Latest news with #LilNasX
Geek Vibes Nation
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
How TikTok Is Changing The Music Industry In 2025
A few years ago, most people saw TikTok as an app for dances, lip-syncs, and silly memes. Fast forward to 2025 — and it's become one of the most powerful platforms in the global music scene. Whether you're a bedroom producer or a Grammy-winning artist, TikTok has changed how music is discovered, shared, and even created. So how exactly is this short-form video app transforming the music industry? Let's break it down — in plain English. 🎶 Viral in 15 Seconds In the past, making it in music meant years of grinding — gigs, record deals, radio play, PR. Now, one short video can launch a global music hit in a matter of hours. TikTok's 'For You' feed is built to serve up engaging content, regardless of who you are or how famous you might be. That means a completely unknown artist can suddenly find their song being used in millions of videos around the world. Just think about 'Old Town Road' by Lil Nas X — a song that started as a joke on TikTok and became a chart-topping phenomenon. Or 'abcdefu' by GAYLE, a track that blew up because people started using it in their own videos. Even older songs like 'Dreams' by Fleetwood Mac found new life because of a viral clip. That kind of reach used to cost millions — now it can happen with a phone and a catchy chorus. ✂️ Songs Are Being Made For TikTok One of the most fascinating things happening now is how TikTok is changing the way people write music. Many artists and producers are now thinking about the platform while they create. Will this line be good for a transition? Can someone dance to this beat? Is the chorus punchy enough to loop in a 10-second clip? As a result, we're seeing shorter intros, stronger hooks, and lyrics that double as meme material. Some songs are even released in 'sped-up' or 'slowed-down' versions just to match TikTok trends. It's not about changing the art — it's about understanding where your audience lives and how they consume music today. 🚀 A New Way to Break Through For aspiring artists, TikTok is a game changer. You don't need a label or a big budget. You just need one video to catch on. There's a long (and growing) list of musicians who went from complete unknowns to full-blown stars — all thanks to one or two TikToks. Take PinkPantheress, for example. She recorded short songs in her bedroom and uploaded snippets to TikTok. The response was massive, and within months she had a record deal, millions of streams, and a loyal fanbase. Stories like hers are becoming more common every day. 👥 Fans Are Part of the Process Now TikTok has turned fans into co-creators . Music is no longer something we just passively consume. We dance to it, remix it, use it in comedy skits, or create emotional montages. Sometimes the most unexpected sound bites — even spoken word lines or background sounds — become viral 'songs.' This level of interaction means the audience doesn't just enjoy music — they help shape it. When a snippet goes viral, it can push an artist to finish and release a song, or even change how it's produced. It's collaborative culture in real time. 💰 New Ways to Market and Monetize TikTok has also redefined how artists promote their work. Forget traditional ads — many musicians now rely on influencer campaigns, behind-the-scenes teasers, and interactive challenges. Want to test a new song? Post a short preview, see how it performs, and decide whether to drop it based on real fan response. Major artists like Billie Eilish and The Weeknd use TikTok strategically to tease new music. Indie artists use it to build careers from scratch. The platform has also given rise to micro-monetization models — where even a viral sound can earn licensing revenue or land brand deals. 🌍 Music Feels Closer, More Human One of the most beautiful things TikTok has done is break down the walls between artist and audience. We see musicians in their bedrooms, in their pajamas, making beats or playing a rough demo. It's not polished or curated — and that's the point. This kind of authenticity resonates deeply, especially in a time when people crave real connection. On TikTok, your favorite artist can feel like a friend — and their music hits harder because of it. 🔮 The Future Is Already Here TikTok isn't a trend anymore — it's the present and future of music. It's changing how songs are made, how artists rise, and how fans interact with the sounds they love. While some in the traditional industry might resist these changes, the truth is clear: music is evolving. And TikTok is leading that evolution — one viral moment at a time. So whether you're an artist, a producer, or just someone who loves a good beat — keep your ears open. The next big thing? It's probably already playing in the background of someone's TikTok.
