Where are All the New Pop Stars? (with Billboard's Elias Leight)
Oct 19, 2023
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Billboard's Elias Leight discusses the challenges faced by new pop stars in achieving and sustaining mainstream success in the Tik Tok era. They explore the changing dynamics of pop stardom, the challenges of mainstream success while maintaining niche appeal, and the difficulties pop artists encounter in reaching a broader audience. They also discuss the importance of building genuine connections with fans and the impact of TikTok on pop music.
Pop stars today can thrive by cultivating an authentic connection with their fans and creating music that resonates with their niche audiences, allowing for more idiosyncratic and interesting music to flourish.
The future of pop stardom might involve even more specialization and niche success, challenging the traditional idea of what it means to be a pop star and how success is measured.
Deep dives
The Difficulty of Breaking Through as a New Pop Star
Breaking through as a new pop star and maintaining long-term success has become increasingly challenging in the current music industry. Major pop artists are still thriving, but for up-and-coming artists, gaining attention and sustaining that momentum is a significant struggle. Traditional mass media, such as radio and music videos, have lost much of their power to generate mainstream success. The rise of TikTok has fragmented the music landscape, making it harder to reach a broad audience. Additionally, the sheer quantity of new music being released makes it difficult for artists to stand out and build a fanbase.
The Shift in Pop Star Success
The success of pop stars seems to have shifted from having hit songs to building a loyal fanbase and sustaining a long-term career. Artists like Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey have achieved massive success without relying solely on chart-topping hits. Pop stars today can thrive by cultivating an authentic connection with their fans and creating music that resonates with their niche audiences. This new model of pop stardom allows for more idiosyncratic and interesting music to flourish, as artists are not solely focused on creating commercially successful singles.
The Impact of Changes in the Music Industry
Several factors have contributed to the changing landscape of pop stardom. The decline of traditional mass media, the rise of TikTok, and the abundance of new music being released have all altered the way artists are discovered and promoted. Record labels are more focused on analyzing data and metrics to find artists who already have a following, rather than developing talent from scratch. This shift has led to a more decentralized and diverse music industry, where artists can carve out successful careers on their own terms.
The Future of Pop Stardom
The future of pop stardom might involve even more specialization and niche success. Artists who can build dedicated fanbases through platforms like TikTok can find sustainable careers without necessarily pursuing mainstream chart success. This shift challenges the traditional idea of what it means to be a pop star and how success is measured. While some artists still achieve great commercial success like Dua Lipa and Olivia Rodrigo, the focus is increasingly on cultivating a loyal audience rather than chasing chart-topping hits.
There are more pop artists than ever but very few of them seem to be able to grab a serious foothold at the top of the heap. Billboard's Elias Leight has been covering this topic extensively lately and for this week's B-side, he joins DJ Louie to break down why it's become nearly impossible to ascend to pop's A-List in the Tik Tok era, how various factions— from artists, to labels, to fans— are reacting to this and how each may need to adjust expectations for what a successful pop career means in the context of this new paradigm.