In 2014, the social media lip syncing app Music.ly launched for the first time. From then on, the app grew to reach over 200 million users by 2016. Its unique recording speed options and creative possibilities for users heightened the growing craze for Music.ly lovers. The app allowed an individual to lip sync to their preferred tune and add special effects to entice their fans. However, on August 2, 2018 a Chinese company known as ByteDance integrated their previous purchase of the Music.ly into their already existing Tik Tok app. Users who already downloaded Music.ly prior to the merge then woke to see the logo and branding of the app had changed.

Tik Tok, known as Douyin in China, previously existed in China without the inclusion of Music.ly. However, ByteDance was searching for a way to introduce the app into the United States, and by using the already prominent Music.ly community to introduce their product, they were able to create a highly successful launch. According to a report by Sensor Tower, “ In the first quarter of 2018, TikTok was the world’s most downloaded iOS app.” Needless to say, the Tik Tok app was able to make an astounding launch into the U.S. market. The app, Douyin, still remains popular in China without the merge and has even been brought into the public eye outside of China. Earlier this year the app made internet headlines due to the ban of childhood favorite Peppa Pig because of her apparent coinage as a ‘subversive gangster icon.’

The CEO of ByteDance, a 35 year old man by the name of Zhang Yiming, has a “real time net worth of 6.8 billion dollars,” according to Forbes. After its recent launches and app marketing ByteDance is expected to be valued at 75 billion dollars. The platform’s success can be attributed  to the 15 second video format of the Tik Tok app that brings back the reminiscent excitement of the Vine comedy age.

Frequent meme enthusiast and comedic Tik Tok user, Janus Sebastian Barredo, explains, “Tik Tok is bringing back the much loved short but sweet comedy that was first brought to us on Vine, which has of course shut down.” Barredo, like many others, enjoys the comedy the app has brought into the online community and understands the unique humor presented in Tik Tok videos. In his opinion, “People are drawn to the app because of two reasons: first reason, to express creativity, and because everyone else seems to be taking part in using the app and being successful in terms of the jokes and memes” because many youtube compilations and instagram posts are being produced using clips from the app. Barredo then furthers his point in saying, “It is a way to appeal to an audience who enjoys seeing an app, hated for the cringe it produces, be made fun of by not just one person, but from a collective effort from all different types of people on the internet.” Barredo, though only a humble Tik Tok legend, is far from ostracized with his opinion. A new age truly has swept meme comedy culture and it has become well known to all that Tik Tok is here to stay.