Elle
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
All We Know About Addison Rae and Omer Fedi's Very Private Love Story
TikTok star and musical artist Addison Rae has been dating music producer Omer Fedi since at least 2021, but sightings and news about the couple is surprisingly rare. As much as Rae lives some aspects of her life in public, she has started to keep other things just for herself. In May 2021, Rae told Hailey Bieber in an episode of Who's in My Bathroom? that her previous relationship with Bryce Hall changed how she felt about sharing her personal romantic life with her followers. 'I think the lesson I learned from [that experience] is just keep your circle small, and keep your fights private, keep you know, intimate things private, and respect each other,' she explained. But Fedi is not an entirely unknown figure. He has a lot of cred in the music industry as not only an accomplished guitarist, but as a producer and songwriter. He has co-written hits like 'Montero (Call Me by Your Name)' with Lil Nas X and 'Mood' with 24kGoldn. With so much in common, Fedi and Rae naturally step into the spotlight with one another from time to time. Here is a complete timeline of Addison Rae and Omer Fedi's relationship so far. Rae joined Kourtney Kardashian and Megan Fox at a Machine Gun Kelly show, where Fedi was playing guitar. In pics, Rae can be seen smiling and taking in the music. Fans were already speculating on whether she was there to support anyone in particular when the pair was seen together alone a few days later in West Hollywood, shopping at Erewhon. Rae confirmed she was dating somebody when she posted a video of two shadows kissing in her Instagram Stories in early July. Fans kept careful record of comments and likes made by Fedi and Rae on one another's Instagram accounts in the early days of their dating. Then in August, they were seen sharing a kiss in Los Angeles after a lunch date at Ono Hawaiian BBQ. The cat was out of the bag! On August 21, Fedi shared a selfie with Rae on his Instagram Story, writing over it, 'She's wearing the pants in the relationship.' A few days later, E! shared photos of them holding hands in West Hollywood. At the end of the month, Fedi celebrated him and Rae having moments of success at the same time. A song he co-produced, 'Stay' by The Kid LAROI, broke onto Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Rae's Netflix movie He's All That reached the streaming service's top 10 list. In another Instagram Story, Fedi wrote, 'Me and my baby are both number 1 atm. I'm so so proud of her. Wonder if we the first couple to ever do that with movie and a song? Anyway love you babe.' They were photographed walking around in Los Angeles and wearing masks for some privacy and protection. By October, things were clearly very serious: Rae posted about Fedi on TikTok, her most beloved platform. On her 21st birthday, she appeared with him in a TikTok, lip-synching the words, 'Stop treating me like some girl that's obsessed with you.' She then gave him a kiss. Fans asked for a pic of the couple during one of Rae's Instagram Stories Q&As, and she gave them a black-and-white pic where they're reaching their tongues toward one another. The couple enjoyed the New Year in Turks and Caicos. Rae has since deleted photos from their trip. The couple posed for official photos at Paris Fashion Week, attending the Mônot show on March 5. In another public display, they attended Vanity Fair's Oscar Party, but they were not photographed on the red carpet, just leaving afterwards in matching black. They made their debut on the red carpet at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, where Fedi was nominated for the first time for production work on Lil Nas X's hit song 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name).' Rae attended the Met Gala in 2022 by herself, but they appeared to meet up afterwards. In a now-deleted photo, Fedi showed Rae eating a chicken nugget wearing her red carpet outfit. That same month, they went to the 70th Annual BMI Pop Awards in Beverly Hills. Photographers caught the couple sharing an adorable embrace in Los Angeles. They were spotted deep in conversation in Los Angeles in August. The Daily Mail shared pics of Rae and Fedi at Zero Bond with friends Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz. Rae helped Fedi cut off his signature hot red hair, seen in photos featured in a TikTok by creator @alexandrabellusci. Rae offered a rare comment on her relationship in an interview with British Vogue, describing a trip she took to Japan 'with my boyfriend for New Year 2023. When the clock struck midnight, I got my fortune read at the Sensoji temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo,' she said. In a rare update, Rae confirmed she and Fedi were still dating in an early 2025 interview with Rolling Stone. The publication described Fedi as Rae's 'boyfriend' in her cover story. 'I'm very guarded when it comes to relationships because my first public relationship taught me a lot about myself,' Rae said, speaking of her ex Bryce Hall. 'That was a shit show. He was very vocal about everything, and it was a mess.' In an interview with ELLE, Rae made some comments about the different types of relationships in her life. 'I think all relationships in my life right now are going through a transformation in a lot of ways, whether that's good or bad or confusing or not,' she explained. 'And I think it's just a lot of self-confrontation right now in these moments, and just figuring out what I really want to do and what feels right.'
