GOING VIRAL vs Great music

© 2026 James Wright | Cognizance Magazine

Music has always changed with the times. Radio once decided which records became hits. Music television gave artists another way to reach an audience. Later, streaming changed how people listened. Today, social media has become one of the most powerful forces in deciding what music gets heard.

That is not necessarily a bad thing. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube have given independent artists opportunities that were almost impossible years ago. An artist can record a song without a major label, post a short clip and suddenly reach people around the world. In 2026, TikTok reported that its Add to Music App feature generated more than six billion song saves to streaming services in a single year. That tells us just how much social media now influences music discovery.

But there is another side to it.

Sometimes it feels as though the industry is no longer asking, “Is this a great song?” The first question is becoming, “Can this go viral?”

When artists begin writing songs around a 15-second clip, a dance challenge or a moment designed for social media, something can get lost. A catchy hook can grab attention but grabbing attention and making memorable music are not always the same thing.

Think about the records people still play 20, 30 or even 40 years later. Many of those songs were built around strong vocals, musicianship, songwriting, emotion and storytelling. They were not created to survive an algorithm. They were created to connect with people.

That does not mean today's artists lack talent. There is an enormous amount of great music being made right now. Social media has also helped talented artists who might otherwise have been overlooked find an audience. The problem comes when visibility starts being treated as proof of quality.

A million views can tell us that people watched something. It does not necessarily tell us that the song moved them, that they will buy a ticket to see the artist, or that they will still be listening five years from now.
 

I believe artists should use social media. Ignoring it would be unrealistic. But social media should promote music, not dictate the music.

Going viral can introduce an artist to the world. A great song gives people a reason to stay. That is the difference the music business cannot afford to forget.