New music goes viral on TikTok almost every day, from modern hits to songs from years ago that are now resurfacing as trending sounds. Overall, TikTok can be a great platform for musicians; the app allows for virality, exposure, and the ability to reach global audiences, all of which are key to gaining momentum in the entertainment industry. And while TikTok can help brand new artists get discovered, the app can also help established singers boost their music even more — for instance, for stars like Doja Cat. While the singer began releasing music as early as 2014, she skyrocketed in popularity when singles like “Say So” and “Kiss Me More” went viral on TikTok (the latter of which just earned her a Grammy).
Sometimes, it can be exciting to see your favorite artists go viral on TikTok; in one sense, you might be happy that they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve. However, seeing your favorite musician become popular can also be frustrating. Maybe a part of you wonders if “TikTok fame” will change their brand, or maybe you simply want affordable front-row tickets to their concerts, and having the artist go “mainstream” overnight feels like a mini-threat. Even if you’re happy for the artist, you may find yourself wanting to “gatekeep” them — in other words, hide them from the mainstream, and keep their music all to yourself.
What is gatekeeping, exactly?
According to Merriam Webster, gatekeeping is when “a person controls access” to something — for example, a resource, information, or in this case, knowledge of music and musicians. You may have even heard the term “gaslight” in reference to the “Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss” meme, which describes someone who embodies a “gaslight,” (manipulative), “girlboss” (an empowered person), or “gatekeep” (someone who is fiercely protective). Thus, if you find yourself wanting to “gatekeep” — or “fiercely protect” — something, chances are, you care about it a lot.
I personally experienced the impulse to “gatekeep” music when Lizzo, the popular artist known for songs like “Truth Hurts,” “Juice,” and “Tempo” first became popular in mainstream media. When I first heard her song “Good As Hell” in 2016 on a Coachella vlog from Clevver Style, I was immediately obsessed, and “Truth Hurts” was another defining song of my freshman year. In my opinion, Lizzo’s music simply makes you feel good; her unapologetic body positivity and confidence-boosting lyrics can make any listener feel empowered. Plus, when I first discovered her music, I was going through a difficult time navigating scoliosis and getting my spinal fusion surgery. Lizzo’s music helped me feel more confident.
But a few years after I had discovered Lizzo, everyone began listening to her songs. She was no longer a little-known, underground artist anymore; instead, her music played in grocery stores and all over TV. Once her music became popular and more “mainstream,” I noticed that I began to lose interest in her as a musician — I was happy for her success, and certainly thought she deserved all the recognition, but I also felt conflicted. In a way, I felt sad that my “secret” favorite artist was no longer secret and somewhat selfish for wanting her music to just be “mine.”
While the impulse to gatekeep your favorite music can feel conflicting, I know I’m not alone.
The desire to “gatekeep” musicians is common among members of Gen Z.
Apparently, I’m not the only one who feels like keeping my favorite music all to myself — especially once it starts going mainstream. Sofia Nash, a student at the University of Kansas, remembers witnessing a similar moment when “It Was Nothing” by Bruno Mars went viral on TikTok. Nash recalls how, when one user finally “revealed” the song title to others, creators became upset as they wanted to gatekeep the track for themselves.
“I think people feel so strongly about [gatekeeping music],” Nash tells Her Campus, and feels that gatekeeping can often reflect “the somewhat childish argument of ‘I found this first” or ‘I like it more than you.’”
Fellow University of Kansas student Lilly Capen has also experienced TikTokers trying to gatekeep artists — even ones that are already relatively mainstream. She recalls the example of creators trying to gatekeep “Softcore” by The Neighborhood — despite the fact that the band has been making music for nearly a decade, has over 28 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and has been featured on shows like The Vampire Diaries and The Originals.
if music is meant to be shared, what does gatekeeping accomplish?
Capen feels that gatekeeping is unrealistic and doesn’t accomplish much. “Personally, I don’t think there is a scenario in which someone can gatekeep a subject where it does any good for themselves or the other half (a band, song, person, etc.),” she tells Her Campus. “Just liking a song and not wanting it to be a ‘TikTok audio’ doesn’t matter if the music is going to be generally known either way.”
Deema Al-Hihi, a student at the University of Kansas, has also encountered gatekeeping among members of Gen Z. “A lot of people will gatekeep certain artists,” she says. “As soon as I mention how I — and lots of people — like a particular artist, I notice it upsets and turns some people off because now they feel they aren’t ‘special’ anymore.”
