Alternative rock band Temper City‘s debut single Self Aware broke out on TikTok earlier this year. It has since reached the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Top 40.
Now SoundOn, TikTok‘s distribution and promotion platform, is pointing to that rise as it expands its work with independent artists and labels in the US.
The track was released by Los Angeles-based independent label Thirty Knots in partnership with SoundOn.
Self Aware peaked at No. 32 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart and No. 5 on the Shazam Global chart.
It also became Temper City‘s first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
According to the announcement, Self Aware reached No. 1 on the Global Spotify Viral Chart and No. 22 on the Spotify Global Top 50.
The track has surpassed 150 million streams on Spotify and has been used to soundtrack more than 6.4 million videos on TikTok, the announcement said.
Those videos have been viewed more than 11 billion times, according to SoundOn, which said the track is one of the highest-streaming debut singles globally this year.
Through its partnership with ThirtyKnots, SoundOn says that it “provided label services support across distribution, platform insights, music marketing strategy and artist development, helping the label scale the track’s momentum from early discovery into sustained global growth”.
According to SoundOn, the success of Self Aware comes as the platform “continues expanding its work with independent artists and labels in the US, combining global distribution and promotional support with music marketing expertise informed by TikTok’s unique role in music discovery, fandom and culture”.
SoundOn said that it “also plans to introduce accounting, royalty management, and financial workflow tools down the line” – functionality, it says, “has historically been a pain point for independent operators without dedicated business affairs teams.”
MBW understands that, as part of the expansion of its work in the US, SoundOn will also provide independent labels with sub-label management tools that let them create and oversee multiple imprints within a single account and also offer early access to Spotify’s Discovery Mode from an artist’s first release.
“Temper City‘s success with Self Aware is an incredible example of how artist discovery and fan engagement can now scale globally at extraordinary speed,” said Gabo Llano, Head of A&R Americas, SoundOn at TikTok.
“The track connected organically with creators on TikTok in a way that felt authentic and highly participatory, and from there the momentum continued to build across streaming, charts and fan communities worldwide.
“We’ve loved working alongside Thirty Knots to help support that growth through SoundOn‘s distribution, insights and promotional expertise.
“It’s a brilliant example of how independent labels and emerging artists can use the right tools, strategy and community momentum to build truly global success stories from a debut release.”
“It’s a brilliant example of how independent labels and emerging artists can use the right tools, strategy and community momentum to build truly global success stories from a debut release.”
Gabo Llano, SoundOn
“An indie rock debut breaking at this scale, this fast, out of an independent label is proof that the playing field is changing,” said James Cattermole, Head of A&R and Label Services EMEA at SoundOn.
“Thirty Knots backed the artist, and believed in the record; SoundOn brought TikTok‘s global reach, the data to read the signals early and the campaign muscle to act on them.
“This is SoundOn‘s Label Services model in its most raw form: forward-thinking indies and SoundOn working in tandem to break new artists at a scale and speed that simply wasn’t available to them five years ago.
“The opportunity for independent artists and labels right now is genuinely unprecedented.”
“An indie rock debut breaking at this scale, this fast, out of an independent label is proof that the playing field is changing.”
James Cattermole, SoundOn
SoundOn has registered more than 1.1 million artists since launching in 2022, and expanded into Germany last year.
The expansion intensifies SoundOn‘s competition with rival distribution and artist-services platforms in the US.
Self Aware is the latest viral track promoted by SoundOn, following hits from acts including Tkandz and WizTheMc.
TikTok has long positioned itself as a talent funnel that surfaces new artists for record labels to sign.
“SoundOn understands how to connect momentum with measurable strategy, and that combination has helped us keep pushing for the highest possible ceiling on every release.”
Thirty Knots
“SoundOn has been involved in some of Thirty Knots‘ biggest moments as a label, and we’ve loved working with a team that shares our obsession with data, speed and execution,” Thirty Knots said.
“We’re a label that pays close attention to trends, insights and how culture is moving in real time; working with a team that sees the business through a similar lens has been invaluable.
“SoundOn understands how to connect momentum with measurable strategy, and that combination has helped us keep pushing for the highest possible ceiling on every release.”Music Business Worldwide
