2.10.2021
TikTok Treats, Week of February 8th
Cardi Drops a New Song, Jessie J Does the #DominoChallenge, and Everything’s An Album Cover
The News:
TikTok’s emphasis on authentic creative expression makes the platform an oasis for music lovers and artists alike. The app’s myriad viral trends each come with their own sonic signature, helping elevate songs and artists into new (or resurgent) levels of recognition. Below, take a look at some of the artists and songs that the TikTok community is connecting with–and elevating–at the moment:
- No stranger to hits and TikTok stardom, Cardi B is set for another takeover with her new single “Up” already making waves on the platform. Her first single since the record-breaking collaboration “WAP” with fellow rapper and beloved TikTok star Megan Thee Stallion, “Up” has garnered over 21k video creations and millions of views on TikTok since its Friday release. Makeup gurus, impressive drummers, and TikTok-favorite Jason Derulo have already joined in to showcase their various talents with this trendy track. Inspired by the creative community, Cardi has been highlighting her favorite dances and uses of the song on her own page, and some creative, if unhygienic, users have adopted “Up” for the M&M Roll Challenge.
- Some TikTok songs catch on because of an instrumental hook, some ride to popularity on the back of a lyrical phrase, but Lil Uzi Vert’s 2017 song “Two®” is currently trending for a song-opening skit: “Uzi? Uzi? Not again! Uzi, wake your *ss up!” With over 320k video creations on the song, nearly all of them created in the past week, “Two®” inspired TikTok to send a message to sleepyheads everywhere, including hairless cats, hockey players, and social media-savvy chickens. After encountering Uzi at the Super Bowl, one enterprising TikTok user convinced Uzi himself to hop on the trend.
- ’00s adult-contemporary is having a serious moment on TikTok–last week Hoobastank returned to the public eye with a trend, and this week, it’s The Fray’s turn. Long a favorite of music supervisors for its plaintive piano and powerful emotions, “How To Save A Life” (81k video creations) and its chorus lyric “where did I go wrong?”, has become TikTok’s go-to soundtrack for unexpected life developments. The song’s melodrama is ripe for parody: users take the “where did I go wrong” prompt and apply them to choosing a spouse who’s susceptible to brain freezes, feeding a mom’s gossip addiction, or marveling at a child’s intense anime obsession.
- The past week has been a busy one on TikTok for British singer Jessie J. Her hit song “Domino” is having a major moment, with over 850k video creations on its audio after inspiring the #DominoChallenge (195 million video views). The #challenge involves an intricate, intertwining couples dance, requiring complicated, coordinated twirls. Jessie J got in on the action on her own page, throwing on her old outfit from the song’s video and posting three different #DominoChallenge videos and racking up over 32 million video views.
- 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 character seems like a bit of a creep! In some of her other videos, she exposes 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. Last week, Jax updated the lyrics to Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” to reflect Tom Brady’s quest for Super Bowl glory, and celebrated signing a record deal with Atlantic by writing an original song that details her origin story.
- There’s nothing the TikTok community appreciates more than #aesthetic, and what communicates an aesthetic better than an album cover? Under the hashtag #albumcover (847m video views), , TikTok users create their own album artwork out of old photos or videos, or scenes from their favorite sitcom. The trend is often soundtracked by a user-made mashup of Kendrick Lamar’s “HiiPower” and Kanye West’s “Devil In A New Dress” (192k video creations). TikTok-beloved band Avenue Beat (of “F2020” fame) hopped on the trend, proving that anything, from a day at the beach to a Covid test, can make a good album cover.
The upcoming weekend is an eventful one for TikTok, who welcomes Justin Bieber for “Journals Live from the drew house,” the platform’s first-ever full-length livestreamed concert. #JournalsLive features Justin’s first-ever performances of songs from his 2013 album Journals, which introduced R&B elements to the young star’s sound. #Journals live airs LIVE on TikTok at 9pm ET/6pm PT on Valentine’s Day, then airs again at 2pm ET/11am PT on February 15th.
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:
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
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