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Cross-Cultural Storytelling Approaches in Tiktok's Music Challenges

Bibliographic Data

ID22008928
AuthorsArantxa Vizcaíno-Verdú (0000-0001-9399-2077, Universidad de Huelva), C Abidin (0000-0002-5346-6977, Curtin University)
Year2021
Publication date2021-09-15
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAoIR Selected Papers of Internet Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2162-3317 • E-ISSN: 2162-3317
PublisherUniversity of Illinois Libraries (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.5210/spir.v2021i0.12260
OpenAlexW3199261906
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited3

TikTok has created new strategies that has impacted the music industry through visual effects, stickers, filters, augmented reality, split screens, and transitions in videos no longer than 60 seconds. TikTok posts presents a mode of interdependence where users demonstrate the cultural value of music through challenge and audio memes. This study focuses on a popular social trend on TikTok known as ‘music challenges’. We focused on the significance and cultural meaning of music challenge memes through five key elements – image, audio, text, story, culture – to understand what comprises a ‘challenge’ on TikTok, how storytelling constitutes music challenges, and what cross-cultural in-group affiliations are identified in this trend. For this purpose, we developed a ‘TikTok music storytelling codebook’ informed by grounded theory, and selected 150 music challenge meme posts via manual scraping the ‘#MusicChallenge’ hashtag on TikTok 1–3 April 2021. Through a pilot analysis, we identified new modes of storytelling through audio memes related to nostalgia, fandom and humour. Beyond “put a finger down” challenges and “I know the song/I don’t know the song” lists, we found a broader significance in telling stories grounded across cultures: sharing a childhood memory, relating to a lifestyle type, and fanning after a musical genre. We noted a musical-peer group belonging trend that brings out a mixture of urban tribes and experiences via creative song-mixing that lasts seconds. To sum up, we understand that TikTok music challenges emerge as a vehicle for interdependent groups to showcase their in-group identities through playful audio-visual creations

Aesthetics · Art · Grounded theory · Literature · Media studies · Music education · Music industry · Musical · Narrative · Popular music · Qualitative research · Sociology · Storytelling · Visual arts · Anthropology · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Educational Methods and Impacts · Psychology · Radio, Podcasts, and Digital Media

  • Di̇ji̇tal Etnografi̇ Perspekti̇fi̇nden Ti̇ktok’ta Müzi̇ği̇n Kullanimi Ve Performans Prati̇kleri̇

    Open Access•Betül YARAR KOÇER•Motif Akademi Halk Bilimi Dergisi•2021

  • ThisIsMeChallenge and Music for Empowerment of Marginalized Groups on TikTok

    Open Access•Arantxa Vizcaíno-Verdú, Ignacio Aguaded•Media and Communication•2022

  • A commercial playground

    Open Access•Mathilde Hogsnes, Tor-Morten Grønli et al.•Information Communication & Society•2025

  • What is a meme, technically speaking

    Open Access•Richard Rogers, Giulia Giorgi•Information Communication & Society•2024

  • Mapping Internet Celebrity on TikTok

    Open Access•C Abidin•Cultural Science Journal•2020

Unique citing works4
Citations per year0,8
Citation span2021 - 2025 (5)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 4

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