Key Moments
How TikTok Hijacked the Future of Music - Nik Nocturnal
Modern WisdomKey Moments
TikTok is forcing metal bands to write 'clip-able' moments, leading to a surge in 'Octane Core' — a radio-friendly, formulaic sound — yet simultaneously inspiring hyper-niche, experimental 'Thall and B' and 'classical dubstep Thall' subgenres, creating an industry paradox where commercial pressure drives both homogenization and radical innovation.
Key Insights
TikTok greatly influences modern metal, with bands designing 'clip moments' (breakdowns, vocal gymnastics, guitar solos) for short-form content, prioritizing immediate payoff over full song listening, similar to a horror movie focusing only on jump scares.
Bands are now frequently starting their songwriting process with the 'climactic moment' (e.g., the breakdown) and working backward, a shift from traditional linear songwriting, as observed in the rise of bands like Knocked Loose whose intense music naturally provides viral moments.
The 'Octane Core' genre, exemplified by bands like Five Finger Death Punch and Bad Wolves, represents radio-friendly active rock/alternative metal that incorporates elements like double kicks and screaming, indicating metal's increasing mainstream appeal but also a more formulaic, copycat approach to songwriting.
Despite the commercial pressures, an exciting counter-movement is emerging with highly niche and experimental subgenres, such as 'Thall and B' (Thall metal with R&B elements) or 'classical dubstep Thall,' where bands like Mirar infuse extreme metal with classical and electronic elements to create innovative sounds.
The music industry, particularly for metal, suffers from a 'gamification' on social media, where labels employ 'trend simulation' or 'narrative campaigns' using networks of social media pages, burner accounts, and fabricated interactions to artificially inflate an artist's virality and 'cut through the algorithmic noise,' as seen with band Geese.
TikTok and the rise of 'clip moments' in modern metal songwriting
TikTok has profoundly reshaped how modern metal music is created, particularly among younger audiences who discover music by endlessly scrolling. This platform incentivizes bands to craft 'clip moments'—short, impactful segments like intense breakdowns, unusual vocalizations, or complex guitar solos—that can be easily shared and go viral. This shift is a significant departure from previous eras where listeners would engage with full songs, discovering key moments naturally. Now, much like a horror movie designed only for jump scares, songs are constructed to deliver instant gratification. This forces bands to think 'short form first,' with some even beginning the songwriting process at the climactic breakdown rather than building up to it. While this approach has undeniably pushed metal into a broader, more normalized audience, it creates a tension: does prioritizing viral moments detract from the overall quality and longevity of a song? The goal is increasingly to 'create a moment of a song instead of let's make a good song,' sometimes resulting in hype without replayability or timelessness.
The gamification of music marketing and 'industry plants'
The music industry, especially on the internet, has become heavily 'gamified.' Marketing firms engage in 'trend simulation' or 'narrative campaigns' by creating networks of social media pages, burner accounts, and fabricated interactions to propel artists into recommendation algorithms. An example is the band Geese, whose sudden ubiquity led to accusations of being an 'industry plant,' a claim later confirmed to be a result of sophisticated viral marketing by Chaotic Good Projects. This effectively makes algorithmic cut-through a 'minimum level of marketing' rather than a performance enhancer, leading to a 'race to the bottom.' This pervasive strategy means that genuine and organic virality becomes harder to distinguish from engineered campaigns, creating skepticism among dedicated fans who often feel a strong personal investment in their chosen bands.
'Octane core': mainstream success and creative dilution
The increasing popularity of metal has led to the emergence of 'Octane Core,' a genre characterized by its radio-friendly yet heavy sound, incorporating elements like double-kick drumming, screaming, and downtuned guitars into active rock formats. Bands such as Five Finger Death Punch and Bad Wolves are prominent examples, alongside more boundary-pushing artists like Bad Omens and Spirit Box. While this accessibility is positive for bringing heavier music to a wider audience, it also incentivizes a 'copycat' and 'formulaic' songwriting approach. Many bands are now striving to replicate the widespread success of hybrid-theory-era Linkin Park, leading to a dilution of sound as artists prioritize commercial viability over unique artistic expression. This creates a dichotomy where increased mainstream acceptance might inadvertently stifle creative diversity within the genre.