Pink Villa
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Did Lil Nas X Copy Model's Poses Without Giving Credit? Court Rules: 'Photos Were...'
Lil Nas X wins court battle over allegations of stealing a model's poses in his Instagram posts. A federal court has rejected the copyright infringement lawsuit brought against the rapper by freelance model and artist Rodney Woodland. Woodland had asserted that the artist borrowed photo ideas and posing from his Instagram photo shoots without giving him credit. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in Nas 's favor, bringing an end to the nearly two-year-long legal war. The suit revolved around a set of promotional photos Nas shared in October 2021 before he released his Montero album. Woodland claimed that a number of the rapper's semi-nude promo shots, including the cover art for the single Industry Baby, copied poses and ideas he had already shared between August 2018 and July 2021. Nevertheless, the court determined the claims to be legally deficient. Based on court documents, the pictures in dispute on Woodland's page received little attention, somewhere between eight likes and 75. Whereas Lil Nas ' photos were viewed by large numbers of users, ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions. The court held that Woodland could not demonstrate a reasonable link establishing that the J Christ rapper ever viewed his work. Judges also concluded that the poses and visual concepts Woodland had used were not original enough to warrant copyright protection. The court pointed out that artistic motifs commonly employed cannot be copyrighted. The court pointed out that while both artists used identical themes, such themes are common features in art and photography and do not fall under the Copyright Act protection. Rodney Woodland's initial lawsuit against Lil Nas X, filed in June 2022 and subsequently reduced to a single claim for copyright, has been dismissed. The case has now been formally closed, bringing Woodland's legal action against the chart-topping artist to an end without leave to amend.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
6 songs that were shunned by country radio and rejected by Nashville — but still became hits
Kacey Musgraves recently opened up about the backlash to her 2013 single, "Follow Your Arrow." The pro-LGBTQ song was blacklisted by country radio stations but later became a fan-favorite hit. Beyoncé, Lil Nas X, and Loretta Lynn have faced similar pushback from country music gatekeepers. Country music has a stricter reputation than most popular genres, which has led to territorial battles over what gets played on the radio and who wins awards. Country gatekeepers in the music industry like radio programmers and awards show voters are known for imposing a high barrier to entry, which fans say keeps the genre authentic. In practice, however, the barrier has been enforced in an attempt to bar Black artists, outspoken women, and progressive themes from Nashville. Keep reading for six of the most notable and controversial country hits, listed below in reverse chronological order of release. Some radio stations initially refused to play "Texas Hold 'Em" by Beyoncé. Beyoncé delighted fans by surprise-releasing "Texas Hold 'Em" during the 2024 Super Bowl. The boot-stomping honky-tonk song was promoted as the lead single off her forthcoming album, "Cowboy Carter." However, some country radio stations did not share the Beyhive's excitement for new Beyoncé music — including one in Oklahoma, which rejected a fan's request to play "Texas Hold 'Em." "We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station," the response read. Still, "Texas Hold 'Em" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, making Beyoncé the first Black woman in history to achieve the feat. It also reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, where it remained for two weeks. Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" was booted from Billboard's country charts. Lil Nas X caused a stir in 2019 when he harnessed his social-media savvy to transform "Old Town Road" — a country-rap novelty full of Nashville tropes like bull rides, cowboy hats, and Wrangler jeans — into a viral hit. While the song launched trends on TikTok and racked up views on YouTube, the music industry scrambled to categorize its success. Billboard abruptly pulled the song from its country charts, saying it "does not currently merit inclusion" due to a lack of unspecified "elements." The decision sparked widespread backlash among fans and music critics, many of whom accused the magazine of holding Black country artists to a different standard (Billboard denied that race played a factor). Shortly after, Lil Nas X released an "Old Town