Streaming and social trends are rewriting how songs are written—and who gets heard
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Music is love in search of a word, said Sidney Lanier, an American musician and poet in the 1800s. Though the sentiment of music as an expression of emotion remains, its journey from heart to harmony has evolved constantly, said music journalist John Harris in The Guardian. Beneath the surface of popular music today, Harris said, the pursuit of virality is reshaping songwriting, chasing the dopamine machine’s demand for immediate thrill. Now, the creative process could sometimes be a hop between artistic integrity and commercial viability, he said.
For Danu Sasongko, an Indonesian musician and a freshman in communication, media and culture, songwriting began as an emotional release. Now, he said, it’s shaped by algorithms, shorter runtimes and hook-drive structures. Sasongko’s experience mirrors a broader shift in the industry. A well-known songwriter behind Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and Imagine Dragon’s “Believer”, Justin Tranter echoed the same idea on Daniel Wall Podcast, focusing on the music industry: what goes viral can be as powerful as radio hits or label support.
A story that takes a song
Performing under the name D. Song, Sasongko began writing music in 2014, he said. He described the process as therapeutic to express his unspoken feelings. “However, with others’ expectations and requests for my music, it now feels like a demand—not a therapy. There is a fear within me to express what I truly feel.” Even with his upcoming album set for release in October 2025, Sasongko expressed his worry whether fans of his rap and R&B style will enjoy his shift toward pop-influenced tracks.
Sasongko began producing his own music in 2017, he said. His process starts with writing down feelings drawn from personal experiences and humming melodies that come to him spontaneously. He said he could catch the melody randomly as he’s in church or strolling around. “Sometimes, as I write the lyrics, the melody comes into my head. So, I take it as how it is supposed to sound.” he continued.
Tranter, a multi-platinum and award-winning songwriter, said he began writing music at 15, about a decade before forming the glam rock band Semi Precious Weapons in 2005. Ten years later, he started writing for other artists. “My favorite way to find the song is through conversations with the artists. They are going to feel like the song is theirs and only theirs,” he said.
Growing up in the ‘90s listening to female songwriters like Tori Amos and Kate Bush, Tranter said he always dreamed of writing songs. After years in the industry, his first cut came at age 34 or 35 with “Nostalgic”, a track for Kelly Clarkson released in 2015. It was one of his favorite songs because “it was much more specific, as if you’re listening to the ’80s dream alternative pop rock,” he said. It stood apart from his earlier work in the 2010s, where he often wrote more generic songs for then-trending DJ hits.
When algorithm listens in
In over a decade of songwriting, Sasongko said his process has shifted in two ways: he collaborated more frequently with his producer friends, and he now writes with digital algorithms in mind. “I’m not sure with the people out there if the template is the same, but I now try to hit the hook earlier and keep the song under three minutes,” he said.
According to Republic Network, a global music technology company, “Algorithms analyze data to make personalized recommendations.” The website states platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Apple Music and Spotify suggest content based on users’ behavior patterns.
Following the algorithm is challenging in the long term, especially with ever-changing trends, Sasongko said. “Maybe right now the trend fits with my style perfectly, but the next trend might not,” he said. “I’ll keep creating my own music and being viral is just a bonus.”
Sasongko shared his concern about how Apple Music and Spotify’s algorithm highlights an artist’s most-streamed songs. “‘Game Plan’ and ‘Cloud 9’ are my best work, but they’re not in the popular list just because more people streamed other songs. It doesn’t show what I want to be represented as an artist.”
Still, Sasongko said, writing music is about connecting with others—even if that means adjusting his approach. “You make music for people,” he said. “No one asked you to make music. So, if there’s specific music they like, you can try to follow it as long as you can keep your soul and color intact.”
’Game Plan’ and ‘Cloud 9’ are my best work, but they’re not in the popular list just because more people streamed other songs. It doesn’t show what I want to be represented as an artist.
Market-made songs
Tranter confirms the industry reality where social media now plays the role that radio once did in launching music careers. He added even artists with strong streaming numbers can struggle to monetize their work without radio play or industry deals. “Radio used to be one of the most important ways for artists to break through,” he said. “Now, it’s all about what’s viral on TikTok or in a playlist.”
Even though Sasongko makes music as a hobby, he said “I’m not going to lie. As a musician, I still hope to make a living [through my music].” His take on the saying “virality kills artistry” is that it depends on the artists if they can still put their colors amidst the algorithm-centered music industry. “[The musicians] can’t be fully idealists [by neglecting the social media impact] if it means they can’t provide and survive for ourselves.”
“A label can have the best song they’ve ever had. But if the artist isn’t good at TikTok or if the gods of algorithm don’t lift it up, … it is not going to be heard [even though] that has the record deal, the budget and everything,” Tranter said.
In the past, Tranter said, musicians could earn a living through a mix of radio hits, licensing for film and TV, and holding 5000-capacity concerts—all often supported through publishing deals. Today, TikTok can offer similar success without those structures, he stated. “Some artists don’t want to make TikToks. Some of them have a blast,” he said. “For some who are new and don’t have a record deal, [social media] is their only option.”
Tranter said this tension between artistry and commercial visibility is not new. He recalled a panel during the MTV era in which male rockstars and Madonna debated whether artists had to become performers on camera just to be heard. “Musicians didn’t sign up to be like actors,” Tranter quoted one of the rockstars.
As a songwriter and performer, Sasongko views short-form video as a marketing strategy. “If the song is easy to enjoy, people will play it on repeat,” he said. Tranter also agreed social media can give artists more control “if they enjoy it”.
For the heart with something to say
For future songwriters who are trying to stay visible without losing their voice, Sasongko recommended finding their own voice and keep refining it through constructive feedback. “There are a lot of ‘yes man’ people nowadays. They’ll just say your work is good and you’ll leave with no improvement. So, it’s important to really know what your heart aims for.”
From his experience running a label, Tranter advised aspiring songwriters to release music consistently and seek out collaborators. “But don’t just message everyone,” he said. “Message [a publisher or songwriter] who you think would really like what you’re doing”—in terms of their interest, genre, history and personal beliefs. “Co-writing will teach you who you are as a writer,” he added. “You’ll learn your strengths and your weaknesses.”