| Abstract | During the early months of 2021, an unexpected new trend went viral on TikTok: sea shanties. A few short months later, our world was drastically changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing much of our society indoors and away from social gatherings of any kind. What was a typical viral trend evolved into something greater, gaining new life as all other forms of community music making were reduced or eliminated. This thesis will evaluate how this viral phenomenon sheds new light on the culture and history of sea shanties, as well as how sea shanties have developed new meaning in our pandemic era. I will focus on three main ideas surrounding ShantyTok. First, due to social distancing and the spread of COVID-19, community music making was extremely limited to prevent spread of the virus. Consequently, music making communities adapted to online formats such as TikTok. Second, I will present the cultural perceptions of sea shanties and their inherent "Whiteness." Then I will juxtapose that with the history and origins of sea shanties presented by Whates and Schreffler as African American labor songs. How has this false narrative impacted their virality, who participated in the trend, and does this change the meaning behind the phenomenon? Finally, I examine emergent new meaning surrounding sea shanties in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic through their cultural rebranding and viral success. |