Road" remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (of "Achy Breaky Heart" fame to some and "Hannah Montana" fame to others). The song shot to No. 1 on the Hot 100 and reigned atop the chart for 19 weeks, setting a record that remains unbroken. (The feat has since been matched by another country hit by a genre-blending Black musician, Shaboozey.) "Old Town Road" also became the fastest song in history to be certified diamond and won two Grammy Awards. Beyoncé's "Daddy Lessons" was rejected by CMA Awards viewers and the Grammy country committee. When Beyoncé announced "Cowboy Carter" in 2024, she said the album was inspired by a time when she "did not feel welcomed" by the entrenched Nashville establishment. "Because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive," Beyoncé explained on Instagram. "The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me." Many fans speculate the pivotal event was the 2016 CMA Awards, where The Chicks joined Beyoncé for a duet of "Daddy Lessons," a standout country song from her then-new album, "Lemonade." During their performance, cutaways to the audience seemed to betray a sense of discomfort. Some people reportedly walked out. The Chicks later confirmed they felt a frosty reception from the room: "They treated us very weird backstage," Natalie Maines told The New York Times in 2020. "For them to disrespect her that way was disgusting." Reactions on social media were similarly harsh, often turning outright racist. As Vox reported at the time, the CMA Awards fanned the flames by removing a promotional video that featured Beyoncé from its social media accounts. Later that year, AP News reported that Beyoncé's team had submitted "Daddy Lessons" to country categories at the Grammys, but the Recording Academy's country committee had rejected it. In public, however, country musicians defended the song, including Blake Shelton, Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town, and Dierks Bentley, who told AP News, "There is just something intangible about it that it feels like a country song." More recently, Beyoncé kicked off her Cowboy Carter Tour, which features "Daddy Lessons" on the set list — much to the delight of the Beyhive. "DADDY LESSONS!! THE REASON WE ARE ALL HERE," one fan wrote on X. Kacey Musgraves said her pro-LGBTQ song "Follow Your Arrow" was "banned by country radio." During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kacey Musgraves said she faced pushback about releasing her 2013 single, "Follow Your Arrow." In the twangy guitar ballad, Musgraves skewers double standards for women, salutes same-sex love, and advocates for smoking weed, "if that's something you're into." She wrote the song with Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, who are both gay. McAnally said he remembers the label telling Musgraves the song would be "suicide at radio." Indeed, upon the song's release, several country radio programmers told Billboard they wouldn't be able to play the song, especially in Southern areas that tend to lean more conservative. When Musgraves performed "Follow Your Arrow" at the 2013 CMA Awards, the lyrics were repeatedly censored, including the line "roll up a joint." Nevertheless, that same night, she took home the award for best new artist. At the 2014 ceremony, "Follow Your Arrow" won song of the year. Today, "Follow Your Arrow" is known as one of Musgraves' signature anthems and is credited with helping to usher in a more inclusive era for country music. "Oh my gosh, it was so controversial," Musgraves told THR. "It ended up tanking — it was banned by country radio. But I would never trade that for the love and the people it brought to my world. I'm not going to present a watered-down version of myself to be accepted. I'll fucking shovel shit for a living at a horse barn, and I'll be really happy. Or I'll just be a songwriter. Anyway, it ended up working out." "Goodbye Earl" by The Chicks sparked debate and pushback from country radio programmers. The three women of The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) are no strangers to conservative backlash. In 2003, the Texas musicians became country music's most famous outcasts after they said they were "ashamed" to be from the same state as President George W. Bush. "I saw how one comment ended such a powerful reign, and it terrified me," Taylor Swift told Variety in 2020. "These days, with social media, people can be so mad about something one day and then forget what they were mad about a couple weeks later. That's fake outrage. But what happened to the Dixie Chicks was real outrage. I registered it — that you're always one comment away from being done being able to make music." The Chicks had gotten their first glimpse of exile three years prior, when they released their now-beloved single "Goodbye Earl." The song, written by Dennis Linde and initially recorded by Sons of the Desert, tells the story of two women who plot to poison one of their abusive husbands. After The Chicks released their version, some critics worried the band was inadvertently advocating for premeditated murder. However, in spite of initial resistance from country radio programmers, "Goodbye Earl" continued to climb the Billboard charts, eventually becoming a top-20 hit on the Hot 100 and reaching No. 13 on Hot Country Songs. "It's one of the things where some of the gatekeepers take it more seriously than the audience does," Lon Helton, country music editor for Radio & Records, told the Tampa Bay Times in 2000. "Programmers were nervous at first about offending parts of their audience, but I think they've gotten the message," Helton added. "The single is going up our (country airplay) charts as fast as any single the Chicks have put out." Loretta Lynn's controversial single "The Pill" became a crossover hit without radio play. Throughout the '70s, Loretta Lynn made a name as a feather-ruffler with her frank songwriting, which often tackled sexist stigmas and women's issues. Many of Lynn's songs were shunned by country radio, including "Fist City" and "Rated X," but none were quite so well-known or provocative as "The Pill," a 1975 single about birth control and reproductive freedom. The industry's rejection of "The Pill" is well-documented. According to the Daily Beast, it was "banned by radio stations spanning Atlanta to Detroit," which subsequently caused it to stall at No. 5 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs. When Lynn died in October 2022, nearly five decades after the song's release, Time reported that country radio still hadn't come around: Luminate data showed the song had only been played once on country radio for that entire year. Somehow, "The Pill" still managed to find an audience and resonate with listeners. It became the biggest crossover hit of Lynn's solo career, peaking at No. 70 on the Hot 100. "I just write what I feel, what is going on with me and my life. It just happened that a lot of other women felt the same," Lynn told Parade in 2021. "I would never set out to write something just for it to shock someone; I am not that clever. It's always been about truth and if that means radio wants to ban it, well that's their problem. Most of my records they banned became No. 1 anyway." Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
6 songs that were shunned by country radio and rejected by Nashville — but still became hits
Country gatekeepers in the music industry like radio programmers and awards show voters are known for imposing a high barrier to entry, which fans say keeps the genre authentic. In practice, however, the barrier has been enforced in an attempt to bar Black artists, outspoken women, and progressive themes from Nashville. Keep reading for six of the most notable and controversial country hits, listed below in reverse chronological order of release. Beyonc delighted fans by surprise-releasing "Texas Hold 'Em" during the 2024 Super Bowl. The boot-stomping honky-tonk song was promoted as the lead single off her forthcoming album, "Cowboy Carter."However, some country radio stations did not share the Beyhive's excitement for new Beyonc music — including one in Oklahoma, which rejected a fan's request to play "Texas Hold 'Em.""We do not play Beyonc on KYKC as we are a country music station," the response "Texas Hold 'Em" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, making Beyonc the first Black woman in history to achieve the feat. It also reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, where it remained for two weeks. Lil Nas X caused a stir in 2019 when he harnessed his social-media savvy to transform "Old Town Road" — a country-rap novelty full of Nashville tropes like bull rides, cowboy hats, and Wrangler jeans — into a viral the song launched trends on TikTok and racked up views on YouTube, the music industry scrambled to categorize its success. Billboard abruptly pulled the song from its country charts, saying it "does not currently merit inclusion" due to a lack of unspecified "elements."The decision sparked widespread backlash among fans and music critics, many of whom accused the magazine of holding Black country artists to a different standard (Billboard denied that race played a factor).Shortly after, Lil Nas X released an "Old Town Road" remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (of "Achy Breaky Heart" fame to some and "Hannah Montana" fame to others). The song shot to No. 1 on the Hot 100 and reigned atop the chart for 19 weeks, setting a record that remains unbroken. (The feat has since been matched by another country hit by a genre-blending Black