Happy Tuesday!
First a bit of housekeeping—this is my 26th Tramission newsletter. I’ve had a ton of fun writing to you every week, and have enjoyed the spirited discussions these essays have created in the comments and my inbox. As you’ve noticed, the format and frequency of Transmission has varied over the past several months. I’ve been tweaking the format here and there in order to bring you the best combination of criticism and music recommendation.
Which brings me to a small request; if you have enjoyed this newsletter, could you spare a moment to leave a comment on what you like about it or why you look forward to seeing me in your inbox? Would you prefer a lesser or greater frequency of content?Any and all feedback is encouraged. I don’t even care how you do it: leave a comment, text me, tweet at me, send a carrier pigeon, whatever.
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As always, thanks for reading!
Yesterday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that the U.S. is considering banning the social media app TikTok from users inside the country. His statement on Laura Ingraham’s FoxNews program was extremely vague, echoing the oratorial styling of the entire Trump administration:
You should know we’re taking this very seriously. We’re certainly looking at it…I don’t want to get out in front of the president, but it’s something we’re looking at.
This announcement arrived a few days after India banned nearly 60 Chinese apps in response to border clashes along the LAC. It isn’t entirely clear why the United States is considering a ban on the new bite-sized video craze, but TikTok has come under scrutiny for the insane amount of permissions the app requires to operate.
The “retrieving of running apps” is pretty alarming. This means TikTok could access information from any concurrently running app, including banking and messaging apps. But TikTok underwent a National Security Review in November 2019 and their American CEO has stated they would never mine private information and send it to the Chinese government. So why is a ban being discussed now, nine months later? Maybe another quote from our Secretary of State will illuminate his reasoning:
Only [download the app] if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.
There it is! Since the outset of the novel coronavirus, China has been the #1 international bad guy of the Trump administration. Following the George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests, “communists” have been the #1 domestic bad guy. TikTok is an easy way to combine the two boogeymen of the president into one “global Chinese Communist” enemy. I’m eagerly anticipating a FoxNews segment that goes something like this:
Anchor: “Are your teens been radicalized by the far-left communist Chinese government?”
Reporter: “that’s right Chet, and it all comes back to a cellphone app called TikTok. those dances your kids are learning could actually be subliminal anti-American messages from the Chinese government, encouraging pre-teens to join the radical left and destroy America.”
Tucker Carlson: “children who download TikTok are terrorists. Here’s Ben Shapiro to explain why.”
Pretty good right? Ripped this little piece of satire right off the dome in a mere four minutes. If you know anyone in the editing room at FoxNews, let them know an unshaven guy wearing Homer Simpson underwear is better at riling up the xenophobic fears of America than they could ever dream.
The decision to ban TikTok in the United States will directly impact not only technology companies, but digital music discovery. Instagram has already filled the quick-share video void in India, testing a copycat app “Reels” earlier this month. If you remember, after Snapchat’s explosive growth in 2015, Instagram introduced its “Stories” feature in 2016 and leveraged its ubiquity to corner off the time-limited 24-hour content market. If TikTok is banned in the United States, expect Instagram to reassert dominance by integrating Reels into its application. I imagine the functionality would be the same, but this would further solidify Facebook Inc.’s near monopoly over social media advertising dollars. You think TikTok has too many ads now? Just wait until Reels takes over.
The removal of TikTok from the U.S. App and Google Play stores will also disrupt the current music discovery paradigm. Many young Americans discover new music from TikTok influencers; so much so, that record labels will pay in excess of $25,000 for a promoted post.
Charlie D’Amelio, who has more than 60 million followers on the app, might do a post for $25,000 but can charge as high as $30,000 to $40,000, according to three independent digital marketers who declined to be identified since they sometimes work with top TikTok influencers.
D’Amelio is currently the most expensive of the expensive bunch. The same three marketers say that a post from Addison Rae (44 million followers) will set most labels back $20,000. JustMaiko (25 million), who is responsible for a couple of the most-liked clips in TikTok’s young history, costs $10,000 to $15,000. Chase Hudson (21 million) ranges from $2,000 to $10,000 per post; the Lopez Brothers (17 million) from $2,500 to $5,000 per post; Cowboy Cale (2.6 million) from $2,500 to $3,500 per post.
- Elias Leight, RollingStone
So far, this spending has paid off for music marketers; a customized “viral” dance routine from D’Amelio can catapult songs onto the Hot 100 charts and into radio station playlists. While Instagram influencers make their money shilling for clothing brands and weight loss products, TikTok stars promote the latest singles from Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion. Major labels have developed entire divisions to seek out upcoming artists with a knack for producing “TikTok hits,” which really highlights how absolutely fucked music discovery is in 2020. That quirky new song by an unknown artist featuring signature viral choreography from Charlie D’Amelio? Yeah, a major label paid more than the median American salary to get it placed on the FYP.
Record label marketing departments need to start preparing for a post-TikTok world, and develop new promotional strategies. After all, the Secretary of State and President are “looking at it.”
But you don’t need to worry. As a subscriber, you don’t need TikTok to discover new music. Every week, you are provided three music selections totally free of ads and dance routines: New Music Tuesday.
The Front Bottoms - montgomery forever
The latest single from New Jersey dance punks The Front Bottoms is a true return to form. Chaotic drums and harsh acoustic guitar rhythms take center stage on “montgomery forever,” a depart from their recent synthesizer and trumpet driven records. The gang chorus is an emotional high surrounded by emotional lows in the verses, underscoring the ultimate truth of The Front Bottoms: we’re miserable, but we’re still dancing. Further underscoring the return to their punker roots, the spoken word ending is punctuated with an ode to the final track from their first album I Hate My Friends.
And if you're happy, well then, you're happy.
We could leave it all at that.
Pretend you're happy and I'll be happy.
Then I'll try to make it back.- The Front Bottoms “If You’re Happy” 2008
And a long time ago, I promised that if you were happy,
then I was happy. Nothing else to talk about.- The Front Bottoms “montgomery forever” 2020
Pairs Well With: drinking with your friends by a firepit
Sufjan Stevens - America
This sprawling 12-minute protest song runs the gamut from soothing to uncomfortably dissonant. The recurring lyric “don’t do to me what you did to America” supplements a story of suffering alongside a torn nation.
I have loved you, I have grieved
I’m ashamed to admit I no longer believe
I have loved you, I received
I have traded my life
For a picture of the scenery
Don’t do to me what you did to America
Don’t do to me what you did to America
The final two minutes nearly rip from inharmonious tension before resolving into a heavenly, church-like organ.
Pairs Well With: the infinite scroll of awful shit, watching something you love get destroyed from within
Cover Charge: NC Artists Go Under Cover to Benefit Cat’s Cradle
Cat’s Cradle is an independent music venue in Carrboro, outside Durham, NC. Like many other small venues, their existence has been jeopardized by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over two dozen NC bands came together and recorded their favorite covers to raise money for Cat’s Cradle. Superchunk covers the Go-Gos, and The dBs take on The Kinks. Great bands covering great songs for a great cause.
Set for a July 31 release exclusively via Bandcamp, Cover Charge: NC Artists Go Under Cover to Benefit Cat’s Cradle brings together some of North Carolina’s most notable artists across multiple genres to support the venue they love. Each artist performs a cover version of a favorite song, with many recorded during the pandemic. All proceeds from the sale of Cover Charge will benefit the Cat’s Cradle to ensure it can restore its rightful place for generations to come.
Pairs Well With: saving our independent culture spaces from turning into convenience stores or banks
TikTok is a very uncharted and new area in social media. Definitely pulled the wool over a lot of people. Love the music reviews as well!