How to Survive Virality w/ Rebecca Black

Is there a bad way for songs to go viral? Fifteen years after the release of “Friday,” singer-songwriter Rebecca Black sits down with Billboard’s Kristin Robinson to explore whether artists can go viral before they’re able to capitalize on it — a question Black knows better than almost anyone after becoming an internet phenomenon at just 13 years old. With today’s TikTok algorithms creating more opportunities for virality, Black and Robinson discuss how the internet has evolved from a more unified “monoculture” to a hyper-personalized algorithmic experience. Black walks listeners through the aftermath of her viral moment, how she reclaimed “Friday” as her own and how she built an independent career beyond the song that first made her famous. Plus, Black discusses her new album, Age of the Exhibitionist, and what she’s learned about navigating the music industry over the past 15 years.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

This episode is sponsored by ASCAP.

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