Rebecca Black has spoken about how song virality has transformed since her 2011 hit "Friday" unexpectedly went viral on YouTube when she was just 13. Speaking to Billboard ahead of her new album, Age of the Exhibitionist, she argues that the kind of internet-wide moment "Friday" created no longer really exists, as algorithm-driven platforms like TikTok and Spotify have replaced the more unified, gatekeeper-led internet culture of 15 years ago with a fragmented, hyperpersonal experience shaped by individual recommendation systems.

Black made the comments on the Billboard On the Record podcast, discussing "Friday" being newly certified Platinum by the RIAA some 15 years after its release, as well as her reasons for never signing with a record label. She reflected that while 2011's internet still had a stronger "monoculture" alongside secluded corners like 4chan, today's algorithmically personalised platforms mean every artist is potentially one post away from discovery, but virality can also feel far more unpredictable and, at times, harmful. Her new album is released on Friday, 4 September.