MOOD

"Mood" Swing: How 24kGoldn and Iann Dior Harnessed TikTok to Propel a Chart-Topping Hit

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world shut down, and all of us were confined to our homes with nothing else to do but handle meetings via Zoom and mindlessly scroll the internet. The music industry (one that heavily relied on touring) had to figure out a new strategy to market songs in an environment that went from IRL to digital in the blink of an eye. For some artists, this shift was difficult, and even for us as marketers, the shift presented a lot of challenges that needed answers fast. Fortunately for 24kGoldn, his collaboration "Mood" with Iann Dior cracked the code many artists were trying to solve, resulting in a global smash hit that earned him #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

It's no secret TikTok became a massive attraction during the pandemic. On the label side, we began seeing massive success from songs going viral on the app, and artists were receiving more exposure than ever by simply posting their content. Goldn was an early adopter of TikTok who had already seen success on the platform; however, "Mood" was different. It was a rocket and one of the first big songs on TikTok from the pandemic to see chart success. After multiple posts from Goldn and influencers worldwide, the song soon became the soundtrack to millions of TikTok videos.

The virality of TikTok translated into chart success. "Mood" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2020 and peaked by October, holding the number one spot for eight non-consecutive weeks. Both artists were thrust into the global spotlight, paving the way for Goldn's debut album, El Dorado, in 2021. "Mood" symbolizes TikTok's effect on music promotion, showcasing how consistent short-form content can lead to audience discovery, chart success, and virality.