Claim: Popular songs nowadays are shorter because of TikTok.

Question

Yes, popular songs are generally getting shorter, and part of that is due to platforms like TikTok and streaming services driving the change. According to Billboard, TikTok and streaming “fragmentary moments” favour shorter tracks. The Washington Times reported that many artists are adapting to algorithms by trimming intros or making songs around the 2½-3 minute mark. However, it isn’t only TikTok: analyses say the trend also reflects changes in songwriting, listener habits, and how streaming counts are measured. So the claim is broadly correct: songs are shorter and TikTok plays a role, but it isn’t the sole cause.

Answer 1

Yes this claim is true, songs are shorter now and TikTok has played a big role in that. Platforms like TikTok, and Instagram encourage artists to hook listeners fast, so this means the song starts faster, they hit the chorus sooner, ultimately making the song shorter. These platforms have contributed to shortening people's attention spans, by making short form content the most popular type of content in the world. These new trends have made new artists adapt and take advantage of this. In an article on this by The Washington Post it talks about how the average song length on the Billboard Hot 100 has dropped form over 4 minutes to around 3 minutes since 1990. So yes this claim is true songs are definitely getting shorter.

Answer 2

Yes, the claim that popular songs nowadays are shorter due to the influence of TikTok. Since around 1990, hit songs have gotten shorter — dropping from over four minutes to about three minutes on average, no matter the genre. Now, streaming platforms are influencing the way music sounds. On apps like Spotify, artists only get paid if someone listens for at least 30 seconds, so songs are starting faster and grabbing your attention right away — otherwise people just skip to the next track. Streaming services also push artists to make shorter songs. Short tracks get replayed more often, and more plays mean more money for the artists.

Source: Pop songs are getting shorter in the era of streaming and TikTok - Washington Post

Answer 3

I think this claim is true. TikTok is one of the reasons why popular songs nowadays have become shorter. This shows the average length of songs on Billboard Hot 100 has decreased from 4:14 in the 1990s to 3:15 in the 2020s. According to The Washington Times, artists and composers are influenced by listeners' behavior, as many people prefer shorter content and quickly move on to the next song or video. Therefore, this trend is one of the main reasons why songs today tend to be shorter than before.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/interactive/2024/shorter-songs-again/

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/apr/14/shrinking-pop-song-tiktok-spotify-streaming-reshaping-music/

Answer 4

It's true, Popular songs are getting shorter because of TikTok. TikTok and other streaming services are becoming more popular and leading to shorter attention spans. According to BBC News, the lengths of songs have gone down over the years, up until recently. The article states that after the launch of TikTok in 2019, “the average song had suddenly shrunk to just three minutes and 12 seconds.” According to a news article by The Washington Post about the subject, not only does TikTok affect the length of popular songs, but the radio also has an impact. They state that radio edits shorten songs to around three and a half minutes to accommodate advertising and news segments; because of that, writers are more likely to shorten their songs so that they can be played on the radio. This claim is correct, but TikTok is not the sole reason for the change. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-052ab668-403d-416f-b5a6-c5692313b9b4 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/interactive/2024/shorter-songs-again/ 

Answer 5

The claim that Tik Tok makes songs nowadays shorter is true. Many people usually appreciate the length of longer songs and the craft behind the music, but things have been changing recently due to short term content like Tik Tok. A BBC article titled Three Minute Heroes explains that the average song length has dropped to just about 3 minutes. Tik tok songs have had a strong influence on this in the way that they grab your attention immediately versus leading up to the good part of the song. The article reflects many artists’ opinions on the matter and they feel they need to shrink their music to attract the audience. Many hits in the last few years are even under the 3 minute mark, some being from artists like Pink Pantheress and Sabrina Carpenter. The Washington Times writes, “Experts say the shift toward brevity is driven primarily by two leading platforms: TikTok and Spotify. On TikTok, a 10-second snippet can launch a song onto the charts.” This is primarily because people get accustomed to short form content which has a heavy effect on people’s attention spans. According to an American Psychological Association article, PhD Professor Gloria Mark discusses how in 2012 the average attention span was roughly 75 seconds, in the last handful of years that has dropped significantly to around 40 seconds. Considering that is roughly a third of the average song length, it explains how Tik Tok’s influence of bouncing around from song to song and listening to only certain parts is embedded in song listening and changing the production of music, ultimately shortening songs as a whole.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-052ab668-403d-416f-b5a6-c5692313b9b4

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/apr/14/songs-getting-shorter-thanks-part-spotify-tiktok-algorithms/

https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/attention-spans

Answer 6

This claim "Popular songs nowadays are shorter because of TikTok" is true. Looking at this source from BBC they say how after TikTok came around "People's attention span dropped quite dramatically". Another thing says "You had to get people's attention in the first two seconds, and it really only mattered if the song had one line that did well". So they are trying to get listeners engaged and interested in the song quick, and with TikTok videos being so short, having shorter songs makes more sense.

Three-minute heroes: TikTok made songs shorter but artists are pushing back with longer tracks with more emotional resonance - BBC News

Answer 7

In my personal opinion lots of people in the Gen Z and Gen A have shorter attention spans so I would not be surprised if this was true. According to The Washington Times, “ A 2020 report by Samsung projected that the average hit song by 2030 may be roughly two minutes, half the length of a hit from the 1990s.” The songs being released are slowly getting shorter due to the fact that tik tok and other social media platforms are lowering people’s attention spans by producing and pushing out short but packed videos and posts. This is very degenerative to the new generation since it is making it harder for them to focus on school unless they’re constantly being stimulated. In conclusion I would deem this statement true. 

Answer 8

Many recent articles show that hit songs are getting shorter, and platforms like TikTok and streaming services play a role because people generally just want a viral clip of a song. For example, one article indicates songs are shrinking in length and cites TikTok/streaming as influences.  There are many charts provided that show the decrease on song times after TikTok was released. As well as many artist have agreed with this statement  However, the explanation is more complex than “TikTok = shorter songs” alone—genre, history, and other forces also matter but overall yes TikTok has encouraged artist to create shorter songs. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/interactive/2024/shorter-songs-again/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-052ab668-403d-416f-b5a6-c5692313b9b4