Niche innovation: from 'thall and b' to classical dubstep fusion
Despite the trend towards homogenization, there is a counter-movement of innovation in metal. The scene is becoming increasingly genreless, allowing for bizarre yet compelling fusions. Examples include 'Thall and B,' which blends the rhythmic, atmospheric 'Thall' metal (derived from Meshuggah and Periphery) with R&B elements, seen in bands like Sleep Token. Even more radical are acts like Mirar, who fuse classical music, dubstep, and extreme Thall metal, creating a rich, complex sound without vocals. These bands embrace experimentalism, pushing the boundaries of heaviness and musicality in unexpected directions. This splintering of genres allows for incredibly unique music, driven by individual creativity rather than commercial pressure, offering a hopeful future for genuine artistic exploration within the alternative music landscape.
The 2000s metal golden era: nostalgia and modern accessibility
The discussion often circles back to the 'golden era' of metal in the 2000s (roughly 2004-2010), a period characterized by raw, experimental energy and genre fluidity before the strict categorization of 'deathcore' or 'metalcore.' Bands like Job For A Cowboy, Underøath, and early Bring Me The Horizon (with albums like 'Count Your Blessings') created music that, in hindsight, contained many natural 'TikTok moments' due to its intensity and distinct elements. There's a noticeable resurgence of this sound, with bands like Psycho Frame actively reinterpreting 2000s deathcore, incorporating elements like trash-can snares and speaker-exploding 808s but with modern production. This era’s music, often tied to nostalgic feelings from video games like Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and media like MTV, has a timeless quality that continues to captivate new generations, bridging the gap between parents who grew up with it and their children discovering it through new platforms.
Creator burnout: the invisible struggle behind the screen
Content creators, including YouTubers and podcasters, experience burnout at a significantly higher rate than touring musicians or comedians, despite appearing to have more comfortable working conditions. This stems from the speed and amplitude of feedback: while bands get immediate, visceral cheering from thousands of fans, creators receive small, quiet digital interactions. Milestones like reaching a million subscribers often feel like just 'a bigger number on a screen' rather than a tangible reward. The creator lifestyle is often isolating, requiring constant mental engagement without the shared experience and camaraderie of a band on tour. This chronic lack of intense, immediate positive reinforcement, combined with the relentless demand for content and the merging of self-worth with online performance, leads to an unhealthy work-life balance and high rates of burnout, prompting many, like Nik Nocturnal and even PewDiePie, to take extended breaks to rediscover purpose beyond constant creation.
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TikTok has significantly impacted modern metal by making 'clip-farmable' moments, such as breakdowns or crazy vocal points, extremely valuable. This leads bands to prioritize creating these short, impactful segments, sometimes even writing songs from the breakdown first, to increase virality.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
Discussed as the primary platform where young kids discover music, especially modern metal breakdowns and vocal moments, leading to a focus on 'clip-farmable' song segments.
Mentioned as a previous platform for music discovery when the speaker started his channel, and later as the platform for creators who experience high burnout rates.
Cited as an early internet platform where people discovered music, preceding YouTube and Facebook.
Mentioned as a platform for music discovery after MySpace and YouTube, to some capacity.
A band whose song 'Can You Feel My Heart' became popular on TikTok, and later for their diverse musical trajectory across genres from deathcore to pop.
A band whose intense and well-paced music naturally works well for short-form content, making them popular on platforms like TikTok.
A deathcore band whose music from the 2000s is highlighted for its extreme sound with prominent bass drops, now seeing a revival.
A metal band from the golden era (2004-2010), specifically their early EP is mentioned as classic for the genre.
A band mentioned as part of the 2000s metal scene, with "Tears Don't Fall" being a widely recognized track.
A band known for their consistent growth over many albums, with "Doomsday" being a pivotal track that inverted traditional heavy/melodic structures.
A modern metal band discussed for their genre-fluid sound, combining heavy elements with pop and R&B, and achieving massive viral success with "The Summoning".
A modern metal band admired for their bangers and ability to appeal to multiple generations, contributing to the "baddy core" sound.
