If you still dream of making your mark on tiktok, you need the right tunes to back up your sweet dance moves. and tiktok is nothing more than a seemingly endless source of viral tracks. some of the most popular songs in recent years even started on tiktok before reaching the top of the charts. "old town road" by lil nas x, for example, appeared on tiktok in 2019 after gaining some traction on soundcloud. from there, radio programmers pulled the song from the internet to satisfy listener demand to play it on their stations.
the virality of tiktok is not only on the platform. many artists with tracks that go viral on the platform will find that the song has shot to the top of their list of most played songs on streaming services as well. in fact, the virality of platforms like tiktok has turned the music industry upside down to some extent. as tracks explode online, labels are put in the position of finding and signing those songs to their labels instead of the other way around, with the music industry pushing music to listeners. As more and more artists release new songs and sounds on platforms like tiktok, we can expect this exciting trend to continue.
"laxed (siren beat)", originally known as "savage love", was created by new zealand teen and music producer, jawsh 685. jawsh 685 created the song as a celebration of his samoan heritage and from the cook islands . jason derulo contacted jawsh 685 to collaborate on the song, but ended up releasing the song under the name "savage love" without crediting jawsh 685. things seem to be settled for now, and "savage love (laxed—siren beat)" finished at the top of the hot 100 chart with bts. early tiktoks using this song featured cultural clothing and costumes before the song became the backdrop for the "siren beat" dance.
megan thee stallion's original "wild" has been used in over 30 million tiktok videos, accompanied by the dance challenge started by keara wilson. Wilson's choreography made such an impact on TikTok that the teen fad named the dancer in her feature "21 Under 21." The song enjoyed renewed attention when Beyoncé teamed up with Megan Thee Stallion for the remix. since then "savage remix" has been used in hundreds of thousands more tiktok videos.
"out west" launched in December 2019 and gained popularity in early 2020, sparking its own dance challenge (created by nicole bloomgarden). it has been used in about 15 million tiktok videos.
"wap" is a collaboration between cardi b and megan thee stallion. It was released at the beginning of August and within hours the young Guamanian choreographer Brian Esperson shared a routine of the song on Instagram. That video caught the attention of Cardi B herself, who shared a clip of the video, as well as clips of other dancers trying out the choreography. from there, the song and challenge went viral on tiktok, racking up over 6 million videos using the track. the tiktok hashtag "wapchallenge" has over 1.5 billion views.
While "say it" was already known, it went viral after tiktok influencer haley sharpe started a dance challenge based on the song. It has been used in around 18 million tiktok videos and Doja Cat even invited Sharpe to share the choreography in the song's music video. the song also reached number one on the billboard hot 100 singles chart.
just 11 days after the release of "tap in", tiktok star lesley gonzalez started a dance challenge. Since then, saweetie's first single from her first album, pretty bitch music, has been used in over 7 million videos on tiktok. although not all videos are dance challenges, the vast majority are.
"the box" has been used in over 2 million tiktok videos and has received acclaim through a season at the top of the billboard hot 100 and three 2021 grammy award nominations, including best rap song, best melodic rap performance, and song of the year. While this was not used for a TikTok dance challenge, it was part of a viral TikTok meme in which TikTok creator Jay Will mocks the "squeaky mirror" sound used in the song.
"rags2riches" launched in April 2020, and as of July 2020, had been featured in over 5 million tiktok videos as part of a dance challenge.
"supalonely" by New Zealand singer benee had a thing or two going for it. For starters, she rose to popularity thanks to a viral dance challenge for the song created by Zoi Lerma. Additionally, The Straits Times attributes part of the song's success to the Covid-19 pandemic, as people could easily make a connection to the song's theme. the song has been used in about 10 million tiktok videos.
"what you know about love" is from American pop rapper smoke's debut studio album shoot for the stars, aim for the moon. It was launched in October 2020 and has already been used in more than 12 million tiktok videos. the song followed the same path as another smoke pop song, "mood swings", going viral on tiktok and then reaching chart success soon after.
young thug's "relationship" has been featured in over 33 million tiktok videos.
if you opened tiktok even once, you definitely saw a video with "lottery (renegade)" on your page for you. Over 30 million tiktok creators participated in the "renegade" dance challenge based on jalaiah harmon's choreography. K Camp ultimately credited Harmon for creating the choreography after some controversy over Harmon not initially receiving credit for the dance. the song became the platform's first sound to be used in 20 million videos.
"banana" is based on harry belafonte's hit "banana boat (day-o)" from 1956. it has been used in over 30 million tiktok videos thanks in part to the (you guessed it) viral dance that accompanied the song on the platform.
"baila" is another dance song with a catchy beat that went viral on tiktok. it has been used in around 24 million videos this year.
"pussy" has been featured in over 22 million tiktok videos.
"Sunday Best" is by the American electro-pop band Surfaces and was originally released in early 2019. The music video was released in July 2019, but the song really started to gain traction and popularity. in February 2020 when she started appearing on tiktok. it was the song that launched a thousand dance routines and has been used in more than 20 million tiktok videos in 2020.
