newsroom.tiktok.com Open in urlscan Pro
2.16.186.34 Public Scan

Back to summary

Submitted URL:
https://thenews.cmail19.com/t/t-l-ckttde-yuiuhycku-jy/
Effective URL:
https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/year-on-tiktok-music-report-2021?utm_source=newsletter&utm_id=thenews
Submission: On December 14 via api (December 14th 2021, 1:34:23 pm UTC) from US — Scanned from DE

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

<form class="jsx-3821033860 download-wrapper"><input value="DE+49" readonly="" class="jsx-3821033860 select"><img
    src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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"
    class="jsx-3821033860 select-icon"><input placeholder="Phone number" value="" class="jsx-3821033860 phone-input"><button type="submit" class="jsx-3821033860">Send</button>
  <ul class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-container">
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-title">Select country/region</div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Algeria</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+213</span></li>
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Australia</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+61</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Brazil</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+55</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Canada</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+1</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Egypt</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+20</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">France</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+33</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item selected"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Germany</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+49</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Hungary</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+36</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">India</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+91</span></li>
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Indonesia</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+62</span></li>
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Italy</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+39</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Japan</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+81</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Korea</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+82</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Mexico</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+52</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Netherlands</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+31</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Oman</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+968</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Pakistan</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+92</span></li>
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Philippines</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+63</span></li>
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Poland</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+48</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Qatar</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+974</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Russia</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+7</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Spain</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+34</span></li>
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Sweden</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+46</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Taiwan</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+886</span></li>
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Thailand</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+66</span></li>
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Turkey</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+90</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Ukraine</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+380</span></li>
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">United Kingdom</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+44</span></li>
    </div>
    <div class="jsx-3905688230 area-list-label">
      <li class="jsx-3905688230 list-item"><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-name">Vietnam</span><span class="jsx-3905688230 item-area-code">+84</span></li>
    </div>
  </ul>
</form>

Text Content

TikTok

How TikTok is supporting our community through COVID-19
AllNewsProductCommunitySafetyCompany

United States

United StatesIndiaUnited
KingdomFranceGermanyJapanKoreaVietnamIndonesiaItalySpainRussiaAustraliaMalaysiaSingaporeIrelandBrazilLatin
AmericaTaiwanNetherlandsThailandPhilippinesTurkeyEuropean
UnionCanadaAfricaCambodiaMyanmarMENASwedenPolandIsrael

COMMUNITYDEC 13, 2021

YEAR ON TIKTOK 2021 MUSIC REPORT

Share this post

*
*

Music is at the heart of the TikTok experience. It's the glue that connects
TikTok's disparate threads, providing a throughline between individuals and
communities who bring their own spin to the latest trend. In turn, TikTok
occupies a central place in the creation, consumption, and interpretation of
modern music. TikTok is a playground where artists and creators can interact,
combining their unique sensibilities and talents to propel trends to the
forefront of culture. Stars can preview new songs to a legion of hungry fans,
who jump at the opportunity to create content inspired by a musical element or
favorite lyric.

After turning heads in 2020, TikTok continued its tremendous growth to be a
dominant force in music and the music industry in 2021. Approximately 430 songs
surpassed 1 billion video views as TikTok sounds in 2021–a threefold increase
over 2020. The most popular of these songs approach, and even exceed, 20 billion
views on videos they soundtrack. The staggering view counts on TikTok do not
exist in a vacuum, but directly translate to commercial success for trending
songs and artists. Over 175 songs that trended on TikTok in 2021 charted on the
Billboard Hot 100, twice as many as last year.

“TikTok opens the door to new artists, new sounds, underground and DIY scenes as
well as the classic hits, connecting them with a global audience and passionate
music community like never before. 2021 has been a huge year for music and for
TikTok and we’ve been humbled how the industry and so many artists have
partnered with us to make this magic happen across so many different countries.

From the Beatles to Sea Shanties, J Balvin to Abba and of course who can forget
Taylor Swift's entry - the last 12 months have provided so many music moments,
inspired our community of one billion and shown the world that music starts and
lives on TikTok”

-- Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music, TikTok

Trends on TikTok open doors to underground and DIY scenes like Hyperpop and
Glitch Hop, exposing them to a global audience. TikTok saw trending songs from
dozens of countries, and from every continent. The map here only touches on a
fraction of TikTok's global impact.

TikTok remained the top source of music discovery for fans of all backgrounds.
The platform paved the way for the next generation of music stars, helping usher
artists as diverse as Olivia Rodrigo, PinkPantheress, and Måneskin to stardom.

For our second annual music report, we decided to take an in-depth look at what
music makes TikTok tick. We'll explore the biggest songs and the most popular
trends, but we'll also take a peek under the hood to reveal some of our favorite
music moments, and to explore how artists and creators used TikTok's most unique
features. And if there's one thing that 2021 proved, it's that any music, and we
mean anything, from kids music to baile funk to sea shanties, can break through
and become a culture-driving trend. Things got weird.

So to quote one of TikTok's least likely, but most popular trending songs: "on
and on we push...into the thick of it!" (Admit it...you're singing it in your
head right now!)

