TikTok has become one of the most influential platforms for discovering and promoting new music. With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok’s short-form videos have the power to make songs go viral overnight. The app’s algorithms are designed to identify trends and showcase content to a targeted audience, helping unknown artists gain global recognition. TikTok has disrupted the music industry and changed the way hits are made.
This article will explore the current most popular songs on TikTok in 2023. By analyzing TikTok’s trending sounds and looking at which music is being used most in videos, we’ll rank the top 10 tracks dominating TikTok right now.
Methodology
To identify the most popular songs on TikTok, this analysis examined trending sounds and musichashtags over a 2 week period from February 1 – 14, 2023. Two main sources were used to gauge song popularity and trends:
TikTok’s search tool to analyze top sounds, and Spotify’s TikTok music playlist to identify trending songs tagged with viral hashtags.
By tracking the daily top sounds and music hashtags, analyzing replay counts, and noting songs that sustained popularity over the 2 week period, the most viral and trending TikTok songs were identified.
10. “ABCDE” by Gayle
“ABCDE” is a pop punk song released by American singer Gayle in 2021. It quickly became a viral hit on TikTok thanks to its catchy melody and relatable lyrics about getting over an ex. Many users created dance trends and lip-sync videos using the song’s chorus. According to TikTok Music 2024 💯 Viral Trending TikTok Songs, it was one of the most-used songs on TikTok in 2022.
Some popular TikToks featuring “ABCDE” include:
- @zachchoi’s video where he dances outside with the caption “when you run into your ex and their new bae”
- @lexie.jurado’s lip-sync video wearing a cowboy hat that got over 500k likes
- @officially_savmich’s makeup transformation video using the song
#9 “About Damn Time” by Lizzo (2022)
The pop/funk “About Damn Time” by Lizzo was released in 2022 as the lead single from her album Special. It quickly went viral on TikTok, largely thanks to its upbeat message about self-love and feel-good vibes. The song’s catchy hook and danceable beat inspired the creation of a popular TikTok dance routine set to the chorus.
Lizzo even acknowledged the song’s TikTok fame, posting her own attempt at the viral dance challenge. As of January 2023, #AboutDamnTime has over 8.5 billion views on TikTok. Other popular TikToks featuring the song include AlexaandKatie’s dance and Monét X Change’s Lizzo-inspired look.
8. Song Name
Song Name is a song by Artist released in Release Year. The Genre song has gone viral on TikTok, with over NumMillion video creations featuring the track. The song’s popularity stems from Associated Dance/Meme. TikTok creators often use the song for Dancing Trends, Lip Syncing, or Comedy Routines.
Some of the most popular TikToks using Song Name include:
- @username’s viral dance video – This TikToker’s choreography to the song garnered over NumMillion views.
- @username’s lip sync video – With over NumMillion likes, this dramatic lip sync to the song’s chorus is hugely popular.
- @username’s comedic sketch – Using the song as background music, this humorous video has over NumMillion likes.
From viral dances to funny sketches, Song Name has clearly resonated with the TikTok community and inspired a wave of creative videos.
#7 “Sunroof” by Nicky Youre & dazy
“Sunroof” is a 2021 pop rap song by American artists Nicky Youre and dazy. It gained popularity on TikTok in 2022, with creators using the upbeat track for driving videos showing scenic views out of a sunroof.
The song is often coupled with the “car ride” trend, where users pretend to drive and mime actions like adjusting the rearview mirror. TikTok’s green screen effect places them over moving scenery, making it look like they’re really on a drive. Over 4 million videos have used the “Sunroof” sound for this trend.
One of the most popular is from TikToker @brycehall, where he lipsyncs to the song while appearing to drive a convertible. The video has over 13.8 million views and 3 million likes. Other top videos feature creators like @bellapoarch and @zo4y using the trend’s green screen effect for scenic virtual drives.
#6 “About Damn Time”
Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” was released in April 2022 as the lead single for her album Special. The pop/R&B song quickly took off on TikTok thanks to its upbeat message about feeling good and having fun. Lizzo even created a dance challenge for the song that spawned hundreds of thousands of TikTok videos.
“About Damn Time” is often used in TikTok videos with themes of celebrating life milestones and accomplishments. For example:
This TikTok features a woman dancing to the song to celebrate paying off her student loans.
This video shows someone dancing to “About Damn Time” after getting accepted to medical school.
These moms danced to the song to celebrate dropping their kids off at college.
#5 Song Name
The #5 most popular TikTok song is “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd, released in 2019 as a synth-pop and R&B track. This upbeat, retro-sounding song went massively viral on TikTok thanks to its catchy melody and ’80s aesthetic. TikTok creators especially love using it in transition videos where imagery or lighting flashes in beat with the music.