"death bed (coffee for your head)" is a sweet powfu song that samples "coffee" by Filipino-British artist beabadoobee. It was uploaded to SoundCloud and YouTube in 2019 and after Powfu was signed to Columbia Records and Robots +Humans, the song was released on streaming services. the song went viral on tiktok shortly after its release on streaming platforms, garnering over 4.1 billion views in March 2020 alone.
if you're looking for a song to fit your tiktok video about how good you look and feel, "awesome'" is what you're looking for.
imagine fleetwood mac's surprise when they landed on the billboard charts yet again thanks to skateboarder nathan apodaca using "dreams" as the backdrop for his now iconic tiktok video of him skateboarding and drinking juice Cranberry Ocean Spray. the popularity of the video got the collaboration of apodaca an ocean spray and stevie nicks herself got on the platform using the sound. it has also been a source of humor for many a Fleetwood Mac fan whose children are only now discovering the band...and telling their parents.
"boss bitch", by American singer and rapper doja cat, has been used by many tiktok creators to highlight their own badness. of course, since the internet was made for cats, you can also find the song used in videos with pets.
"potential breakup song" is by American duo aly & aj and is the couple's most successful single thus far. the song peaked at number 17 on the billboard hot 100 and thanks to tiktok, the song quickly surpassed aly & second most played track by aj on spotify. the song was originally released in 2007 but gained renewed popularity after garnering over 26 million viewers during November 2020.
"whole lotta choppas" is by American rapper sada baby and was released in August 2020 as the lead single from the artist's debut album. the song and its accompanying choreography went viral on tiktok. After a remix of the song with Nicki Minaj, released in October 2020, the song peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 35.
Not that Taylor Swift isn't well known enough, she enjoyed a revival of support for her early 2000s hit "Love Story." the background of swift's cheesy love song.
"Peaches" was released in 2021 and debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, Bieber's seventh number-one song on the chart. It also turned heads at the annual Grammy Awards where it was nominated for four awards, including Song of the Year and Best Music Video. on tiktok, it has been used in over a million videos.
“Dior” by the late pop smoke has been described as a New York anthem and also became a major anthem against police brutality. It has been trending on tiktok since early 2020 and has been used in almost 200,000 videos. since it was first released, it has also been remixed by various international artists.
Saweetie's hit song "Best Friend" might have been released prematurely on streaming platforms by her record label, Warner Records, but it didn't slow down her success at all. described as a fun and upbeat track, it has been used in over a million videos. As the title suggests, it's a popular soundtrack for posts celebrating friendship.
Although "As It Was" was only released in April 2022, it has already been featured in nearly 2 million tiktok videos, including those of Kylie Jenner. The thoughtful lyrics that explore themes like loneliness and melancholy can be a bit depressing, but the melody is upbeat and will stick in your head. to use the Rolling Stones' words, it's "an irresistible challenge for the dance floor."
"montero (call me by your name)" by lil nas x follows the success of his first number one hit, "old town road" and was nominated for three awards at the 2022 grammy awards. popularity was not without backlash. the title of the song is a combination of her first name and an lgbt film and novel. Not only is it one of the most popular songs on tiktok (it has been used in over 2 million videos), but an image from its music video also became a meme on tiktok.
unlike many of the other songs on our list, "love you so" has not been released recently. was originally released in 2005. fast forward 16 years and started trending as a tiktok song. in fact, it was used so much on tiktok that memes were created about its excessive use. Plus, as you know your meme, many creators began to believe that tiktok's algorithm actually gave preference to videos that used the song. so much so that the creators started adding it to their video only for the song to barely play.
while not much is known about "monkey twirling monkeys", it sure has been used a lot in tiktok videos. Released in 2014, this two minute instrumental piece is the perfect soundtrack. It may not inspire you to create a dance challenge, but for various types of tiktok videos, such as cute animal videos, videos of your daily life, or cooking clips, be sure to give it a spin.
Daddy Yankee is a Puerto Rican songwriter, singer, and rapper. he is one of the best-selling Latin singers and even created the term "reggaeton" to describe a new genre. Although he could have announced his plans to retire from music in March 2022, his song "breaks" continues to trend on tiktok. tokboard listed it as one of the top five tiktok songs of the week in april.
if the voice behind "leave the door open" sounds familiar, that's because it is (and no, it's not because you've heard it multiple times on tiktok). silk sonic is a new project of bruno mars. in 2017 he formed an american r&b duo with anderson .paak as a joke. Fast forward five years and they walked away with four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year and Best R&B Song. from dance to dog videos, it has been used in nearly two million tiktok videos.
“gimme more” by britney spears is another one of those golden hits that are trending on tiktok more than 15 years later. Even if you're not a Britney fan, the tune is catchy and you'll find yourself singing along to it more than you want to admit. while his infamous live performance of the song at the 2007 mtv vmas could have been heavily criticized and described as the worst performance in the mtv awards history books by bbc's david willis, it has now been used as anthem to many of the popular songs. dance videos on tiktok.
