ISSUE 3: A Music App Without the Music

The opening page of TikTok

TikTok, a platform with a musical note as its symbol. Where fans of famous artists can share express how their love for the artist’s songs. Where aspiring musicians promote their music in order to stop living in their parents’ basement. A platform that’s pretty much built to play music from all around the world. Unfortunately, that all ended when on Feb. 1, where Universal Music Group (UMG) decided to pull out each and every single song from artists who are signed to UMG. That includes almost all of the famous artists we know today, from Taylor Swift to Frank Sinatra. This leaves people with scraps of music to enjoy knowing that all their favorites have been removed.

Not only does this make TikTok less enjoyable, but it also stops people known as “TikTok editors” from creating the content that they worked so hard on. I think this is horrible because these editors are the ones carrying the fandoms of today’s generation with their 15-second high-quality videos. Now, they can be seen losing their mind over the fact that all their edits have lost their value and some are even trying to repost them with a song that barely fits such as Beethoven’s. “Symphony No. 6.”

Besides the fans and the edits, this also affects artists such as Conan Gray who’s unable to promote his new music video because of the regulations which is a struggle because TikTok is where people mainly get news from artists. Otherwise, fans wouldn’t know when a new album is going to come out.

I’m sure that some people on TikTok wouldn’t have the same music taste as they do today, including me. Over the years, TikTok has been the main reason why small artists get to walk on red carpets such as Laufey, who recently won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. I’m afraid to say this, but Laufey wouldn’t have made it without the fame she got from TikTok. If she hadn’t promoted her music on that app, who knows where she’d be?

It’s devastating that the main part that held TikTok together has been removed after seven years. However, it doesn’t actually affect anything as the world is still spinning and people continue to mindlessly scroll on TikTok. It all just gives artists and fans fewer opportunities to enjoy music.

About the Contributors

Brianna Yasis, Staff Writer

Brianna Yasis is a freshman at Robinson and a staff writer for Knight Writers. This is her first year on staff. Yasis decided to join journalism this year because she wanted to be more involved at Robinson and has always found a passion for storytelling as an avid reader. "I read a lot of books when I was younger and I was told that I can form stories pretty well," Yasis said. Outside of the journalism room, Yasis enjoys fictional books, listening to music and playing volleyball. She also has a strong passion for plants and sea animals. "I prioritize bringing awareness for global warming and pollution that's not only killing the animals and plants but also us," Yasis said. Yasis explores her interests in Marine Biology at Robinson's Marine Biology Club. Her favorite marine animal is a shark and she's eager to learn more about them through her extracurriculars. Yasis is motivated by her family to pursue an education in Marine Biology at a prestigious school. "I want to get into a good university like Yale or Harvard since my mom worked very hard last year to get me and my sister in this country just so we could get a better education," Yasis said. (Profile by Jennie Gutman)

Charlotte Stone, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Charlotte Stone is a senior at Robinson and the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Knight Writers. This is her third year on staff and her third year as an editor. A nod to her original editorial position as Features Editor, Stone enjoys writing in-depth stories about her peers. “My favorite part of journalism is writing features stories,” Stone said. “I love learning about and sharing the unique stories of Robinson students.” An involved member of the Robinson community, Stone co-founded the RHS Film Club and serves as Captain of the girl’s tennis team. As a lover of the classical period, Stone additionally serves as the co-president of the Latin Club. To balance out her academic responsibilities, Stone pursues an eclectic mix of hobbies. “One of my hobbies is collecting sea glass. I started when I was younger and my collection has continued to grow so much since then,” Stone said. “I also love to play guitar. It’s a great creative outlet and helps me relax and take a break from academic responsibilities.” While Stone is fond of the features section, her well-rounded portfolio reflects her wide range of interests. From writing an A&E review to a Q&A, Stone showcases her unique perspective to create insightful, in-depth and engaging stories. As Co-Editor-in-Chief, Stone hopes to build a capable staff to secure the legacy of Robinson’s storied publication. Going into her final year on staff, Stone begins to look to the future. “Honestly I don’t really know what the future looks like for me,” Stone said. I’m not sure what I want to do, but I hope that I’ll be doing something that I love and doesn’t have anything to do with STEM.” (Profile by Vikram Sambasivan)

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ISSUE 3: A Music App Without the Music

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