What Would An Effective U.S. TikTok ‘Ban’ Mean For African Music?
- Bobby Nishimwe
- Jan 24
- 3 min read
There’s a famous saying that “whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Well, for better or for worse, whatever happens in Washington does not stay in Washington. This is where we find ourselves today with the so-called U.S. TikTok ban, or whatever its fate.
Many conversations around this ‘ban’ have naturally been framed from the perspective of how it would affect the 170 million American users, or small business owners and creators who rely on this app for their livelihood. One sector that I haven’t heard as much discussion on is the impact, if any, this “ban” would have on the growth of the African music industry in the U.S. and West.
African music found a great marketing partner in TikTok, as this social media platform has contributed to a significant percentage of its growth over the past five years.
“Social media has amplified the careers of so many artists on the continent, so its role cannot be understated,” adds Phiona Okumu, Head of Music for sub-Saharan Africa at Spotify. -Excerpt from CNBC Africa Article
In 2021, Ckay’s “Love Nwantiti” had amassed 11 million views on TikTok in a challenge that used this audio, driving the single to No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. Tyla’s global music career was catapulted by the virality of her song “Water” on TikTok – leading her to a record deal with Epic Records, entered the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100, and won a Grammy Award. And a Kenyan country gospel song called “Nitauimba Wimbo” went viral on TikTok – posts from American users garnered millions of views.
The point I am making here is that without TikTok, some of this discovery of African music would not have happened in the U.S.
American users dominate the content pushed to the forefront of this app. If there is one audience an artist would want their music pushed to on TikTok, it’s the American users.
Breaking into the U.S. market as a foreign act, especially from the global south, means more economic opportunities and increased global recognition.
American brands also invest heavily in social media ads, which are projected to reach over $100 billion in 2026 - and you can bet that some of this investment will require extra spending toward music licensing fees for branded content on these platforms.
The commercial potential in the U.S. for an increasingly popular African music scene cannot be underestimated, and platforms like TikTok which revel in short-form video content that utilize popular sounds to drive up engagement are becoming an essential part of the next phase of music monetization.
TikTok users are important in driving music streams, attending live music events, and purchasing artist merchandise. This is especially true in the U.S. where they are more likely to attend concerts and purchase artist merchandise than overall music listeners.
What’s even more important for an artist's music sales is the fact that 62% of U.S. TikTokers are paid subscribers of music streaming platforms. For African artists, this means that the more streams they get from American TikTok users, the better for their sales and chart performance.
When you look at TikTok’s U.S. users' demographics you come to understand why the potential of an effective ban is even more dire for the continued growth of the African music industry in the West.
Nearly 60% of all U.S. adults under 30 use the platform, so here we are mainly talking about Gen Z who are also one of the most culturally diverse generations in U.S. history.
Not only that, nearly half of all U.S. TikTok users listen to music that is not in English,
And this group is more likely to consider access to global music as ‘extremely important.’
The user base that I describe above is the audience that African artists target when they come to perform in the U.S.
Music discovery is bound to take a hit should this ban go through, and this is bad news for African music’s growth potential in the U.S.
With this country being a popular and prominent money-making market for these African artists, losing TikTok poses a potential downturn to their overall economic performance and marketability.
To African artists, whether this TikTok ban goes through or not, diversify your media and channel mix. Find other relevant American spaces or cultural moments that you can tap into as a means of solidifying your U.S. audience.
Comments