A band described for their unique sound blending metal, shoegaze, and Deftones influences, achieving fame without new releases for a period.
Mentioned as an influence on bands like Loathe, known for their R&B and shoegaze elements blended with aggressive sounds.
Mentioned as an influence on bands like Loathe, representing a heavier, more complex style of metal.
An early pop-punk band with clean vocals juxtaposed with heavy breakdowns, illustrating early genre fragmentation.
A band from the "ricecore" era that blended electronic elements with deathcore, noted for their fun experimentation rather than cohesive composition.
An early band in the "ricecore" era, known for blending electronic sounds with heavy music, though often fragmented.
A band with guitarist Josh Middleton, praised as a "riff master" known for technical death metal.
A partner offering comprehensive lab tests (160+ markers) and personalized protocols for health optimization, with results reviewed by clinicians.
A legacy post-hardcore band with emo elements that blended heavy and melodic styles, praised for their enduring quality and current sound.
A new metal band mentioned as a legacy act embraced for their old catalog and a benchmark for successful modern metal sound.
A nu-metal band mentioned as a legacy act whose old catalog is being embraced.
A nu-metal band collaborating with Machine Gun Kelly, also noted for their track on a Mission Impossible movie soundtrack.
A band that did a surprising collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, showcasing genre fluidity and also mentioned for potentially playing the Grammys.
A deathcore band mentioned in the context of parents listening to extreme music and their song "The Cleansing" as a benchmark.
A metalcore band, mentioned in the context of parents exposing their kids to heavy music.
A metalcore band whose live shows created intense mosh pits, illustrating the physical energy of the scene.
A streaming platform mentioned as a way for content creators to diversify their income and audience, reducing reliance on YouTube.
A rock band mentioned as an example of classic rock that used to dominate the radio before heavier bands like Bad Omens and Sleep Token.
A band that originated from the jazz-djent scene but has evolved beyond that sound.
A new band that recently released an album and supported Architects, described as progressive metalcore with a shoegaze influence.
A post-hardcore band whose sound from the 90s is contrasted with modern metal to illustrate the evolution of the genre.
An emo/post-hardcore band whose albums from 2004-2006 are considered by the host as classic and personally significant.
A pop-rock band, whose frontman Chris Martin had beef with Ollie Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon at the Brit Awards.
A nu-metal band whose aggressive and primal sound, along with Linkin Park and System of a Down, broke through cultural barriers to reach mainstream audiences, and recently got a new drummer.
A retail warehouse club, mentioned as part of the speaker's simplified daily life during his break from YouTube.
A music streaming service, seen as paying artists better but having low user adoption.
A melodic metalcore band, with "Fall of Ideals" mentioned as a guitar-focused album.
A digital music distribution service, enabling independent artists to get their music on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, bypassing record labels.
An emo band mentioned in the context of reintroducing music from a specific era.
A Brooklyn indie rock band accused of being an "industry plant" due to their sudden ubiquity, later revealed by Chaotic Good Projects to have used viral marketing campaigns.
An American emo band, used as an example of an older band whose production quality might be a hard transition for modern listeners accustomed to bands like Bad Omens and Sleep Token.
A band praised for modernizing the 2000s deathcore sound, taking inspiration from "The Cleansing" by Suicide Silence.
A platform for content creator support, mentioned as a means to diversify income and connect with supporters.
A progressive metal band, a favorite among Toronto metalheads and highly influential for technical guitar players.
A band like Linkin Park and Slipknot who broke through cultural barriers with their nu-metal sound, with "Chop Suey!" being iconic.
A short-form video platform that the speaker did not grow up with, influencing his initial difficulty with creating short content.
A company mentioned in the context of being a podcast sponsor, indicating an example of industry partners.
A company mentioned in the context of being a podcast sponsor, indicating an example of industry partners.
A deathcore band, noted for their extreme sound.
A partner brand selling non-alcoholic beers, praised for their taste and allowing the enjoyment of ritual without hangovers.
A band whose legal battle with EMI over a $30 million lawsuit and restrictive 360/720 deals was documented in "Artifact", exposing the darker side of record contracts.
