Bass distorted to the edge of audibility; voices croaking out dark and violent lyrics; a hacked-together DIY aesthetic. This isn't a fringe musical movement, this is the sound of TikTok, the video app used by millions in Generation Z. And soon enough it might also be the sound of pop as we know it. Cat Zhang from Pitchfork stops by to clue us into the sonic reality of music's newest platform, from Gordon Ramsay to pumpkins screaming in the dead of night.

Songs Discussed

Savage Ga$p, 93FEETOFSMOKE - Pumpkins scream in the dead of night
haroinfather, Savage Ga$sp - Tunnel of Love
Arizona Zervas - ROXANNE
HL Wave, Jhonny Flames - Gordon Ramsay
Hooligan Chase - Asshole
Comethazine - Walk
Peter Kuli, Jed Will - ok boomer
Young Spool, Jakob - WTF

Check out Cat's article The Anatomy of a TikTok Hit on Pitchfork

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Who's Afraid of the Sound of TikTok? (w Cat Zhang) 36:08 Share

Switched on Pop

Shownotes Transcript

Who's Afraid of the Sound of TikTok? (w Cat Zhang)