OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder: Using TikTok to promote our music gives me “a gross feeling”

The music industry has certainly changed in the last 15 years or so. These days, TikTok is a key tool that artists use to promote their music. But OneRepublic‘s Ryan Tedder, who’s always on top of the biz, says he just can’t get behind it.

Speaking to 1883 magazine, Ryan explains that when they first started, artists would get the word out about their latest song by going on TV shows and performing it. Now, it’s all about TikTok, but he says it’s “the game that I can’t seem to join.”

“I can’t get on the whole bandwagon of posting our new song 20 times a day, doing different skits trying to trick the algorithm, or trying to game the algorithm,” he explains. “I have very few lines I can’t cross and that’s just one of ’em.”

“The truth is, I don’t want to be spending my time and day posting incessantly,” says Ryan. “I feel weird and it starts to feel like you’re more of a salesman instead of an artist … I don’t like that feeling. It’s a gross feeling to me.”

Luckily, the band seems to be doing OK without TikTok: Ryan says they’ve got a lot of new music planned to follow their latest single, “Runaway.”

“The next single, it’s funny, I’m not allowed to say what it’s a part of yet, but it’s attached to something that’s fairly recognizable and fairly ubiquitous,” he teases, adding that it’s “the edgiest record we’ve ever done by far.”  Their sixth album should “follow shortly after that.” 

He notes, “I’m beyond grateful that we have maintained relevance in this time and a fan base, and still against all odds occasionally have a big song that connects around the world.”

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