A rock band mentioned as an example of classic rock that used to dominate the radio before heavier bands like Bad Omens and Sleep Token.
A band described as the best representation of "Octane Core" style metal due to their radio-friendly heaviness.
A small, sick band composed of two dudes making instrumental music that fuses classical, dubstep, and djent elements, praised for their unique and extreme sound.
A band the speaker mentions Johnny Frank is from, hinting at the crossover of musicians' tastes.
A digital music distribution service, comparable to DistroKid, allowing independent artists to release music.
A company that produces Fiber Plus, a 3-in-1 formula for digestion, gut barrier strength, and blood sugar stability.
A streaming platform where the documentary Artifact is available.
A Brazilian heavy metal band, Eloy Casagrande's former band.
A website builder, used as an analogy for the ease of modern podcast distribution compared to manual RSS feeding.
A band described as a mix of 2000s nostalgic heavy music with a modern edge, featuring dual vocalists (clean and screams).
A digital marketing company that creates viral campaigns and "trend simulation" using networks of social media pages, confirmed to have worked with Geese and Cameron Winter.
A record label involved in a $30 million legal battle with 30 Seconds to Mars, highlighted as an example of labels offering restrictive 360/720 deals.
A platform where underground bands like Sleep Token initially gained traction through subreddits, and also where "industry plant" discussions now occur.
A social media platform where bands like Sleep Token are often labeled as "industry plants" due to their rapid rise.
A jazz-influenced djent band from the 2010s, popular in the Toronto metal scene.
A major music streaming service, discussed for its low artist payouts, its acquisition of Megaphone, and its "Song DNA" feature.
A metal radio station that now plays heavier tracks with breakdowns and screaming, indicating metal's increasing mainstream acceptance.
A band representative of "Octane Core" style metal, characterized by radio-friendly active rock with heavy elements.
A Canadian punk rock band, noted for their popular bangers despite not being widely known in America.
An early album by Bring Me The Horizon, discussed as an example of 2000s deathcore that the band is revisiting.
Mentioned for its soundtrack by Mick Gordon, which became a significant influence on modern metal production.
Magazine that published an article detailing chaotic good's viral marketing campaigns for Geese.
The most played track by Sleep Token, which created a viral "moment" that catapulted the band to mainstream success.
A melodic song by the band Boundaries, suggested for listeners who prefer a more melodic heavy sound.
An album by Bullet For My Valentine, cited as a timeless classic embodying youthful aggression.
A song by Taking Back Sunday, used in a recent vlog by the host to reintroduce old music to new audiences.
An album by Bring Me The Horizon (released 2015), part of their trajectory into alternative rock metal.
A song by Sleep Token, which the speaker thought would cause them to explode in popularity because it "had everything," but it didn't have the viral "moment" like "The Summoning."
An album by Bring Me The Horizon, following "Count Your Blessings" and preceding "There Is a Hell Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven Let's Keep It a Secret."
An album by Sleep Token (released 2021), noted as having elements that could have led to a breakthrough, but predated their viral moment.
A Metallica album, specifically mentioned for its infamous "trash can" snare sound that later influenced deathcore.
A pivotal album by Bring Me The Horizon (released 2013), noted as a trend-setting release that made production and synth layering massive in modern metal.
Implied to be an album or band that influenced the guitarist of Holy Water, contributing to its nostalgic feel.
An iconic song by Ozzy Osbourne, one of the first metal songs the speaker ever heard, mentioned with sadness after Ozzy's death.
A 2012 award-winning documentary by Jared Leto, following 30 Seconds to Mars' legal battle against EMI, providing insight into the music business and creative freedom.
An iconic song by System of a Down, surprisingly popular with young kids today despite its complex lyrical context.
A movie Jared Leto was in, with the implication that he used money from acting to fund his band during their legal struggles.
An album by Sleep Token, noted as the band's initial breakthrough, combining pop elements with heavy sounds.
A movie that Jared Leto was in, mentioned in the context of his acting career funding his band.
Linkin Park's debut album, cited as the epitome of the most successful sound in modern metal, highly lucrative if replicated.
A pop group whose old track experienced a resurgence through viral internet content.
