As TikTok grows in popularity, so has its impact on the music industry. The social media platform has become an essential avenue of music discovery and music trends for new artists and a channel for established musicians to interact with their fans.
There are no other social networks that give creators and influencers the ability to impact streaming numbers and chart success as much as TikTok does. It’s been proven throughout the years that a viral dance or challenge can launch or revitalize a career. So as the year winds down, let’s walk down memory lane with the biggest music trends on TikTok in 2021.
The Backyardigans
The Backyardigans may have gone off the air in 2014. Still, the once-popular kids’ show experienced a revival of sorts during the summer of 2021. From fun family dance routines to NSFW reenactments, songs from the Nickelodeon show were frequent flyers on the For You page. Their songs “Castaways” and “Into The Thick Of It” were favorites for TikTokers as the #backyardigans hashtag generated 1.8 billion views.
Check Out This TikTok by cost_n_mayor
@cost_n_mayor Y’all really onto something with this song though…. 🥵 #fyp #foryou #dance #costnmayor #castaways #backyardigans
Yung Baby Tate
The singer, rapper, and producer from Georgia is a prime example of utilizing the social media platform to establish your brand. Yung Baby Tate posts a mix of dance videos, original music, and commentary, making her account a must-follow for memeable content. Her song, “I Am,” went viral in 2021, and she leveraged her 16.1 million TikTok likes into a starring role on VH1’s Love And Hip-Hop Atlanta.
Check Out This TikTok by imbabytate
@imbabytate Taught my mom & @PRIME✨ the @dariusduhhh dance last night at like 5am 😂
Hyperpop
What is hyperpop? Like most genres born of the internet, its exact definition is hard to pin down. It’s a blend of electronic dance music and pop, sprinkled with neon then filtered through a psychedelic kaleidoscope. “Sugarcrash!” by ElyOtto is perhaps the best representation of the genre and featured in 6.7 million TikToks.
Check Out This TikTok by benjikrol
@benjikrol @anokhinalz
“Meet Me At Our Spot” by WILLOW + Tyler Cole and The Anxiety
It seems that TikTokers was bitten by the nostalgia bug this year. Creators reflected on summers gone by with slideshows set against WILLOW and Tyler Cole’s guitar-driven track. TikTok superstar Charli D’Amelio even joined in on the trend. The love from TikTok helped the song crack the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Meet Me At Our Spot” had a 13-week run on the chart, peaking at number 21.
Check Out This TikTok by morganpresleyxo
@morganpresleyxo I am back from being banned wooo
Saucy Santana
Saucy Santana started as a makeup artist for the hip hop group City Girl. And it didn’t take long for fans to be charmed. Their TikTok has gained 2.1M followers and 30.5 million likes quickly.
Check Out This TikTok by saucysantana
@saucysantana Inspired by the Original Material Gworl @madonna 💕
The #SeaShanty Community
Sea Shanties are traditional folk chants sung by European sailors and sea merchants. “The Wellerman” by Nathan Evans was an unexpected hit on TikTok this year. It became an anthem for the #seashanty music trend. The song peaked in the top 20 on Spotify’s Viral 50 chart.
Check Out This TikTok by jonnystewartbass
@jonnystewartbass #duet with @the.bobbybass SHANTY TIME once again! Adding a lower middle harmony 🙂 @nthnevnss @_luke.the.voice_ @apsloan01 #shantytok #wellerman
Coi Leray
Coi Leray is one of TikTok’s most influential creators. The rapper is constantly trending thanks to her quirky dance routines and free-spirited personality. Her 8.9 million followers and 135.7 million likes have translated to Billboard chart success. She was named Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month in April 2021.
Check Out This TikTok by coileray
@coileray @Justin Bieber 😂🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💫💫💫💫💫💫💙🪁🪁🪁🪁🪁
Lil Nas X’s Marketing Machine
Lil Nas X is one of music’s biggest stars, and it all started on TikTok. His debut song “Old Town Road” was a viral hit on the app in 2019. Since then, Lil Nas X has continued to flex his marketing chops on the social media platform with creative collaborations with other artists and fans.
Check Out This TikTok by lilnasx
@lilnasx FULL MAURY EPISODE ON YOUTUBE NOW!
Olivia Rodrigo “Driver’s License”
This year, you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing Olivia Rodrigo’s debut song, “Driver’s License.” The smash-hit that earned the teenager six Grammy nominations first took TikTok by storm in January 2021. The song was an immediate success and established Rodrigo as a household name. To date, the #driverslicense hashtag has 6.1 billion views on TikTok.
Check Out This TikTok by jyeetsuschrist
@jyeetsuschrist ❄🐕💨#driverslicense #dogpoop #children #snow #dog #dogpoop #slide
Taylor Swift Takeover
Taylor Swift is one of the most visible musicians, but she has mostly avoided social media. That all changed in the summer of 2021, when Swift joined TikTok amidst an ambitious project that features rerecording and releasing all of her albums so that can own her masters. The #swifttok community was born and her fans have welcomed her with open arms, racking up 4.7 billion views.
Check Out This TikTok by taylorswift
@taylorswift Lots going on at the moment: Red (my version) vinyl is up for presale on my site and oh I’m on tiktok now let the games begin 😺 #SwiftTok
Honorable Mention:
KPop Continues to Thrive
It’s hard to talk about TikTok without acknowledging the force that is KPop. The popular genre has dominated mainstream music over the last five years. Groups like BTS and Blackpink have broken cultural boundaries to achieve worldwide success. What makes Kpop so special is its dedicated and social media savvy fan base. Their presence is most felt on TikTok where the #kpop hashtag has 188.3 billion views.
Check Out This TikTok by bts_official_bighit
@bts_official_bighit Superstar high-pitch glow 🐱📣🐰🐿️❗❕❗ Show your ##SmoothLikeButter moments😎 ##BTS ##방탄소년단 ##BTS_Butter
For more information on the music trends in the industry and careers in the business, check out Yellowbrick’s Ultimate Music Career Guide.