Even so, Al-Hihi understands why people are tempted to gatekeep their favorite musicians and songs. “I understand people’s reasoning and emotional attachment,” she tells Her Campus. However, Al-Hihi adds that gatekeeping disrupts the inclusive experience that music is supposed to invite. “You shouldn’t have to like something based on how exclusive you think it is!” she tells Her Campus.
If music is supposed to be inclusive, why do people get jealous when their favorite musicians become more popular on TikTok? And why do listeners feel like they have a kind of “ownership” over an artist’s music — even if they had no role in creating it?
Gatekeeping may be a nod to attachment, jealousy, & the need to feel included.
The impulse to “gatekeep” music and artists could speak to fundamental human experiences like jealousy, insecurity, and the need to be included in social situations. A 2018 study published in Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships explores a link between attachment, trust, and celebrity admiration, which reminds us that we may feel more connected (and in some cases, attracted) to famous figures than we think. On the other hand, we may also experience jealousy when it comes to those we admire; jealousy can often mean that you’re afraid to lose something or someone or that sharing something with others feels uncomfortable in some way. Although jealousy is often studied in the context of interpersonal and romantic relationships, the topic also relates to social media and the concept of sharing vs. gatekeeping music.
Similar to a real-life relationship we care about, when we discover new music, it’s easy to grow attached to it, which can make the music (or artist) hard to “share.” From a young age, children are taught that it’s a “good” thing to share; however, a 2015 developmental psychology study published in Science Daily found that even preschoolers can sense negative emotions like sadness, desperation, and insecurity when “sharing” occurs in group settings. In other words, “sharing” might be generally viewed as a positive thing in life, but it can still make us feel uncomfortable when others take part in something we know and love.
Although gatekeeping can feel “cool” at first, it can also be harmful to up-and-coming artists.
University of Kansas student Emily Counsil says that discovering an emerging artist can give you a “cool” edge, and gatekeeping knowledge of the artist feels like a way of protecting your intel.
“Normally, I just gatekeep indie artists because I don’t want them to become super popular or ‘uncool,’” she tells Her Campus. “I recognize how silly that is, but it happens, I suppose.” Once, while helping a friend make a playlist, she even found herself hesitant to include certain musicians out of fear they’d become more widely known. She recalls thinking: “Wait never mind, I don’t want them to get popular and ticket prices for concerts to go up.”
While Counsil has considered gatekeeping lesser-known indie artists in the past, she also recognizes how frustrating it can be when others try to gatekeep their favorites. “I have this one friend who gatekeeps artists all their time,” she says. When the band 5 Seconds of Summer first became popular, Council says that her friend “didn’t tell anyone about them because she wanted to keep them ‘secret’ and ‘all to herself.’” This made Counsil upset; all she wanted to do was listen to a new and (at the time) up-and-coming artist. (5SOS ended up releasing some of the most memorable, catchy songs of the 2010s — so, perhaps the gatekeeping didn’t end up working, after all).
Are there any downsides to gatekeeping music?
While gatekeeping a great song or talented musician can be exciting — and even make you feel cooler — there are also many downsides. According to Nash, gatekeeping your favorite artists can be selfish: “Any sort of ‘positive’ [to gatekeeping] is entirely within the gatekeeper’s self-interest and not in the interest of the subject who they are attempting to gatekeep,” she tells Her Campus. In fact, gatekeeping might actually be detrimental to an up-and-coming artist’s career; after all, the more accessible an artist is — whether on TikTok or otherwise — the people they can reach, and perhaps the more successful they can be. And don’t you want your favorite musician to be successful?
If you love to gatekeep your favorite musicians, don’t worry, I’ve been there, too. It’s easy to quickly detach from musicians you love when their music suddenly goes viral online, but honestly, where’s the fun in that? After all, music was created to bring us together, not tear us apart. So the next time you feel the urge to gatekeep a musician, check yourself before you wreck yourself — or your favorite artist.
Sources
Sofia Nash, Lilly Capen, Deema Al-Hihi, Emily Counsil, University of Kansas
Studies
Bringle, R. G., & Buunk, B. (2021). Examining the causes and consequences of jealousy: Some recent findings and issues. In The emerging field of personal relationships (pp. 225-240). Routledge.
Collisson, B., Browne, B. L., McCutcheon, L. E., Britt, R., & Browne, A. M. (2018). The Interpersonal Beginnings of Fandom: The Relation Between Attachment Style, Trust, and the Admiration of Celebrities. Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships, 12(1), 23-33.
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen (LMU). (2015, May 19). Developmental psychology: Sharing doesn’t hurt. ScienceDaily.
Tandon, A., Dhir, A., & Mäntymäki, M. (2021). Jealousy due to social media? A systematic literature review and framework of social media-induced jealousy. Internet Research.