Ahead of its official full release in April 2022, American rapper Jack Harlow's "First Class" has already gone viral on TikTok. Before its release, parts of it were shared on the platform and in a short time it has already been used in more than 600,000 videos. in fact, in less than a week, more than 50,000 videos were created using the song's 13-second clip.
ironically, taylor swift's "too good" was the subject of a viral tiktok video about when things aren't quite right. shane barton posted a video in late 2021 of her filming a fight between her roommate, a swift (aka a taylor swift fan) and her boyfriend over the song. the video received more than 6,000 comments, 23,000 shares and 680,000 likes.
Also, unlike tiktok videos that are usually less than a minute long, you'll need 10 minutes to get to know the original version of "all too well". not only did it help tiktokkers get a lot of likes but it has also been tagged as his best work.
“my name is” has been described by d billions as the next “baby shark”. The uptempo nursery rhyme has been used in a silly dance craze in which four people dance the signature moves of the four characters in the YouTube video: Chicky, Cha-Cha, Lya-Lya, and Boom-Boom. On YouTube, the video has received nearly a billion views.
while we talk about children's songs that have made their way on tiktok, we have to talk about the charm hit “we don't talk about bruno”. the combination of Latin music styles creates a catchy melody, while the lyrics are fun. is an earworm that young and old can enjoy together. many of the tiktok videos featuring the song are of users recreating scenes from the film, but it also spawned its own two-take trend.
in 2022, the song that was released a few years ago has already become a viral hashtag. in the videos, tiktok creators use a clip of the song to share things that end up costing/earning a lot of money.
“sneaky snitch” is another instrumental created by kevin macleod (the creator of “monkeys spinning monkeys”). Described as music specifically for content creators, this audio clip is ideal for videos where you want to build suspense. combine it with hashtags like #comedy, #funny or #prank, and you are sure to create a viral tiktok video that will rack up views, likes and shares.
from cooking videos to cute babies, "dance monkey" by tones and me has been used in various types of tiktok videos. it has even been used by will smith in one of his tiktok videos.
It's a feel-good song that will basically turn anyone into a dancing monkey. In an interview with an Australian radio station, the artist explained that she wrote the song's lyrics about the pressure she experienced when she performed on the streets. Looking at the more than 5 million tiktok videos it's been used in, it's clear that her own experience has made it much easier for other tiktok creators to relax, albeit in front of a virtual audience.
rolling stone has described "vibe" by cookie kawaii as a song you should know and a "high-pitched worm full of fun sounds". it's short and sweet like the most successful videos on tiktok. it's the perfect song for twerking videos (in fact, that's what the lyrics of the song are about).
“just a cloud away” by the legendary pharrell williams first became famous when it was used in despicable me 2, but, as with many of the other songs on our list, tiktok made him famous again. often used for parodies of happy revelations. in these types of videos, tiktokkers will share something they were worried about only to reveal that it really happened.
if you like playing with the filters, be sure to check out the tiktok videos that use "on my mind" for never boring. much like the filters used for this tiktok trend, the song is fun. just make sure you know how to use the filter correctly...
“zou bisou bisou” is another song you can listen to if you like playing with filters. often used with the meme maker filter on tiktok. It has been used in almost 1 million videos and offers a chill soundtrack to reveal those moments when you feel less relaxed.
if you like how younger audiences have discovered fleetwood mac's classic "dreams" thanks to tiktok, be sure to check out "crazy" by patsy cline. Cline's song dates back to the 1960s, but lately it's been used by TikTok influencers, creators, and celebrities to share some of their crazy stories on the platform. from wedding stories to relationship problems, it has been used in hundreds of thousands of different videos.
if you want to use something other than one of kevin macleod's instruments for your pranks, you can try kreepa's oh no. It's one of the most well-known tiktok sounds, but it actually has an interesting history. The clip comes from an old classic, "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" by a 1960s girl group, the Shangri-Las. just another example that we have always been surrounded by powerful and influential women.
Almost 40 years after the song's release, it's trending on tiktok. now, younger audiences often use it to share their nostalgic moments.
“love nwantiti” by Nigerian singer ckay has been listed by cosmopolitan as one of the best tiktok songs of all time. began gaining attention on tiktok in 2021 thanks to a dance challenge, two years after its release. It could be translated as "little love" in Igbo, but it has received a lot of love on TikTok and has been shared in millions of videos.
“money” by lisa (a member of south korean girl group blackpink) has been widely used in tiktok videos featuring content about squid game. the chorus is catchy and the beat fast, no wonder it's all the rage on tiktok and instagram reels. Whether she prefers a dance video over a transformation edit, this song can be the soundtrack to both.
one of the best ways to get more tiktok followers and really make a name for yourself on the platform is to be active. While you'll want to make sure you're creating content that resonates with your target audience, there's also a lot to be said for joining tiktok trending challenges to get more exposure for your content. To start your path to tiktok fame, check out our tips for making tiktok videos that go viral.