'CAUSE I AM ME: EMERGING ARTISTS OF THE YEAR

TikTok is home to a voracious community of music mavens, always on the hunt for
the next big thing. According to a recent MRC Data study, 75% of TikTok users in
the U.S. say that they use TikTok to discover new artists, and 63% say that they
hear music that they've never heard before for the first time on the platform.
It's the ideal platform for exciting new artists to find and build an audience,
without sacrificing creative autonomy or compromising their authenticity.

Following in the footsteps of artists like The Kid Laroi, Tai Verdes, and Tate
McRae, who made TikTok's list of Emerging Artists in 2020 and had banner years
in 2021, these artists used TikTok to raise their profiles in a major way this
year.

The artists are presented in alphabetical order.

* Amaarae (Ghana/US) - Fusing R&B and Afrobeats into a one-of-a-kind mix, the
Ghanaian-American singer-songwriter scored her first ever Hot 100 hit after
"SAD GIRLS LOVE MONEY" (Remix) ft. Kali Uchis & Molly trended on TikTok.
* Baby Tate (US) - Baby Tate uses her TikTok account to create dances and
promote body positivity. Her hit anthem "I Am" became a mantra for confident
feminists on TIkTok.

* bbno$ (Canada) - The internet-savvy Canadian rapper first gained notice on
TikTok in 2019 with the megahit, Y2K-produced "LaLaLa," but he demonstrated
his versatility and star quality with trending hits like the energetic
"edamame" and the wistful "Help Herself."

* CKay (Nigeria) - CKay's "Love Nwantiti" was inescapable on TikTok and IRL
during 2021, generating over a million video creations on its many remixes,
reaching #1 in several countries (incl. India, The Netherlands, and France),
and reaching #2 on Billboard's Global 200 songs list.

* Cochise (US) - After breaking out last year with his song "Hatchback,"
Cochise proved his staying power with his addictive hits "Tell Em" ft. $NOT
and "Knicks."

* Coi Leray (US) - Coi loves to show off her playful personality on her account
(8.8 million followers), which helps boost her hits like the massive
"TWINNEM," her breakout "No More Parties "(eventually graced with a Lil Durk
remix), and her NSFW verse on BfB Da Packman's "Ocean Prime."

* Doechii (US) - Introducing herself with her bold and brash "YUCKY BLUCKY
FRUITCAKE," Doechii inspired hundreds of thousands of TikTok users to flaunt
their glowed-up selves to the tune of her song.

* Eyedress (Philippines) - Eyedress's hazy and heartfelt “Something About You”
ft. Dent May provided the perfect soundtrack for users who wanted to express
love for a special someone–including Eydress himself, who revealed the
inspiration for the song on his own account.

* Feid (Colombia) - A rising star in the world of reggaeton, Feid repaid his
loyal fans on TIkTok when he released "Vacaxiones"–a song TikTok has been
clamoring for ever since Feid unveiled a snippet last year.

* Jay Wheeler (Puerto Rico) - With over 4.4 million followers, part of a
massive and growing fanbase that gave him the nickname La Voz Favorita, Jay
Wheeler is one of the most popular ascendant Latin stars on TikTok.

* Kali (US) - The rising Atlanta rapper inspired TikTok creators to coyly
answer questions about themselves with her hit song "MMM MMM" (842k video
creations), which eventually earned a remix featuring Latto and Moneybagg Yo.

* Magdelena Bay (US) - Captivating with their unique, early-digital aesthetic
and their sugar-coated shoegaze pop, California duo Magdalena Bay built a
loyal TikTok following with cute sketches, music industry explainers, and of
course, great music.

* Måneskin (Italy) - Italy's finest rock band conquered the globe in 2021 with
the help of TikTok-trending hits like "Beggin'" (10m+ creations), "MAMMAMIA,"
and more.

* Navos (UK) - Based in Liverpool, this rising DJ inspired one of the year's
funniest dance crazes with his house anthem "Believe Me."

* PinkPantheress (UK) - The mysterious, DIY pop star mesmerized the TikTok
community by combining deftly sweet melodies with nostalgic samples of UK
club bangers.

* RealestK (Canada) - Trending on TikTok with his song "WFM" (which earned a
co-sign from GIVEON), the Toronto teenager is one of the most promising
voices in his city's deep R&B scene.

* Saucy Santana (US) - Making waves as both an artist and a TikTok creator,
Saucy Santana's songs inspired a universe of memes and even more dances.

* Shygirl (UK) - An rapper, producer, and DJ from South London, Shygirl made a
major impact when her banger "Uckers" soundtracked videos of glow-ups and
shocking transformations.

* TisaKorean (US) - There's nothing TisaKorean can't do–he can rap, dance,
produce, and even model his new Puma slides. Trending is as easy as drinking
water (or mopping a floor?) for the boisterous Houston native.

* YungManny (US) - Maryland teenager YungManny is a promising rapper with a
certified TikTok smash in "Clap For Em" ft. Sada Baby & Flo Milli, but he's
also a prolific and frequently hilarious creator on his own account.

