1.5.2022
TikTok Treats, Week of January 3rd
TikTok Rings in the New Year with Drill-Soundtracked 2021 Recaps, Breakthrough R&B Hits, and ’70s One-Hit Wonders
The News:
Each week, the TikTok Treats newsletter gives a snapshot of the state of music on TikTok, touching on trending hits, emerging artists, superstar moves, ascendant memes, and much more. TikTok continued to make a major impact on the music industry in 2021, launching new hits, reviving old ones, and providing a platform for stars new and old to share their music and engage with fans. If the first week of 2022 is any indication, the platform will continue to forge trends, mint stars, and send songs to the charts. Below check out some of TikTok’s hottest music trends that helped ring in the New Year:
- Just days into 2022, one of music’s biggest stars made his presence felt on TikTok. Bad Bunny greeted his fans on the platform with a special New Year’s video, soundtracked by his song “Si Veo a Tu Mamá” and co-starring his significant other. The Puerto Rican superstar has a rabid fanbase on TikTok (the hashtag #badbunny has over 12 billion views) and his New Year’s message racked up over 56 million views in just three days. El Conejo Malo is clearly up to something, but he’s not too busy to goof around–he just posted a follow-up video poking fun at the pleas from his stans in the comments begging him to make another TikTok. Already a TikTok natural, don’t be surprised if their prayers for more videos are answered frequently in the coming weeks and months.
- There are many things that the TikTok community loves, and a good remix and a good montage trend are two of them. One of the hottest new songs on TikTok combines both of these favored trend mini-genres. To cap off a whirlwind 2021 and usher in 2022, creators have been sharing their photo and video montages of their best memories of last year to the tune of UK rapper Jnr Choi’s “To the Moon,” a drill remix to Bruno Mars’ 2010 “Talking to the Moon.” With over 586.5K creations, the sound is inspiring creations from those who want to flaunt their fashion sense, barber skills, and baecations with their significant others. Since its November release and subsequent virality on the platform, the track has amassed over 12M streams on Spotify and landed in the top 20 on Spotify’s Viral Hits chart.
- R&B is having another major moment on TikTok, with the sultry sounds of singer-songwriter Muni Long’s “Hrs & Hrs” (67.8K+ creations) leading the way. Creators are taking to the smooth track to display the lovers in their lives. The sensual vibe of the sound is sparking creations from TikTok users who go the extra mile to plan the perfect date night, tell their own love stories, and admire their parents’ 20-year marriages. As the song has continued to rise, Muni Long has been showing love and appreciation to fans who helped propel the track up the Apple Music charts and to artists like Doja Cat who have been emphatically singing the song on social media. The track’s success has made its way from TikTok to Billboard, debuting at #83 on the Hot 100 this week and marking Muni Long’s first career Hot 100 entry as a recording artist.
- With the new year comes reflections, and TikTok creators are taking a moment to reminisce on some of their favorite memories of themselves and their loved ones. TikTok creators in a reflective mood have given new life to former English pop band Edison Lighthouse’s notable 1970 track, “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” (329.9K+ creations). Edison Lighthouse’s playful lines, “She ain’t no money/Her clothes are kinda funny/Her hair is kinda wild and free,” inspires TikTok users to share their best personality photos and videos, throwback pictures of their parents, and post their favorite footage of their furry companions. The revival of Edison Lighthouse’s catchy pop track on TikTok made an impact on streaming, as the song reached the Top 5 of Spotify’s Viral 50 Global chart.
- Creators on TikTok often use music to express their love for a film, expressing their fandom by enthusing about the film’s soundtrack. This phenomena is playing a large part in the resurgence of Alicia Keys’ song “It’s On Again (ft. Kendrick Lamar)“, originally written in 2013 for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and featured again in the blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home. With over 56k creations, many of which coming since the film’s late December release, fans use Keys’ song to fire off their hottest Spider-Man takes, commenting on the flimsiness of Peter Parker’s secret identity, praising Andrew Garfield’s performance in No Way Home and marveling at how his maligned original films are getting re-assessed, and revealing that they would use Spider-Man’s powers for evil, not good. The song is also the ideal sound to pair with TikTok’s official Spider-Man: No Way Home Portal virtual effect, used by creators who wish BTS were in the MCU or wish they had a closer relationship with Garfield’s version of Spidey.
- SZA was at the center of a big music story on TikTok that occurred just before the New Year. For much of 2021, the R&B star’s gloriously petty break-up ballad “I Hate U” lived as a SoundCloud-only release–something for the fans, not meant to be a big single. That all changed when TikTok got ahold of it–a user-uploaded version of the song generated over 600k video creations, prompting SZA to comment on Twitter. In early December, inspired by the TikTok trend, SZA officially released “I Hate U” to DSPs, and TikTok activity skyrocketed. With over 1.2 million creations so far, SZA’s emphatic line, “If you wondered if I hate you, I do” resonates with creators as they call out their exes, share their failed hair journeys, and express their dislike for their professors as they complete course evaluations. SZA also hopped on the trend, using the sound to record her cats chewing on her Bottega Veneta heels. Spurred by the TikTok-generated momentum, “I Hate U” debuted at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. More recently, another line from the song, “I be so sick of you,” has resonated with creators as they share their frustrations with dating. While some creators are easily smitten by text messages, others can’t resist words of affirmation, quality time, and nicknames from their partners.
