10.20.2021
TikTok Treats, Week of October 18th
Creators Break A Sweat To Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and New Orleans Rap, and George Michael, Cody Fry, and New York Drill Rise On TikTok Again
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. From high-powered New Orleans hip hop to orchestral covers of The Beatles’ iconic tunes, check out some of the tracks and trends that are making waves on TikTok this week:
- It’s hard to deny the danceable, high-energy vibe of New Orleans hip hop, even in the middle of a workout. TikTok creators are giving into this vibe, with the 504 Boyz and Weebie’s fast tempo “Grab Da Wall & Rock The Boat” at the helm of a new trend that has taken off on the platform. With this lighthearted trend, creators can be seen getting into push-up position and attempting to do their workout to the track’s intensifying beat. Amassing over 294.7K creations so far, the track is inspiring creations from dads having their workouts interrupted by their adorable daughters, the cutest siblings working out together, and even a fitness-focused Pennywise.
- TikTok users never miss the opportunity to document their personal growth and self-love journeys. Creators are in the mood to show some amour propre this week, using George Michael’s 1984 hit “Careless Whisper” as their inspiration. Garnering 580.1K+ creations to date, the “we could’ve been so good together” lyric inspires creators to share their glow-up journeys – such as their bookworm to beefcake transformations and transformations from awkward stages in middle school. In other creations, TikTok users try on their mother’s wedding dress and share their musical opinions on George Michael using the text-on-screen feature.
- Indie singer-songwriter Jack Stauber had a major moment on TikTok last year with his 2017 “Buttercup” single amassing over 1.4 million creations thanks to a colorful tie-dye trend. His music is having another viral run on the app, this time with his 2017 avant-pop “Oh Klahoma” leading the way. The track has sparked a number of Halloween-themed videos, to the tune of over 387.3K creations. The TikTok community has taken a liking to the lowkey song, using it to soundtrack moments with their kids who are obsessed with wearing spooky “pumpkin heads,” fall date nights, and photos of their dogs in cute ghost costumes.
- The TikTok community has been in the mood for drill music lately, recently propelling Riko Rose’s “Whistle” to Rolling Stone’s Trending 25 charts. This week, Bronx, NY rapper B-Lovee is making waves on the platform with his recently released song, “My Everything” (81K+ user-generated and platform-generated creations combined). B-Lovee previously teased the track on his own TikTok account ahead of the song’s official release. With B-Loveee rapping over signature drill elements and melodic vocals, the song sees creators posting their selfie compilation videos, sharing their thoughts with a comedic touch using the text-on-screen feature, and chronicling their hair and makeup processes.
- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson toggles many titles, and his latest title of “rapper” is being embraced by the TikTok community. In his verse on Tech N9ne’s “Face Off,” also featuring Joey Cool and King Iso, The Rock delivers emphatic heavy-hitting bars over an energetic beat. Boasting over 30.6K videos on the platform, creators are reacting to The Rock’s verse, imitating their dads’ driving, and hilariously sharing their gym playlists featuring only the upbeat track. The Rock even took to his own page to alert fans about the song’s release with a clip of the new video.
- To kick off TikTok’s #Rocktober celebration, it was recently announced that The Beatles joined TikTok! The TikTok community has been showing the iconic band’s music tons of love even before their arrival on the app, from original music to covers such as “Eleanor Rigby” by Cody Fry, but now the floodgates have been opened with their official catalog. Cody saw success with his music earlier this year when TikTok propelled his cinematic 2017 “I Hear A Symphony” (45.9K+ creations) to #2 on Spotify’s US Viral 50 chart. In recent weeks, he’s surpassed this success on the app, as his orchestral cover of The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” has spawned over 147.5K creations. The song is soundtracking everything from graceful ballerina photography to hilarious mishaps of class project duplicates and astrology jokes.
TikTok recently kicked off its #Rocktober celebration with The Beatles joining the app and encouraging fans to use their music, but that’s not all TikTok has in store. Stay tuned for even more surprises for TikTok’s biggest #Rocktober to date.
Check TikTok’s newsroom for more noteworthy stories: newsroom.tiktok.com
For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Erin Ryan, 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:
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