CLAP FOR EM: ARTISTS BY CATALOGUE CREATIONS

New year, same queen: after racking up the most catalog video views of any
artist in 2020, Megan Thee Stallion, first of her name, reigneth once again in
2021. The Houston-born rapper excels at crafting quotable songs with a danceable
bounce, and always provides a smile with her amiable presence as @TheeStallion
on TikTok. Songs like "Cognac Queen," "Thot Sh*t," and "Cry Baby" kept her in
the number one spot for the second straight year.

Beyond Megan, you'll find a familiar #2: Doja Cat, who placed second in last
year's list. After scoring multiple TikTok trending hits from her 2019 album Hot
Pink, Doja repeated the feat with her 2021 project Planet Her, home to songs
like "Kiss Me More" (TikTok's #4 most-viewed song in the U.S.), "Get Into It
(Yuh)," and "Woman." Like Megan, Doja is active on TikTok, showing off her
offbeat sense of humor and interacting with fans.

Beyond the repeat champ and vice champ, the list of Top Artists by Catalog is
home to plenty of artists who broke out in a big way in 2021, notably Olivia
Rodrigo, whose TikTok-trending single "drivers license" garnered the biggest
Spotify debut week in history. Throughout the list, emerging artists rub
shoulders with superstars, with established stars like Drake and Kevin Gates
rubbing shoulders with upstarts like Coi Leray, whose "TWINNEM" and "No More
Parties" made major waves.

The community's faves often reflect the tastes of the public at large, but
spotlighted below are a few artists on this list that only could've started on
TikTok.

SPOTLIGHT:

* Tai Verdes released his single "Stuck In The Middle" while he was still an
employee at a local Verizon store, but TikTok has enabled him to become one
of music's most exciting young stars. He delivered on the promise that
convinced us to name him an Emerging Artists of 2020, scoring his first-ever
Billboard Hot 100 hit with the TikTok-trending "A-O-K."
* Using a stage name derived from her TikTok handle, the mysterious
PinkPantheress first gained notice on TikTok with her singular mix of
futuristic nostalgia, which seemed to emanate from the ether as it transfixed
TikTok users on both sides of the Atlantic. Infectious, bite-sized,
DnB-sampling songs like "Passion," "Pain," and "Just For Me" rose from their
origins as TikTok sounds to become massive singles with hundreds of millions
of combined streams on Spotify.
* Yes, you read it correctly: one of TikTok's most popular artists of 2021 was
The Backyardigans, a fictional trio from a long-gone Nickelodeon kids'
cartoon. For several weeks in Summer 2021, you couldn't scroll through TikTok
without seeing someone's creative interpretation of "Castaways" or "Into The
Thick Of It," each of which made ideal source material for comedic sketches.
Though the songs were originally written with children in mind, TikTok
creators of all ages can appreciate the surprisingly complex songcraft behind
these inescapable numbers.

EVERGREEN SOUNDS: TOP CLASSIC TRACKS

One of the most interesting things about TikTok is how the creativity of its
community creates new context for a piece of music. On TikTok, vintage hits
stand shoulder to shoulder with songs by rising acts and current
superstars–plenty of songs from past eras of music have found new life on the
platform, and some even returned to the charts. Among the most notable examples
was "Rasputin," a 1978 disco hit by German pop act Boney M, which cracked
TikTok's list of Top 20 Global Songs in 2021, and with some help from a remix by
UK producer Majestic, returned to the Top 20 of the UK Singles Charts and the
Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. The rest of the list is peppered
with evergreen classics, from the hard-hitting pitter-patter of Run-DMC, to the
flute-laden disco of Van McCoy, to the soulful sounds of Bill Withers and Grover
Washington.

SPOTLIGHT: Bee Gees - "More Than A Woman" - A sweeping disco epic that
highlighted one of the most romantic scenes in Saturday Night Fever before
becoming a massive hit for Tavares, "More Than A Woman" resurfaced on TikTok as
the ideal soundtrack for moments that boost serotonin. The song's TikTok success
inspired British artist and producer SG Lewis to create a new remix, titled
"More Than A Woman - SG's Paradise Edit," which boosted the bass and shined a
spotlight on the song's groovy percussion. Buoyed by a two-person dance trend,
"More Than A Woman - SG Paradise Edit" helped the Bee Gees make TikTok feel like
it was 1977 all over again.

Take a look at the songs released more than 25 years ago that made the biggest
impact on TikTok this year:

CALL IT A COMEBACK! TOP "COMEBACK" TRACKS

Oldies bring nostalgia and new music brings thrills, but what role do songs that
don't quite fit either category play? This year, TikTok gave those wayward songs
a home, as a host of non-current, not-yet-classic songs reached trending status
and gained second life as a result. These songs provided the soundtrack for some
of the most memorable trends of the year, from the text-on-screen "now look at
this" fact reveals of Kid Cudi's "Day N Nite," to the inspired choreography set
to Britney Spears' "Gimme More," to the role model salute of Lukas Graham's
"Mama Said."

SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Dog - "Where'd All The Time Go?" - Originally released in 2010,
Dr. Dog's "Where'd All The Time Go?" is a wistful and transporting indie rock
ballad that deals head on with the inevitable fact of aging. The song's swirling
intro became one of the most familiar sounds on TikTok in 2021–a distant,
mechanized voice intones "above the cloud were cliffs," as sonorous synths
whisper in circular arpeggios. TikTok creators seized upon the song's wistful
vibe, using TikTok's reverse shapeshifting creative effect to seamlessly
illustrate how time passes, but some relationships last forever. Many creators
used the song to comment on their recent graduations from college or high
school, to pay tribute to lost loved ones, or to soundtrack "selfie-a-day" art
projects.

"Comeback" tracks are classified as trending songs released between 5 and 25
years ago.

WELCOME TO THE INTERNET: MUSIC MOMENTS OF THE YEAR

* SHIVER ME TIKTOKS! #SeaShanty blows the app down:
* There once was a trend that blew up on TT/And the name of the trend was
#SeaShanty. That’s right mateys, Sea Shanties had a major moment on TikTok
in early 2021, making waves with users eager to show off their voices as
well as those just looking to vibe. The salty sea dog most responsible for
the surprising shanty surge is Scottish singer Nathan Evans, who won the
community’s hearts and minds with rousing acapella-and-hand-percussion
renditions of shanties like “The Scotsman” and “The Wellerman.” The latter
became a TIkTok hit, with users of all vocal ranges using TikTok’s duet
function to add their own harmonies. The #SeaShanty community is a niche,
but a sizable and growing one–the hashtag has over 6.3 billion video
views, and “The Wellerman” climbed into the Top 20 of the Spotify U.S.
Viral 50 chart.

* Vano 3000 encourages users to make their own #adultswim bumpers
* New York rapper/producer Vano 3000 (@supvano) stumbled onto an unlikely
trend when he shared "Running Away," a remix of "Time Moves Slowly," a
2016 collaboration between Jazz trio BADBADNOTGOOD and Future Islands lead
singer Samuel T. Herring. Vano’s remix pitches up the original, soups up
the drums, and sets the kind of cloudy and atmospheric vibe that users on
TikTok immediately likened to the sounds that would accompany the classic
bumper ads that air during Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block. Since Vano
posted a video of himself chowing down on fast food while vibing to the
song, the sound has racked up over 195k video creations, most of which saw
creators using text on screen to couch their favorite bits of offbeat
wisdom using the classic AS bumper format. The hoopla around the trend
inspired BADBADNOTGOOD to join TikTok with a video of the band playing
Vano's sped-up arrangement of their song, and an official version of the
song credited to Vano, BBNG, and Herring came out in June. Even Adult Swim
itself hopped on the trend via their own TikTok account. Vano has loudly
voiced his appreciation for the fans who helped #vano3000 (678 million
views) and #adultswim (1.1 billion views) into trends.

* Please welcome Rock & Pop royalty
* TikTok is an engine of music discovery, capable of helping a new artist
reach the biggest audience possible, but it's also a great platform for
celebrating the legacy of some of music's biggest legends. In 2021, some
of the most iconic acts in rock and pop history joined the platform,
bringing songs from their legendary catalogs with them. In October, TikTok
came together to welcome The Beatles, who officially joined the platform
in conjunction with the release of Let It Be (Super Deluxe), inspiring a
dramatic re-arrangement of "Eleanor Rigby" by TikTok creator Cody Fry that
eventually earned a GRAMMY nomination. TikTok's epic #RockTober
celebration continued with the arrival of Led Zeppelin (celebrating the
50th anniversary of Led Zeppelin IV) and U2, who arrived along with their
new song "Your Song Saved My Life." Also notable was the arrival of ABBA,
the giants of Swedish pop, who landed on the app ahead of Voyage, their
first new album in 40 years, and have become staples on For You Pages with
piano versions of their hits, celebrations of their career
accomplishments, encouragement of the #chiquitachallenge, and Ian
McKellen-assisted holiday greetings.

* TikTok (Taylor's Version)
* With over 4.6 billion video views , the #swifttok hashtag is one of the
internet's premier destinations for Taylor Swift-related discourse. Using
the tag, Swift fans on TikTok post performance and interview clips of the
artist, create their own Taylor-inspired montages and videos, and for much
of 2021, they used the tag to implore their fave to join the platform.
This past August, Taylor answered her fans' prayers, joining the platform
to help fans get excited for Red (Taylor's Version). As Fall dawned and
the album approached, fans on TikTok grew more and more excited about the
impending release–Taylor fanned the flames with a special Red-themed
TIkTok filter and tantalizing glimpses of the 10-minute "Taylor's Version"
of "All Too Well." When the extended "All Too Well" dropped, it caused a
TikTok tizzy, with over 81k video creations in the first week, helping the
song become the longest single to ever top the Billboard Hot 100. Taylor
was the first to thank her fans on TikTok for helping her reach her latest
milestone, posting a video using an adorable trending sound to express her
gratitude and disbelief.

* TikTok to the charts: Popular accounts make their pop debuts
* Just as emerging artists use TikTok to find new fans, influential TikTok
users take advantage of their platform to achieve their dream of becoming
pop stars. Creators like Dixie, Lil Huddy, and Nessa Barrett (who reached
the Hot 100 with her single "i hope ur miserable until ur dead") earned
major label contracts and millions of monthly listeners on Spotify by
leveraging their loyal followings on the platform. The most impactful of
these creators-turned-artist was likely Bella Poarch, whose single "Build
A B*tch" generated over 4.3 million combined video creations. Both "Build
A B*tch" and "INFERNO," Bella's collaboration with fellow TikTok creator
Sub Urban, made TikTok's list of Top 20 most-viewed pop songs of 2021.

