Lizzo Slams Social Media Algorithms for Holding Back Music Discovery

Lizzo criticized TikTok's algorithm for blocking new music from reaching new ears. In a fiery September 5 video posted on the social media platform, she ripped into how streaming sites now control which songs go viral and which ones fizzle out.

"The music industry is in complete shambles right now, and you can use that to your advantage," said Lizzo in her TikTok post. "Back in the day, the music industry was very algorithmic, as any other industry was, but that industry was controlled to a certain extent," she explained. “Now that we are in the digital streaming age, there is no control over the algorithm, and it is stressing people the f*ck out. Myself included.”

The multi-GRAMMY award-winning artist used her own work to show the problem. "I just dropped the deluxe to my mixtape today. And yet, there are still people who don't even know I dropped music," she stated in the video.

To beat the system, she created a private TikTok account (@LizzoIRL) just for her fans and called it "one of the most incredible experiences" for her as an artist. This backdoor channel lets fans peek behind the curtain. "It gives me an opportunity to talk to my fans one-on-one, and give them the exclusives, share music with them, share my deep thoughts with them," the "Truth Hurts" hitmaker expressed. 

"My deep thoughts are not on my main page anymore, and that allows me to have a dialogue with the people who actually give a f*ck about me," she continued. Since starting the exclusive TikTok page, it has pulled in over 281,000 followers and gained 1.8 million likes.

Lizzo pointed out how even music giants struggle to break through in 2025. "Every major artist besides Beyoncé has dropped music this year, or is planning to drop music this year, or has featured on somebody's record this year," she noted in her video.

"Every major artist, from Lady Gaga to Drake, has dropped albums this year, and yet everyone is saying there's no song of the summer," Lizzo stated, while captioning the video, "The song of the summer is Whim Whammy btw."

For new artists fighting the same battle, she kept it real: "Right now is the time to put yourself out there. I wouldn't even try to go the old school route and get signed. I would just make as much music as possible, as much content as possible, and put it on the internet."

Her advice for bigger mainstream artists? "Now is the time to talk to your fanbase," she asserted, citing Taylor Swift as a perfect example of using this strategy. "Taylor Swift does an incredible job of it, and she's been doing it for a long time. The Swifties are locked the f*ck in! and now so are the Lizzbians," Lizzo said, referencing her fanbase.

The 37-year-old rapper concluded her video, stating, "This year has been an incredible year for music. It just hasn't been on your algorithm." Want to hear more of Lizzo's music? Her fresh tracks shine on My Face Hurts From Smiling, which features collabs with SZA and Doja Cat.

Next up: her upcoming fifth studio album, Love In Real Life, has been wrapped and ready since March 2025, while the lead single with the same title was released back in February. While there's no official release date yet, you can also look forward to "Don't Make Me Love You" on the upcoming record.