just about your own tracks. You can also mix it up by comparing a viral sampled song with the original version or checking out the demo of a famous track versus the polished final cut.
5. Refresh Famous Tracks Adding Something New
Let's stir up some curiosity, playing on that natural human trait that can give your music a boost on TikTok. Here's a simple 'What if?' idea, that's just what it sounds like. Pick a song with a huge fan base and give it a fresh twist. The more unexpected the combination will be, the more eyes your video might catch. Check these ideas, for starters:
- What if "Despacito" had a traditional Spanish flamenco arrangement?
- Imagine "Dancing Queen" with a disco house makeover.
- Picture "I Will Survive" rocking a Latin trap beat.
- How about a techno remix for "Happy"?
- What if "We Will Rock You" got a heavy metal cover?
The options are endless, letting you ride this trend for a while. Plus, it lets you keep the videos coming consistently, making the TikTok algorithms your ally.
6. Deconstruct Your Song
Loads of content creators and musicians are jumping on TikTok to break down and analyze song lyrics. Whether it's one of your own creations or a favorite from another artist, you can unpack it in a TikTok video and offer a fresh take on the meaning and lyrics. This is a great way to tell the story behind your music. Also, you could dive into:
- How the track was put together
- The samples that got thrown in
- Even the effects and techniques used.
These kinds of things can really hit the mark and it's a cool way to help the audience really get what a song is all about and how it was made.
7. Share Unreleased Demos
Here's the cool thing about TikTok – you can play around with your music and get instant feedback
from your followers. Drop some exclusive previews of the tracks you're working on and see which ones vibe with your fans. If there's a clear favorite, you've got your winner, and you can put all your marketing energy behind it.
It's not just about the music, though. Get your followers involved. Ask them for their thoughts, let them comment, vote – make it a two-way street. That's how you build some real connections with your audience.
8. Teach Them Your Art
Show your fans how to sing your songs, play your instruments, or spill some production tips. Music production and beat-making videos are a hit. But here's the deal – they've gotta be engaging. Anyone can drop a video on mixing a track, but it won't fly if it's boring. So, figure out ways to jazz up the learning part and make those videos a bit more fun. One efficient way to do it is to analyze top-performing music tutorial videos on TikTok and analyze the style, approach, and hooks they use to make your video catchy.
9. Go For Duets
TikTok's duet feature lets you respond to other people's videos and it is priceless for music creators. Duets are easy to make and it's a fast way to tap into a whole new audience from another artist. Here’s what you can do with duets:
- Team up with another artist and sing different parts of a popular song.
- Partner with a musician – one plays an instrument, and the other adds vocals.
- Mix up music styles – imagine a rapper and a singer blending hip-hop with R&B vibes.
- Mashup two hot songs in a creative way, taking turns singing parts.
- React to each other's music videos or performances.
It's not just about the music – duets are your ticket to connecting with like-minded folks, influencers, or brands. And why not kick things off by challenging other artists or fans to duet with one of your videos?
Have questions about TikTok? Text us anytime for a chat. AIR Media-Tech is here to help you boost your growth!
10. Use a Respond to Comment Feature
TikTok's got another cool feature – replying to comments. If someone drops a comment on your video that's worth sharing, you can create a video response to that specific comment. It's a neat way to take song requests.
And speaking of getting your followers involved, why not directly ask them for song suggestions? It's a great way to gather a bunch of ideas for content your audience is eager to watch. Plus, it helps you create some original sounds for the TikTok library, giving your fans more options to play with your samples and make your music even more popular
11. Share Playlists
You probably have a good idea of what music your followers vibe with since they're subscribed to you, right? To make your own song more popular you can create playlists to share in TikTok music videos. Think of it as an 'If you like this, you'll love that' kinda thing – it works great in different categories, and music is no exception. Here are a couple of playlist ideas to get you rolling:
- If you like this song, you'll love those too.
- Songs for Every Mood: Sad, Happy, Angry, and More.
