Electronic Music Surpasses Indie on TikTok

TikTok Fuels Electronic Music Boom as Genre Becomes Soundtrack for a New Generation

From fitness clips to fashion reels, electronic music is beating out rivals as the go-to sound on TikTok, marking a dramatic shift in music consumption and artist discovery.

TikTok has revealed a major surge in popularity for electronic music, with creators increasingly using it to soundtrack videos related to sport, travel, fashion, and fitness. The #ElectronicMusic hashtag amassed over 13 billion views globally in 2024, with the UK alone seeing a 22% rise in views and a 50% increase in content creation under the tag.

Toyin Mustapha, TikTok’s Head of Music Partnerships for the UK and Ireland, said the genre’s mainstream breakthrough is being driven by platform dynamics and the commercial success of artists like Disclosure, Joel Corry, and Fred Again. “Dance music has become more accessible and big in the commercial sphere,” he noted. “We’re seeing the breaking down of boundaries for artists, and TikTok is part of that.”

Success stories abound. Adam Port’s Move and Pawsa’s Dirty Cash (Money Talks) both exploded on TikTok before climbing UK and European charts. Move cracked the top 10, while Dirty Cash peaked at No. 17 in the UK. Meanwhile, Jazzy made history as the first female Irish act to reach No. 1 in Ireland in over a decade.

TikTok has also become a springboard for rising British DJs. Hannah Laing, dubbed the queen of “doof,” went from dental nurse to festival founder and label boss. Billy Gillies, from Belfast, built his fanbase with hits like DNA (Loving You), largely powered by TikTok momentum.

With more than 1 billion users globally, TikTok is no longer just a trendsetter—it’s a tastemaker reshaping the music industry. And as electronic music continues to thrive across charts and festivals, the app’s algorithm-driven creativity appears to be the new A&R.