First it was holograms; now late music stars are showing up with TikTok accounts.
Washington Post journalist Dave Jorgenson, who runs the news outlet's TikTok account, pointed out recently that none other than classic lounge singer Frank Sinatra was being billed by the service as an "exciting new artist."
Sinatra's account was indeed verified; Newsweek notes that it was likely launched by UMG. If you scroll down, users will see clips of Sinatra performing time-honored hits like "Luck Be A Lady," "My Way," "That's Life," and plenty more. His account currently has 96K followers.
Also verified on TikTok these days is deceased Beatle John Lennon, George Michael, and Whitney Houston.
Lennon's account was a joint venture between TikTok, the Lennon Estate, and UMG in recognition of what would have been the performer's 80th birthday.
Lennon's account features archival footage, photos, and plenty of music. And, because it's TikTok, there's plenty of dancing. On 14 October, the account launched a "Nobody Told Me" challenge, asking users, "Who can make a tighter dance routine to ‘Nobody Told Me’ using some of John’s moves?"
“We’re super excited to launch my dad’s official TikTok account and cannot wait to see what his fans all over the world create using his music and his message of peace and love,” Sean Ono Lennon, John’s son, said in a statement in October.
Though it might seem strange for so many late musicians to have TikTok accounts, the promotional practice isn't all that surprising. TikTok is where the majority of Gen Z discovers music these days, and it only makes sense that record labels would capitalize on the opportunity to have them discover classic artists' music.