- Songs that'll Make You Feel Like a…
- Songs that'll Make You Wanna…
Now, the key move here is not to forget to add your own songs to all those playlists. It's a slick way to connect with people who have similar tastes, turning them into your followers.
12. Post Your Live Performance
If you do any kind of live performance, don't miss out on posting it on TikTok. While it's true that amazing performances can sometimes go viral even with low-quality pictures or sound, we're not here to rely solely on luck. It's better to experiment by following some of the tips on recording live performances below:
- Alternate between close-ups that showcase you, and wide shots of the overall atmosphere.
- Ensure the audio recording is clear and crisp.
- Aim for focusing on the most striking moment.
- Add captions that convey your emotions, lyrics, or storytelling elements.
- Make the most of TikTok's recording features, such as slow-motion, time-warp, and filters, to enhance your live performance videos.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different styles and creative approaches in recording your live performances to find the format that works best for your TikTok audience.
13. Go Live
Another cool move you can pull off is hosting a live stream. And no, it doesn't have to be a full-on performance. You can opt for a Q&A, respond to the most popular questions from your comments, and just let your fans get to know you better. It's also a sweet trick to boost engagement on your TikTok by encouraging followers to drop questions in the comments.
While you're live, try to keep the vibe alive so people remain hooked till the end! Throw in some challenges, and freestyle moments, maybe give them a glimpse of your next tracks, or even a short live performance.
14. Excuse me, can you rap?
TikTok is all about trends, and missing out on that is like shooting yourself in the foot. Check out what's trending, figure out what vibes with your style, and always stay in the loop on what's new to jump on for that viral boost. Some trends might need a bit of extra effort, like the 'Excuse me, can you rap?' trend where artists drop freestyle performances with strangers on the street. But there are also trends you can kick off right from your living room. The key is to look out for the new trends popping up every day.
15. Behind the scenes
We all love a peek behind the curtain, right? That's why this type of content has conquered so many fields. But before you jump into it, you need to find out what your audience is into. The good news is that it's pretty simple to do. First, check out what's buzzing among your fellow artists when they post behind-the-scenes type videos. Second, think about what you'd love your favorite artist to share and use it in your videos. Here are some ideas to kickstart your inspiration:
- Give your audience an insider look at your songwriting process, recording sessions, and music video shoots.
- Introduce your bandmates, producers, and other collaborators.
- Give your fans a peek into your studio setup, instruments, and recording equipment.
- Capture behind-the-scenes moments from your tours, festivals, and other live performances.
The main thing here is to start. Grab your phone, start filming your creative process, and experiment with different formats.
16. Add Some Moves
Dancing trends were the heart of TikTok, and guess what? They're still a big deal. These trends have turned so many songs into hits – it's kind of mind-blowing. But we know that not everyone's a dancer. If you don't like to start a dancing challenge on your own, you can team up with a dancer for a duet that mixes your music with their dance style. Whether you're starting a dance challenge solo or doing a collab, the golden rules for a dance challenge to go viral are the same:
- Keep it so simple that anyone can give it a shot.
- Throw in a few easy moves that stick in people's heads.
- Add the emotion that matches your song.
A shining example? The Blinding Lights challenge with The Weeknd. At one point, it felt like everyone on TikTok was on board, making that song crazy popular.
17. Show Yourself, Not Only Your Art
In today's world, it's not just about the art; people want to know the artists too. Your audience is curious about the person behind the creations they love. To build a genuine connection with your fans, you can mix in some personal content alongside your music.
You can easily capture these moments on the go, adopting a day-in-the-life format. Creating this vlog-style content gives you a cool opportunity to share your story, thoughts, worldview, and the insights you've picked up on your creative journey. All of that will help you build trust and turn your fans into a community around you and your work.
TikTok is an always-moving and changing environment. So keep an eye on trends, challenges, and new features that can help you grow. If you want to enhance your TikTok music and promote it professionally, reach out to us for expert assistance. AIR Media-Tech has helped thousands of creators grow, so we are always ready to lend a hand.