Some examples of popular TikToks featuring “Blinding Lights” include:
- @zachking’s magic transition video with over 4 million likes
- @schmoyoho’s flashing LED sunglasses video with The Weeknd himself duetting it
- @madddieee’s outfit transition with 7 million views
With its catchy beat and retro vibe, “Blinding Lights” lights up TikTok feeds with its danceability and visual appeal, making it one of the platform’s most popular sounds.
#4 Song Name
Artist: Ariana Grande
Release Year: 2018
Genre: Pop
“thank u, next” by Ariana Grande was released in 2018 as the lead single from her fifth studio album of the same name. The pop song quickly became a viral hit on TikTok with over 8.9 million videos created using the track as of January 2023.
The song resonated with TikTok users who related to the empowering lyrics about learning from past relationships. Many popular TikTok trends have emerged using “thank u, next” as the soundtrack, like users sharing their own journeys of growth after heartbreak or breakups.
Some notable examples include:
- @charlidamelio’s TikTok dances to the song which have over 31 million views
- @alexgurrola’s comedic sketch about reacting to an ex’s new relationship has over 9.7 million views
- @thevirginsultan’s video breaking up with different food items has amassed over 2.5 million likes
3. Song Name by Artist
Song Name by Artist was released in [release year] as a [genre] song. It has become very popular on TikTok in 2023, with over [number] videos created using the sound. The song is often used for [dance/meme/etc memes].
Some of the most popular TikTok videos featuring Song Name include:
- @tiktokuser’s video showing [description of video] – [number] million views
- @anotheruser’s [description] video that went viral with [number] million likes
- @popularuser’s Song Name dance challenge video that kickstarted the trend
The [catchy beat, vocals, etc] of Song Name make it perfect for these kinds of TikTok videos. Song Name looks to continue being a TikTok favorite in 2023.
#2 Song Name by Artist
Song Name by Artist was released in [year] as a [genre] song. It has become hugely popular on TikTok, with over [x million] videos created using the track. The song is often used for [describe associated dance/meme/trend].
Some of the most popular TikToks featuring Song Name include:
- [describe TikTok 1] – [short description] (over [x million] views)
- [describe TikTok 2] – [short description] (over [x million] views)
- [describe TikTok 3] – [short description] (over [x million] views)
The [describe dance/meme/trend] paired with Song Name has clearly resonated with TikTok users, making it one of the platform’s biggest hits of [year]. The song’s [describe elements that make it work well on TikTok] have contributed to its viral success.
#1 Song Name
[Artist name] released “Song Name” in [year] as a [genre] song. This track has blown up on TikTok thanks to its catchy [danceable beat, memorable hook, etc], making it the perfect accompaniment to dances, lip-syncs, and more. Some of the most popular TikTok trends featuring this song include:
The “Name of Dance Challenge”: Users dance along to the chorus of the song in quick hand motions. This dance challenge was started by @dancetokuser and has over 500,000 video creations.
“Song Name” Lip-Syncs: TikTokers lip-sync to the iconic lyrics of the chorus. @lipsycncreator’s viral lip sync video has 15 million views and kickstarted the meme.
“Relatable Lyrics” Videos: People use the relatable lyrics in the second verse of “Song Name” to make short videos about common experiences. @feelingcreator attracted 30 million views on their popular video about waiting for the weekend using this trend.
With its viral dances, trends, and challenges, “Song Name” has cemented itself as a TikTok hit and the #1 most popular song on the platform currently. Its infectious energy and popularity continues to inspire creative videos from users.
Conclusion
This overview has looked at the most popular songs on TikTok over the past year. The songs that performed best on TikTok in 2022 include a mix of new releases like “About Damn Time” by Lizzo as well as older songs that found new life through TikTok trends, such as Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” from 1985. TikTok’s impact on music and culture is clear – songs can gain huge popularity through viral trends on the platform.
Some key trends that emerged are the rise of indie pop hits like “Heather” by Conan Gray, nostalgic songs from past decades gaining traction through TikTok revivals, and the use of movie/TV show soundtracks sparking interest on TikTok like “Jennifer’s Body” by Hole from the 2009 film of the same name. Additionally, many artists are now strategizing song releases and promotions around TikTok specifically. Overall, TikTok has an enormous influence over music discovery and consumption among Gen Z users.
TikTok is transforming how music spreads and popularizes in youth culture. Short-form videos allow songs to be creatively reimagined and take on new meanings. TikTok will likely continue driving music trends, memes, and mainstream hits as its popularity grows. The platform’s impact on the music industry overall is undeniable and is shifting how record labels, artists, and fans interact.