* Songwriting Starts On TikTok
* Emerging artists and songwriters use TikTok to bare their soul and to
strut their stuff. They have faith in the community's ability to spot
talent, and the app's infrastructure that allows an baby artist to make
major waves. Here were some of our favorite examples of artists using
TikTok to get their original music to the masses:
* Canadian singer-songwriter JESSIA had an idea for a chorus for her
latest song, so she recorded it in her car and posted on TikTok,
racking up over 1 million views in just one day. Two days later,
producer Elijah Woods caught wind of the song and produced Jessia's
acapella hook into a pop bop. The song, called "I'm Not Pretty," became
a body positivity anthem, generating over 60k video creations and 9
million Spotify streams in its first month of release. JESSIA
eventually charted on Billboard's Emerging Artists and Digital Song
Sales charts. Now signed to Republic Records, JESSIA followed up her
TikTok success by releasing a remix to "I'm Not Pretty" with an
appearance from Bebe Rexha.

* Aspiring artist Reyanna Maria built an audience on TikTok by engaging with
other users on the platform, making her own beats and covering songs by
Ariana Grande, Summer Walker, SZA, and Billie Eilish. Reyanna had a major
breakthrough when she used TIkTok's duet feature to rhyme atop a beat by
@katoproducer with a calm and confident verse, earning over 2 million views
in the process. After clamoring from followers and fans, Reyanna made the
audio into a TikTok sound (1.6 million video creations), and eventually a
full song called “So Pretty.” Reyanna Maria’s success with “So Pretty” led to
a record deal with Republic Records and a verse from Tyga for the official
remix.

* Jax is one of TikTok’s most creative rising musicians, using her platform
to post parody songs that provide an unseen perspective on classics. It
turns out, when you look at “Jessie’s Girl” from Jessie’s perspective,
Rick Springfield’s narrator seems less romantic and more sketchy! In some
of her other videos, she chastises Olivia Rodrigo for her irresponsible
driving, gives a terrible Yelp review for the “Hotel California,” and
proves that the relationship detailed in Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8ter Boi”
wasn’t built to last. In recent weeks, Jax has been showing off some of
her original songs, including “Ring Pop,” which have the same verve and
sense of humor as her parodies, and in February, she celebrated signing a
record deal with Atlantic by writing an original song that details her
origin story.

* Hyperpop sugar crashes onto TikTok
* Music fans on TikTok have an advanced sonic palette, and the blown-out
synths, distorted percussion, and manipulated vocals of hyperpop seems
directly aimed towards their pleasure centers. Hyperpop artists
reverberate across For You pages of all kinds: the snotty rhymes of 100
Gecs to the percolating, dark trap music of WHOKILLEDXIX, to the mutating
chiptune of Kero Kero Bonito, to the sonic assault of genre progenitor
A.G. Cook. TikTok's undeniable hyperpop hit of the year was ElyOtto's
"SugarCrash" (6.8 million video creations), a chaotic confection that
combined the day-to-day stresses of teenage life with a mutated melody
built to stick in your head for ages at a time.

* Baby Are You Coming For the Ride? - WILLOW meets us at our spot
* WILLOW has been a recording artist for over a decade, but in 2021, it
seemed as if she grew up before our eyes. After scoring a TikTok (and
Billboard) hit with the Travis Barker-produced "transparent soul," WILLOW
teamed up with Tyler Cole and The Anxiety to craft one of the year's most
inescapable earworms: "Meet Me At Our Spot." The song's wistful vibe and
powerful vocal performance spawned multiple trends–one in which creators
reminisced about summers past, another in which uses a TikTok filter that
transforms users into cartoon characters. The most interesting about the
"Meet Me At Our Spot" phenomnenon–the trending sound didn't come from a
polished studio recording, but from a live performance that emphasized
WILLOW's passionate vocals and inspired musicians on TikTok to play along.

* TikTok Theater - Musical moments from stage to For You page (and vice versa!)
* It was a big year for musical theater on TikTok. Never one of the better
known songs from Annie, the version of "Opportunity" sung by Quvenzhané
Wallis for the 2014 film version caught fire on the platform (402k
creations) as users seized upon opportunities that ranged from
life-changing to routine. The long-awaited film release of Lin-Manuel
Miranda's In The Heights caused a TikTok stir, as the jaunty number "No Me
Diga" inspired over 200k creations filled with juicy gossip. The most
significant musical development of the year was an original TikTok
creation, as the songwriting duo of Abigail Barlow & Emily Bear combined
to create an original musical based on the Netflix show Bridgerton,
writing a full album of original songs and posting the results on their
TikTok accounts. To put a cap on this unlikely journey, the Unofficial
Bridgerton Musical is heading to a London stage in 2022 for its first-ever
live production.