- The world lost a legend when TV icon Betty White passed away at the end of 2021. Fans on TikTok are paying tribute, using “Thank You For Being A Friend,” the classic theme song from her show The Golden Girls, to soundtrack their memories of the comedy queen. Some fans created photo montages of Betty through the years or used their makeup expertise to emulate her 1950s look, while others remembered her for her progressive views. Penned by TikTok favorite Andrew Gold, whose song “Spooky Scary Skeletons” saw success in 2020 (5.9 million video creations), “Thank You For Being A Friend” generated nearly 30k creations in the past week alone, and will continue to inspire those looking to celebrate friendship or marvel at how the cast of Sex And The City reboot …And Just Like That is the same age as The Golden Girls were when the show started.
Recapping a busy year of music on the platform, TikTok shared its “Year On TikTok: 2021 Music Report” in mid-December, offering data and in-depth analysis about the platform’s biggest songs and most impactful trends. View the full report here: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/year-on-tiktok-music-report-2021
Check TikTok’s newsroom for more noteworthy stories: newsroom.tiktok.com
For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Kerry Harrison, Destiny Riley, T’Keyah Hayes, Audible Treats
Leah Linder, TikTok
The Background:
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.
TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Links:
TikTok’s Newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us
Check out previous editions of TikTok Treats, a weekly newsletter about the most interesting music happenings on TikTok:
For Your TikTok Turkey Day Soundtrack: Taylor Swift, Regina Spektor, and More
Taylor Swift Turns TikTok ‘Red,’ ‘Tis Mariah Carey’s Season, Lady Gaga Makes A Grand Arrival & More
On TikTok: U2 Closes Out #Rocktober as Kanye West and Afropop Lead New Trends
Led Zeppelin Joins TikTok, While Adele and Luke Combs Spark New Trends
Dwayne Johnson, George Michael, and Jack Stauber Inspire New TikTok Trends
On TikTok: A Bee Gees Remix, A Very Juggalo Halloween, and Some Rising Hitmakers
Rosalía, Coi Leray, and MCR Highlight the Week in TikTok Music
Balvin, Doja, and Mariah Lead a Star-Studded Week on TikTok
Sam Smith, Ciara and Breakout PinkPantheress Highlight the Week on TikTok
Lizzo Starts “Rumors,” bbno$ Eats “edamame,” and More Hip-Hop TikTok Stories
#AltTikTok, Alt-J, and All-Time Rap Classics Define Music on TikTok This Week
Cats, Babies, & Vietnamese Techno Highlight the Week in TikTok Music
On TikTok: Normani, Reba, and a Gas Station Star
The Kid Laroi Meets Bieber, Drake Runs Thru The 6, and More From TikTok
BIA Meets Nicki, Stromae Slows Down, and More TikTok Trends
On TikTok: Music Trends Inspired by Kanye, Young Nudy, and…Meryl Streep?
Avril Lavigne, Bo Burnham, and Gucci Mane Lead The Week in TikTok Trends
TikTok Summer Madness: Lorde Leads a Pack of New Trending Songs
Swae Lee, WILLOW, Mitski & More Inspire Trends on TikTok
Only On TikTok: Lil Durk & City Girls Trend Alongside…The Backyardigans?
On TikTok: BTS Army Takes Over, Carti Demands Silence, and Fans Anticipate F9
Olivia Rodrigo Catches Fire, Miguel Helps Users Catch Feelings, and More TikTok Stories
Saweetie, Calvin Harris, and Bella Poarch Highlight The Week in TikTok
Another One? DJ Khaled, Lizzo, and More Make the Week in TikTok
Doja Cat, Little Simz, and El Alfa Inspire TikTok Trends
Britney Spears, Chloe Bailey, and Diplo Make Waves on TikTok
Dua Lipa, Drake, and Bell Biv DeVoe Make Waves on TikTok
DMX Gets His Flowers, Silk Sonic Reaches #1, and More TikTok Stories
TikTok Unveils Music-Powered Filters, Lil Nas X Debuts At #1, and More TikTok Stories
Bieber Tops The Charts, Young Thug Premieres New Music, and More TikTok Stories
Demi Lovato Kicks Off TikTok’s New Livestream Series Headstream
Rock Music Thrives on TikTok, Just Ask Yungblud, Beach Bunny, and More
Shania Hops On Board, Kid Cudi Tosses and Turns, and More TikTok Stories
On TikTok: Kali Uchis and Coi Leray Hit the Charts as Bobby Shmurda Comes Home
Rihanna, Brent Faiyaz, and Giveon Lead TikTok’s R&B Moment
T-Pain, Hyperpop, and Anti-Valentine’s Anthems Take TikTok By Storm
Cardi Goes Up, Uzi Goes Down (to Sleep), and More TikTok Stories
Black History Month Kicks Off, Mark Ronson Duets, and More Music Stories From TikTok
Cardi Goes Up, Uzi Goes Down (to Sleep), and More TikTok Stories
Dave Grohl, Migos, Miley, and More Happenings on TikTok
This Week on TikTok: Olivia Rodrigo Hits #1 as Memes & Mashups Flourish
New Year, New TikTok Trends: Alicia Keys, Remembering MF DOOM & More
Paul McCartney, Holiday Celebrations, and New Year’s Eve Live on TikTok
TikTok Releases First U.S. Music Report: Here Are Some Key Insights
How TikTok’s Top 10 Songs of 2020 Impacted the Industry