Techno heavyweight Sam Paganini has voiced concerns over the trend of faster tempos in techno, tying it to music consumption habits on TikTok. Known for his powerful sound, Paganini surprised many by critiquing the shift towards 160 bpm tracks. He took to Instagram on October 27th, urging producers to focus on groove rather than speed.

"Techno is not about BPM… [It’s] all about groove," he stated alongside a plea for slower submissions. He questioned why tech house has sped up from 123/124 bpm in 2013 to around 128 bpm now, suggesting social media's influence.

The post resonated with fellow artists like FJAAK and Thomas Schumacher. Schumacher noted that "hard" techno can thrive at 125 BPM without succumbing to fleeting trends driven by platforms like TikTok. Pig&Dan echoed this sentiment, emphasizing music's soul lies in its unfilled spaces.

Scottish producer Frazi.er previously highlighted how TikTok fosters low-quality edits of popular songs, challenging seasoned DJs who've honed their craft over decades.

With research showing TikTok's growing role in music discovery, evidenced by its collaboration with Billboard for the TikTok Top 50 chart, it's clear this platform is reshaping industry dynamics. As these discussions unfold, the conversation around tempo and creativity continues within the electronic music community.