musician, Shaboozey.)"Old Town Road" also became the fastest song in history to be certified diamond and won two Grammy Awards. During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kacey Musgraves said she faced pushback about releasing her 2013 single, "Follow Your Arrow."In the twangy guitar ballad, Musgraves skewers double standards for women, salutes same-sex love, and advocates for smoking weed, "if that's something you're into." She wrote the song with Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, who are both gay. McAnally said he remembers the label telling Musgraves the song would be "suicide at radio."Indeed, upon the song's release, several country radio programmers told Billboard they wouldn't be able to play the song, especially in Southern areas that tend to lean more Musgraves performed "Follow Your Arrow" at the 2013 CMA Awards, the lyrics were repeatedly censored, including the line "roll up a joint."Nevertheless, that same night, she took home the award for best new artist. At the 2014 ceremony, "Follow Your Arrow" won song of the "Follow Your Arrow" is known as one of Musgraves' signature anthems and is credited with helping to usher in a more inclusive era for country music."Oh my gosh, it was so controversial," Musgraves told THR. "It ended up tanking — it was banned by country radio. But I would never trade that for the love and the people it brought to my world. I'm not going to present a watered-down version of myself to be accepted. I'll fucking shovel shit for a living at a horse barn, and I'll be really happy. Or I'll just be a songwriter. Anyway, it ended up working out." "Goodbye Earl" by The Chicks sparked debate and pushback from country radio programmers. The three women of The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) are no strangers to conservative backlash. In 2003, the Texas musicians became country music's most famous outcasts after they said they were "ashamed" to be from the same state as President George W. Bush."I saw how one comment ended such a powerful reign, and it terrified me," Taylor Swift told Variety in 2020. "These days, with social media, people can be so mad about something one day and then forget what they were mad about a couple weeks later. That's fake outrage. But what happened to the Dixie Chicks was real outrage. I registered it — that you're always one comment away from being done being able to make music."The Chicks had gotten their first glimpse of exile three years prior, when they released their now-beloved single "Goodbye Earl."The song, written by Dennis Linde and initially recorded by Sons of the Desert, tells the story of two women who plot to poison one of their abusive husbands. After The Chicks released their version, some critics worried the band was inadvertently advocating for premeditated in spite of initial resistance from country radio programmers, "Goodbye Earl" continued to climb the Billboard charts, eventually becoming a top-20 hit on the Hot 100 and reaching No. 13 on Hot Country Songs."It's one of the things where some of the gatekeepers take it more seriously than the audience does," Lon Helton, country music editor for Radio & Records, told the Tampa Bay Times in 2000."Programmers were nervous at first about offending parts of their audience, but I think they've gotten the message," Helton added. "The single is going up our (country airplay) charts as fast as any single the Chicks have put out." Throughout the '70s, Loretta Lynn made a name as a feather-ruffler with her frank songwriting, which often tackled sexist stigmas and women's of Lynn's songs were shunned by country radio, including "Fist City" and "Rated X," but none were quite so well-known or provocative as "The Pill," a 1975 single about birth control and reproductive industry's rejection of "The Pill" is well-documented. According to the Daily Beast, it was "banned by radio stations spanning Atlanta to Detroit," which subsequently caused it to stall at No. 5 on Billboard's Hot Country Lynn died in October 2022, nearly five decades after the song's release, Time reported that country radio still hadn't come around: Luminate data showed the song had only been played once on country radio for that entire "The Pill" still managed to find an audience and resonate with listeners. It became the biggest crossover hit of Lynn's solo career, peaking at No. 70 on the Hot 100."I just write what I feel, what is going on with me and my life. It just happened that a lot of other women felt the same," Lynn told Parade in 2021. "I would never set out to write something just for it to shock someone; I am not that clever. It's always been about truth and if that means radio wants to ban it, well that's their problem. Most of my records they banned became No. 1 anyway."