Professional wrestling promotion, used to illustrate the concept of popularizing moves and actions, not just originating them, through the example of Cody Rhodes.
A metal band mentioned for their 30-year longevity and continued creation of "bangers".
The vocalist for Architects, who was aware of how many bands copied their riffs.
A mastering engineer and composer, notably for the Doom soundtrack, whose sophisticated production highly influenced modern metal.
Keyboardist and composer for Bring Me The Horizon, recognized for his orthogonal approach to music and incorporating electronic elements and diverse inspirations.
Guitarist from SikTh, celebrated as a "riff master" for his technical death metal playing.
A musician who is about to release a collaboration track with Limp Bizkit, seen as a fun cross-genre effort.
A pop artist who collaborated with Spiritbox, representing a significant cross-genre intersection.
Member of Alexis On Fire, also known for his solo project City and Colour, achieving mainstream success in Canada.
A singer-songwriter who demonstrated that many popular songs can be played with a few basic chords, highlighting the potential for lack of originality in songwriting.
The speaker and host of a YouTube channel focused on metal music, discussing his career evolution, burnout, and content creation methods.
An artist for whom Chaotic Good Projects confirmed they engineered viral campaigns.
A YouTuber who recently downsized his team to work alone with an iPhone, serving as an example of creator burnout and simplification.
Drummer for Slipknot after Joey Jordison, who had a falling out with the band.
A mastering engineer, whose role is detailed in Spotify's new Song DNA feature.
Drummer for Bring Me The Horizon, who had a shoulder issue during COVID, showing the personal aspects of band life.
A WWE wrestler discussed for his ability to popularize moves that others did first, illustrating the concept that doing it best, not first, creates impact.
A legendary WWE wrestler, used as an example of someone who popularized specific wrestling moves and gestures, even if he didn't invent them.
The frontman of Falling In Reverse, known for making controversy and being "a dick" part of his brand, akin to a wrestling heel.
The frontman of Coldplay, involved in a public beef with Ollie Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon.
A musician from the band Bill Murray, who noted that many country musicians in Nashville are secretly metalheads.
A podcaster whose early reliance on RSS feeds for distribution is cited as an example of traditional, hands-on content delivery.
The legendary original drummer for Slipknot, whose departure led to changes in the band's lineup.
A contractor, whose role is detailed in Spotify's new Song DNA feature.
The new, "badass" drummer for Slipknot, formerly of Sepultura, praised for his extreme drumming style and physical presence.
A well-known music educator and content creator, mentioned as a respected figure in music analysis, and compared to the speaker's "How to Metal" series.
A musician whose ability to consistently create hits is compared to metal bands making bangers.
A legendary metal musician who passed away, with his song "Crazy Train" being one of the first metal songs the speaker heard.
An OG YouTuber who quit at the "perfect time" and successfully transitioned to his music project Joji, seen as an example of an "escape velocity" from the industry.
Director of the documentary Artifact, which exposed the exploitative nature of record deals, and lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars.
An editor, whose role is detailed in Spotify's new Song DNA feature.
Mentioned as a digital audio workstation used for music production, with the implication that early metal producers were less skilled with it, contrasting with modern sophistication.
A new Spotify feature that details all collaborators and credits involved in a song, allowing users to explore associated artists and tracks.
A streaming platform popular for rap music ("Soundcloud rap") but less so for metal, though some content musicians used it.
Mentioned hypothetically in the context of generating lyrics, suggesting a concern about a lack of originality in songwriting.
A music streaming service mentioned alongside Spotify and Tidal in the context of music distribution challenges for artists.
A music publishing organization that legally requires artists to use their full names to claim publishing rights, often revealing anonymous artists.
An old-school podcast hosting platform that used RSS feeds, used by Joe Rogan and the host in early podcasting days.
A podcast hosting platform that was acquired by Spotify, leading to a plug-and-play distribution system.
A song by Billy Talent, suggested as an "edgier banger" that people should listen to.
Music industry publication; its "On the Record" podcast featured the co-founders of Chaotic Good Projects explaining their viral marketing methods.
An album by 30 Seconds to Mars that was recorded during their legal battle with EMI, showcasing the fight for creative freedom.
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