The Feed: Drawn-out album rollouts, the trend of ‘being basic’, online safe spaces, and more.
The Feed
The Feed (@thefeed.global) is powered by We Are Social’s Cultural Insights team. We’re diving into the top posts from the past few months – trends include Doechii’s strategically drawn-out album rollout, people favouring ‘being basic’ over keeping up with fashion trends, the latest confession-based TikTok trend, and more.
Read on to find out what they all mean, and why they’ve been taking over our social feeds.
Doechii’s album rollout masters drawn-out momentum on social
Doechii’s Denial Is a River rollout started a *while* ago. So why is it still news, especially in a mediascape as fast moving as social? From an album-specific style guide to an episodic music video release, Doechii has built and maintained anticipation by adding to her album’s story over time, transforming the album release into a multidimensional cinematic universe. With each layer as unexpected as the last, her album’s momentum has been drawn out, and audiences are eagerly waiting for what’s next.
No one wants to look good anymore – at least, not on TikTok’s terms. For years, dressing well has meant chasing ever-changing trends, and buying whatever was needed to keep up. But now, a backlash is unfolding across social: Emma Chamberlain is purging her closet, Mina Le is declaring the ‘death of personal style’, and even Vogue is predicting the return of ‘normcore’ this year. Instead of trend-centric hauls of Tabis and low-slung jeans, creators are opting out of the trend cycle altogether. What will this mean for tomorrow’s self-expression?
“We Listen and We Don’t Judge.” That’s the premise of a TikTok trend wherein users candidly confess things that normally incur judgement, be it a couple admitting gripes in their relationship, or nurses revealing how much cash they drop at the hospital cafeteria. The trend has exploded, with its hashtag amassing over 497M views as people seek out explicitly shame-free digital spaces.
Divorcées spending their settlements on a Birkin, assistants being lambasted for buying fake designer bags, and friends buying each other Birkins (on their boyfriend’s credit card). These dramatic plots are not storylines from a new TV show – they’re ‘real’ experiences documented on TikTok by Love Luxury, a consignment store based in London and Dubai. Love Luxury’s success is a good lesson for brands: don’t be afraid of a little ✨drama✨.