* Can I interest you in Bo Burnham all of the time?
* Musical comedy sensation Bo Burnham is a digital native, building an
audience on the internet with his hilarious songs and short-form jokes
before becoming an acclaimed comic and film director. It should be no
surprise, then, that he has a huge following on TikTok, where his fans
eagerly post videos soundtracked to songs from his 2021 Netflix special
Inside. A satirical ode to the Amazon CEO, Burnham’s song “Bezos!” (1.1
million combined video creations) is the ideal soundtrack to moments where
you maximize your earning potential. His song “All Eyes On Me” (158k video
creations) caused TikTok users to ponder their place in the cosmos, and
bemoan their overeager immune systems. Nearly every song included in
Inside generated over thousands of video creations, as his fans on TikTok
reflected on the deep questions Burnham asked about living life online.

OH I'M CURIOUS! TOP ARTIST ORIGINAL SOUNDS

TikTok's emphasis on sound allows artists to communicate and interact with fans
in increasingly creative ways. They use the app to create remixes or mashups, or
create a universe of memes. Our list of the "Top Artist Original Sounds"
features multiple entries from Saucy Santana, who seemed to start a trend with
nearly every video he created, and @sickickmusic, the masked mashup maven.
Notable videos in this list include @tiktokbrownchick's piano ballad version of
"WAP," @JVKE's mash up of Trinidad Cardona's "Dinero" and Internet Money's "His
N Hers," and Taylor Swift's encouragement of her fans to use "her version" of
her trending song "Wildest Dreams."

Artists also used original sounds to share tantalizing snippets of new music.
Donned in a tuxedo with a similarly-dressed accompanier on the piano, Coi Leray
used TikTok to preview her song "TWINNEM," which became one of the most popular
songs on TikTok in 2021. Before the official audio generated over 4 million
creations, Cfinaloi's original sound generated over a million views on its own.
Using the snippet, Coi was able to create organic excitement around her new
song, and create a sense of ownership for fans on TikTok who feel like she wrote
it just for them.

1. @coileray
2. @saucysantana
3. @jvke
4. @jhacari
5. @kyleyoumadethat
6. @nicoletv
7. @taylorswift
8. @sickickmusic
9. @sickickmusic
10. @saucysantana

NEED YOU TO STAY: GLOBAL TOP TRACKS

TikTok's list of top songs for 2021 features a mix of megahits from unlikely
sources strewn across the globe. Streaking across For You pages powered by
irresistible dance challenges and memes, U.S. hip-hop takes up much of the
global list, but the community's diverse tastes propelled pop songs from
Australia, hyperpop from Canada, and ragged rock from Italy into the
stratosphere. Here are the year's most popular songs, along with their stories:

1. Masked Wolf - "Astronaut In The Ocean" - Originally released in 2019 by a
then-unknown rapper from Sydney, Australia, "Astronaut In The Ocean" became
one of the year's biggest sleeper successes, its existential angst
soundtracking millions of TikTok videos and racking up billions of views en
route to a Top 10 Billboard placement.
2. Måneskin - "Beggin" - Capturing the hearts of a continent after winning
Eurovision, Italian rock band Måneskin earned a surprise TikTok smash with
their cover of Frankie Valli's 1967 hit.
3. Popp Hunna - "Adderall (Corvette Corvette) - A dance challenge propelled
Popp Hunna's fast-paced heater to trending status for months on end, as the
song launched from the streets of Philadelphia to far corners of the globe.
4. ElyOtto - "SugarCrash!" - Expressing conflicting emotions with saccharine
synths and abrasive auto-tune, "SugarCrash!" turned Canadian 17-year-old
ElyOtto into a household name–his song reflects the TikTok community's deep
love for hyperpop.
5. The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber - "STAY" - The Kid Laroi was highlighted by
TikTok as an Emerging Artist after his success on the platform in 2020 and
he more than made good on his promise in 2021. Laroi revealed "STAY"
(partially penned by TikTok-beloved Charlie Puth) as a snippet on TikTok
months before its official release–building enough momentum to earn a
featured spot from Bieber and eventually topping the Billboard Hot 100 for
seven non-consecutive weeks (and 11 weeks topping the charts in his
homeland of Australia).
6. Oliver Tree - "Life Goes On" - One of the year's fastest-growing and most
effortlessly shareable stars on TikTok scored a hit with this vibey and
infectious pop jam.
7. Erica Banks - "Buss It" - TikTok loves Texas rap–Erica Banks put Dallas on
the map with her sultry, Nelly-sampling slapper.
8. YungManny - "Clap For Em" ft. Flo Milli & Sada Baby - Two breakout TikTok
heroes from 2020 helped a buzzing Maryland teenager raise his profile when
they hopped on "Clap For Em."
9. Megan Thee Stallion - "Cognac Queen" - Once again the queen of all she
surveys, it was clear that Thee Stallion wouldn't be denied a spot on this
list.
10. Cardi B - "Up" - Megan's "WAP" duet partner struck TikTok gold with her
only solo single of 2021–don't be surprised if she places a song even
higher on 2022's list.

