1.27.21
TikTok Treats, Week of January 25th
This Week On TikTok: Star Artists Join The Platform, Backstreet’s Back, and the “Vivi Trend” Takes Over
The News:
Home to an endlessly inventive community, TikTok is an instant mood booster. In recent weeks, artists have embraced the platform, enticed by its creative potential and by the promise of meaningful fan interaction. The past week on TikTok saw established artists making themselves at home on the platform, even as the community continued to lift unlikely songs to prominence. Check out the most interesting recent trends below:
- TikTok helped create a surprise hit in 2020 when the community found Imanbek’s danceable remix to SAINt JHN’s 2016 song “Roses,” propelling the then-4-year-old song to the Billboard Top Ten. A trend on TikTok, called “The Vivi Trend,” seems to spring from a similar formula, shining a spotlight on EZRA’s remix of Migos & Young Thug’s 2014 street hit “YRN.” Originally released in 2015, the remix has recently become massively popular on TikTok (4.3 million video creations), thanks in part to a dance popularized by @larrayeeee, and has caught the attention of users like Maddie Ziegler and Bella Poarch. “The Vivi Trend” recently livened up a remote classroom, leading to Zoom mayhem and one very confused teacher.
- Nicki Minaj commands a legion of “Barbz” who sing her praises across social platforms–and TikTok is no exception. The self-styled queen is currently at the center of two separate trends heating up on the platform. The first trend springs from her massive hit “Anaconda,” in which creators pretend they are in a casket at their funeral, but spring to life when the beat drops and a family member says something to catch their attention (even a corpse couldn’t resist a good seafood boil). The second trend digs up a deeper cut: “I’m Legit” from her 2012 album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (700k video creations). The song is popular in TikTok’s sizable community of makeup artists, who’ve used the song as a way to show off their favorite looks.
- One of the most exciting parts of using TikTok is watching popular artists join the app and quickly get addicted. Last week was a big one for artist on-boardings, as the Foo Fighters, Tegan & Sara, and 6lack all joined the app. Joining the platform to help promote their new single “Waiting On A War,” the Foo Fighters immediately made a splash with a video wishing frontman Dave Grohl a happy 52nd birthday. After Sara Quinn admitted that she’s been secretly lurking on TikTok for over a year, Tegan & Sara finally established an official account, which they’ve mainly been using to post adorable videos of their pets. Last but not least, Atlanta singer 6lack seems to have already gotten the hang of the app after just one week, racking up over 130k followers and posting 12 times, including videos of himself vibing to Wizkid and celebrating his song “Pretty Little Fears” going double platinum. Most notably, 6lack generated 4.5 million views on a video where he made fun of Lebron James for horribly butchering the lyrics to one of his songs.
- The TikTok community loves itself some boy band nostalgia, and former Backstreet Boy AJ McLean is always happy to add fuel to that fire. He’s always willing to revisit his classic hits, transforming “I Want It That Way” into a sea shanty, recreating his demonic cackle at the start of “Larger Than Life,” and introducing the world to AJSTREET to the tune of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” The veteran singer is a playful presence, whether he’s bonding with his daughter or challenging fellow boy band veterans to recreate their favorite songs from a rival group (AJ’s favorite? “Bye Bye Bye” by *NSYNC).
- Known for his raunchy rhymes, Flint, MI native YN Jay is one of TikTok’s favorite rappers. The artist has another trending hit with “Triple S,” a propulsive track with a long spoken word intro that lends itself well to TikTok skits. With over 140k video creations, the song inspired a comedic trend around YN Jay’s delivery of “I can take you there” and his now-trademark “yeeeeahs,” providing the ideal soundtrack for teenaged runaways, potential homeowners, and those who can’t shower without listening to music.
On Super Bowl Sunday, TikTok is teaming up with the NFL to host 7500 vaccinated healthcare heroes at a socially-distanced TikTok Tailgate. Headlined by Miley Cyrus, the TikTok Tailgate will feature a show-stopping performance from the artist, along with appearances from popular TikTok creators and surprise guests. While only a select few healthcare workers will be able to attend in person, everyone else can tune in at 2:30pm ET on the NFL’s official TikTok account (@NFL) to watch the event unfold LIVE.
Check TikTok’s newsroom for more noteworthy stories: newsroom.tiktok.com
For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Andrea Higgins, Erin Ryan, 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:
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
On TikTok: Lil Nas X Brings “Holiday” Cheer, Shawn Mendes Welcomes Us to His World & More
Run-DMC, MGMT, and More Noteworthy TikTok Stories
Billie Eilish and Queen Join the Party, New Viral Hits Take Flight, and More From the World of TikTok
Ariana Grande, Rick Astley and More TikTok Stories
Elton John, Tim Burton, Liam Payne and More Add Some Pumpkin Spice to the Week in TikTok
John Lennon, Oasis, George Michael, and More Score Trending Hits on TikTok
Stevie Nicks, Jason Derulo, and More Highlight a Big TikTok Week
Now Here You Go Again, You Say You Want Your TikToks
Pop Smoke, 24kGoldn, Flo Milli, and Others Have Scored Multiple TikTok Hits
TikTok Salutes Its #FamiliaLatina: Music Stories from Latinx Heritage Month
Big Sean, Charlie Puth, Classical Harp, and More From TikTok
David Guetta, Sada Baby, and Rick James Are Having a Moment on TikTok
BTS Hits #1, Kendrick Plants Money Trees, and More From TikTok
Dua Lipa Levitates, J. Cole Soundtracks Glow-Ups and More TikTok Stories
TikTok: The “WAP” Dance Challenge, Folklore, La Roux, and More Provide Joy and Catharsis
Charlie Puth, Pop Smoke, and More Trending TikTok Stories
Artists Unite to Say #SaveTikTok
How TikTok Users Use the App to Boost Their Musical Careers
TikTok Doesn’t Just Mint New Hits…It Revives Old Ones
These International TikTok Artists and Hits Eliminate Language Barriers
Who’s Hot on TikTok? Jason DeRulo, Rod Wave, and More
TikTok Success = Chart Success and the Hot 100 Proves It
TikTok Users and Artists Celebrate #MyPride Through Music
TikTok Promotes a Vibrant Artistic Community with #BlackMusicMonth