As part of the 2022 Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs), we wanted to include some topical segments about new trends in music consumption. After huddling with show producers, we landed on the idea of spotlighting the trend of popular TikTok sounds becoming full length songs.
Coming out of conversations with show producers, the BBMAs social media team was given the opportunity to produce three segments in the show, each highlighting a popular TikTok sound that eventually became a full-length song. To cement the tie to the Billboard Music Awards, each segment would end with the song’s achievements on the Billboard charts.
By partnering with TikTok on this activation, we received insights on popular sounds to feature and we started to ideate on ways to bring this activation to life in the TikTok app. Additionally, in partnership with TikTok, we developed a simple campaign name: “From Sound to Song.”
The Billboard Music Awards and TikTok built a custom-built hub on TikTok to showcase the notable tracks and artists who would be part of the “From Sound to Song” activation. The selected songs included:
A thumbnail for each artist/song featured in the hub clicked through to that song’s TikTok Sounds page, allowing fans to watch a virtually endless stream of videos on the platform utilizing that song.
Additionally, a custom “From Sound to Song” playlist was available on TikTok during the week leading up to the show, prompting TikTok user engagement.
For our in-show segments, we highlighted three artists who had impressive success turning their sounds on TikTok into full songs that reached the Billboard charts. Those songs were “Light Switch” by Charlie Puth, “abcdefu” by GAYLE, and “Cool For the Summer [Sped Up (Nightcore)]” by Demi Lovato.
These video segments included artist TikTok videos, fan TikTok videos and reactions, and voice-over elements. Our team spaced these segments out to air at three different points during the broadcast, with each concluding by showing the song’s achievement on the Billboard charts.
The “From Sound to Song” partnership with TikTok was integral in helping the BBMAs reach a younger audience who consume content primarily on social media.
Since TikTok’s younger demographic may not be watching linear broadcast TV, we created a direct connection from on-platform activity they’re already familiar with (TikTok Sounds) to off-platform achievements (Billboard Charts) and televised content (BBMAs broadcast), enabling interaction with the Billboard Music Awards in a way that may not have organically happened.