And here are the rest of TikTok's Global Top 20 for 2021:

UP & STUCK: TOP TRACKS (US)

The list of top songs in the United States is dominated by hip-hop of all shapes
and sizes–songs that sparked some of the year's biggest dances and funniest
trends. Beyond the beats and rhymes lie songs by some of TikTok's biggest
breakout stars–Olivia Rodrigo brought anthemic heartbreak, Tai Verdes offered
laidback vibes, and PinkPantheress transfixed with her wistful vocals and
reinterpretations of UK garage.

Spotlight: Olivia Rodrigo The early weeks of 2021 hit pop music like an
earthquake thanks to the arrival of Olivia Rodrigo. Rodrigo posted a video in
late 2020 of herself playing her new song "driver's license" on the guitar, and
just two weeks later, her song was a Billboard #1 smash, with a record-setting
Spotify debut to boot. Olivia's incredible first impression was mere prelude of
hits to come–she proved her immense songwriting talent with her follow-up single
"deja u," and earned her second number one single with the pop-punk breakup
anthem "good 4 u." Beyond the big three singles, nearly every song from her
chart-topping debut album trended on TikTok, from the vicious opener "brutal" to
the sweeping ballad "happier" to the acoustic "favorite crime."

A BIT OF EVERYTHING: TOP GENRES

Music on TikTok is as diverse as its community of users, who bring their own
tastes and talents to the table. In general, the distribution of genres on
TikTok reflects the tastes of the public at large–rap and pop lead the way,
followed by passionate subcultures who can't get enough EDM, R&B, or indie. The
biggest growth genre of the year was Latin music, which hopped from 10th on the
list in 2020 to 6th this year.

GO BEST FRIEND! TOP HIP-HOP TRACKS

The top hip-hop songs on TikTok are a testament to the strength of the genre and
the wide-ranging tastes of the TikTok community. Every type of rap music is
represented here, from turnt-up Texas trap (Megan Thee Stallion, Erica Banks,
TisaKorean), to superstar showcases (Drake, Playboi Carti, Cardi B), to drawling
bangers from the deep south (Kevin Gates, LPB Poody), to tongue-twisting sounds
of the underground ($ILKMONEY). Though there are plenty of hits from big names,
the U.S. hip-hop list is a showcase for emerging stars from all over the rap
map, like the ubiquitous Coi Leray, UK drill dons Tion Wayne & Russ Williams,
and Philly's own Popp Hunna.

SPOTLIGHT: Tion Wayne & Russ Williams - Drill music grew into one of TikTok's
favorite subgenres in 2021, as drill songs from Brooklyn, Chicago, and the
United Kingdom tore up TikTok's trending charts and creators just danced to
drill remixes of songs from other genres. Tion Wayne and his super-sized remix
for "Body" was one of the biggest drill hits of the year, parlaying a TikTOk
trend based on guest artist ArrDee's animated verse to a reign at the #1 spot on
the UK Official Charts.

TOK TO THE FUTURE: TOP POP TRACKS

Pop fans on TikTok are passionate about their faves, breathlessly anticipating
their next moves. The most successful pop stars on TikTok embrace their fans'
love, feeding them tidbits of new music along with generous heapings of
personality. The pop stars who made the U.S.'s top Pop songs of 2021 all stay
active on the platform while crafting songs that stick in listeners minds. The
mutual embrace between pop stars and pop stans creates a sense of community and
collective goodwill: they celebrate the success of stars like Lil Nas X or
Olivia Rodrigo or Bella Poarch–stars that made their name on the platform–as if
it were their own.

MAGIC BOMBS AND IMMACULATE VIBES: TOP DANCE/ELECTRONIC TRACKS

TikTok loves electronic music of all moods, from high-energy bangers to vibey
scene-setters. It was one of the latter that was #1 in the community's heart in
2021–DJ Snake's transformation of a Gap Band classic into a swelling, bass-heavy
track equally suited for the club or nights spent at home. The dance/electronic
songs that TikTok vibed with most heavily reflect the genre's global nature–find
songs from Italy (Kina), Canada (Kaytranada), Sweden (Ikson), the UK (Navos, who
earned a contract with Island Records), and perhaps most notably, Vietnam, the
home of Hoàng Read, whose "The Magic Bomb" soundtracked one of the year's most
enduring trends.

Notable among this list is Kaytranada's "Caution," which premiered on TikTok as
we honored Black music during Black History Month.

TWANGTOK: TOP COUNTRY TRACKS

Fancy like Applebee's and always ready to have a little fun, Country fans and
the music they love are a major part of what makes TikTok tick. The community
helped propel Walker Hayes' "Fancy Like" to the top reaches of the Billboard Hot
100 and a Best Country Song GRAMMY nomination, making it the biggest Country
crossover hit of the year. Other songs on the list have major TikTok
stories–Luke Combs debuted a snippet of "Forever After All" in 2020 that helped
the song make a #2 debut on the Hot 100, and the legendary Shania Twain
announced her arrival on TikTok with an empowering video set to her own "Man! I
Feel Like A Woman!" Ranging from classics by NGDB, to songs from emerging
artists like RaeLynn, to hits by superstars like Gabby Barrett and Dan + Shay,
2021 made clear that country music starts on TikTok.

LEFT OF THE DIAL: TOP ALTERNATIVE/ROCK TRACKS

Rock music holds a special place in the hearts of the TikTok community, and the
genre had a major year in 2021. We welcomed legendary acts like The Beatles, Led
Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones to TikTok, and stars like John Mayer fill For
You pages with creative ideas and duet invitations. But the songs on TikTok's
list of Top Alternative/Rock Tracks of 2021 come from unlikelier sources. The
TikTok community helped make Måneskin one of the biggest bands in the world (in
addition to the megahit "Beggin," songs like "MAMMAMIA" and "I WANNA BE YOUR
SLAVE" trended on the platform), wholly embraced WILLOW's new pop-punk-flavored
creative direction, and transformed their appearances to the tune Kim Dracula's
cover of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi." Indie rock made major inroads, this year, as
the community vibed to Beach Bunny's sugar-coated emo bliss, the shambolic,
bite-sized lo-fi banger of Lonely God's "Marlboro Nights," and Mitski's
disco-flavored "Nobody," which helped some TikTok creators indulge the urge to
run away from negativity.

DE NOCHE Y DE DÍA: TOP LATIN TRACKS

Latin music was the fastest-growing genre on TikTok in 2021, expanding far
beyond the Spanish language sphere and becoming a global behemoth. Though the
latest reggaeton hits are well represented by the likes of Bad Bunny, Jhay
Cortez, and Jowell & Randy, TikTok's list of top Latin tracks in the U.S. in
2021 demonstrates the wide variety of Latin music that trends on the platform,
from Colombian Alt-Pop (Monsieur Perine) to EDM crossover (Farruko) to Dominican
dembow (El Alfa). Kali Uchis's dreamy, bilingual pop smash "telepatía" became
one of the year's crossover hits after trending on TikTok. Ivan Cornejo's "Está
Dañada" became one of the first regional Mexican hits to ever chart on the
Billboard Hot 100. A notable entry into the top 5: Gipsy Kings' rollicking
"Bamboleo," which first garnered attention upon its release in 1988 before
becoming one of TikTok's biggest Latin hits this year.

TRACK STARS & LOVE SONGS: TOP R&B TRACKS

TikTok has a devoted community of R&B lovers on the platform, who appreciate the
genre in all its forms. The top two tracks encompass two flavors of
rap-influences, with Mooski's soaring street melodics and Luke Nasty's smooth
flow on his 2015 hit "Might Be." Along with Mooski, TIkTok's biggest R&B songs
of 2021 announced the arrival of new stars, like Giveon, whose tear-inducing,
deep, and velvety vocals elevated hits like Justin Bieber's "Peaches" and his
own "Heartbreak Anniversary," Kaash Paige, who set the vibe when an intimate
2019 bonus track resurfaced as a TikTok hit, and RealestK, who makes sonorous
hymns for late nights. Classic styles are also represented here, including Silk
Sonic's immaculate retromania and Ciara's string-laden, oh-so '00s "Like A Boy"
(2006).

A DEEPER DIVE: ARTISTS

A SALUTE TO JASON DERULO, WHO MAKES TIKTOK HIS OWN

Jason Derulo was one of the first artists to grasp what makes TikTok special,
and he remains the most-followed artist in the U.S.–he has his finger on the
pulse of the community, collaborating with creators, and frequently engages with
trends in his trademark over-the-top, high-production value style.

NO CHOICE BUT TO STAN: ARTIST ACCOUNTS WITH THE MOST GROWTH

TikTok is a place where emerging artists rub shoulders with superstars. The list
of artists with the most new followers include artists that emerged this year
like Olivia Rodrigo, and artists who recently joined the platform like Billie
Eilish, but this year also saw major growth from artists that fans associate
with TikTok, like Lil Nas X, Lizzo, and Jason Derulo.

SPOTLIGHT: After starting a TikTok in late 2020, Billie Eilish fully embraced it
this year in the run up to her second album Happier Than Ever. She dramatically
revealed her new blonde hairstyle in April, and became much more active, posting
videos of her dog, giving behind the scenes looks at her "Lost Cause" music
video, and clapped back at her haters. Billie was the U.S. artist who gained the
most followers in 2021, with over 30 million new followers gained in the
calendar year.

INDUSTRY BABIES: MOST VIEWED ARTISTS

Artists succeed on TikTok if they can achieve a balance between showmanship and
relatability, and the ten artists with the most views on their account videos
have managed to strike that balance with creative aplomb.

SPOTLIGHT: Lil Nas X In 2019, Lil Nas X released the biggest hit in TikTok (and
Billboard) history, and 2021 still might have been his biggest year yet. He
spent much of the year teasing his "baby," his debut album MONTERO, encouraging
fans' creations for hits like "Industry Baby" and "That's What I Want," honing
his peerless wit, and overall just having a good time. Fans on TikTok can tell
that Lil Nas is having a blast, and his creativity encourages them to check out
his page for new updates, rather than passively wait for him to appear on a For
You page.

newsroom.tiktok.com Open in urlscan Pro 2.16.186.34 Public Scan

Form analysis 1 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

newsroom.tiktok.com Open in urlscan Pro
2.16.186.34 Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM