Want to go viral? Start here.
Hi, if you’re like us and you enjoy scrolling through TikTok until your eyes bleed, then chances are you’re already up on all the viral
challenges, dances, and, most importantly, recipes. However! You simply cannot consider yourself a true TikTok devotee until you know the app’s most viral hits. The best TikTok songs of all time range from rediscovered throwbacks to hot new hits, and while not all of them have inspired specific trends, they’re all 100 percent bound to get stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Sry ’bout it!
There’s no denying that TikTok has proven to be verrrrry lucrative for some of its creators (we don’t have to name them—you know them), and in addition to making careers, TikTok has made some viral hits out of songs that may have otherwise slid under the radar. Look, we’re not saying that Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” wouldn’t have become the Song of Quarantine on its own—pretty sure the earworm was always destined for greatness—but it’s undeniable that the super-popular choreography (created by 19-year-old dancer Keara Wilson) gave the bop staying power.
So whether you’re a TikTok expert or you only scroll on le Tok every once in a while (what admirable self-control you have!!), here are all the most popular TikTok songs that you should know.
Rosalía basically saw all of us obsessing over her gum chewing and decided to take it one step further while also reminding us of this bop that we can’t stop listening to.
No, we’re still not over this Stranger Things moment and we probably never will be.
This upbeat song feels totally different when you find out what the lyrics are really about. IYKYK.
Her iconic VMAs performance will live rent-free in our minds forever, but that doesn’t mean TikTok can’t have a little bit of fun with it.
If this song doesn’t make you want to get up and jump, we don’t know what will.
If you need a little sunshine in your life, this is the song for you.
One of Demi’s most honest songs to date has others thinking about how far they’ve come.
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This song has been mashed up with so many other tracks at this point that we’re not sure if we remember the original version anymore.
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Only real ones had a teenage dirtbag phase.
Just when we thought “Never Gonna Give You Up” couldn’t get more iconic….
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Because listening to it on repeat wasn’t enough for any of us.
Even sad girlies need TikTok songs.
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A pretty song + great fluid moves = the perfect TikTok dance music, of course!
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No list would be complete without Lisa, so here she is!
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Every part of this song is fun to sing, so pick your favorite verse and get to it.
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This one involves a door, so…prepare accordingly.
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Looking for a before/after TikTok song? Look no further.
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Leave it to the TikTok teens to bring disco into 2022.
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If you want less dance-y and more ~reflective~ vibes, here’s your song.
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This one won’t leave your head for a while, fair warning.
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Honorary mention: Who can forget Kourtney Kardashian’s “ABCDEFG” moment?
No, it doesn’t really say “go, little rock star.” No, that hasn’t stopped people from pretending otherwise.
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Doja’s music is perfect for dancing, what can we say?
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Remember the “Blinding Lights” dance? Yes, ofc you do. Moving right along.
And you definitely remember the Flip the Switch Challenge, too, right? TBT!!
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Thx to the power of TikTok, this single from 22-year-old Salem Ilese went MEGA viral, and you basically couldn’t log on to the app without hearing it all of summer 2020.
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Pretty much anyone who’s anyone on TikTok has posted a vid to this one, FYI.
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Still breaks our GD hearts that some ppl had never heard of this song before Nathan Apodaca decided to vibe to it while riding a longboard and drinking cranberry juice….
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Not us still trying to learn this dance.
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A trend dedicated to driving away looking extra as hell? Sign us up.
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This dance trend is pretty easy to master…that is, unless you have bad knees, in which case you may never get up again.
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So pure! So sweet! So easy to recreate yourself!!
Another song dedicated to besties bein’ besties—we love to see it.
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This doo-wop-inspired 2011 bop from Olly Murs brings *all* the good vibes.
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Truly BLESS TikTok for bringing this iconic 2007 hit back into our lives when we needed it most (although we could probs do without all the terrible lip-syncing).
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Presenting: the perfect song for all your ~beauty reveals~.
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But of course Olivia’s hit single got the TikTok treatment, with users getting VERY into their feels.
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Any trend that brings Dance Moms alums together is one we can get behind.
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Even Walker Hayes himself got in on the fun with this one.
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If you’ve got a drone and a pair of hips, then you’ve got a viral hit on your hands.
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For when you’re lookin’ to just Do. The. Damn. Thing. No judgment here!
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Willow Smith and Tyler Cole’s 2020 bop isn’t just a major earworm—it also inspired m-i-l-l-i-o-n-s of TikTok vids.
Gotta love a TikTok dance that even the most uncoordinated of peeps can handle.
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This challenge had users showing off what they would wear in various situations/if they were various fictional characters, and it’s such a moment.
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Who would have thought one of the biggest bangers of 2021 would come from a children’s show??? (And we’d be remiss not to mention the wild popularity of “Into the Thick of It” and “International Super Spy” as well.)
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“You talkin’ ’bout Tracy? Tracy with the Honda?” (IYKYK.)
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Yes, you know this song (even if you didn’t leave you house in 2020), but do you know the dance? Warning: You’ll wanna stretch before attempting.
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Cardi’s “Up” also blew up on the app, mostly thanks to the dance created by Mya Nicole.
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For those times when you’re feeling #BLESSED.
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K, so this may have been the easiest viral dance trend to ever hit TikTok, but can we agree Jason Derulo nailed it?
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Wait, nvm, THIS is the easiest TikTok dance trend.
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If you’re looking to show off some sharp editing and twerking skills (as well as a sexy glow-up), then the “Buss It” challenge is for you.
Even if you don’t *think* you know this song, we promise you’ve heard it before if you spend enough time on le Tok.
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How can you listen to this song and *not* want to strut down an imaginary runway??
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Although this song was originally dropped by the Four Seasons back in the ’60s, it was given new life by Italian group Måneskin’s absolutely fire cover, which went viral during summer 2021 and inspired a whole host of random videos.
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You’ve definitely heard “Laxed (Siren Beat)” before. Or if you haven’t, you must be suuuper new to the app—welcome! Millions of videos have been made to this song, probs because the choreography is so nice and slow that even your social-media-illiterate dad could learn the moves.
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Charli D’Amelio freaking loves this song, which, TBH, is all the information you really need to know, but we’ll share one more important fact: We have Imanbek—a 19-year-old from Kazakhstan—to thank for the great remix.
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TikToker Haley Sharpe created the choreography that made this song go super viral—so viral, in fact, that it leaped from the app into Doja Cat’s music video for the single.
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Yes, yes, we knowww you know this one, but “Savage” is still a fan fave viral dance. It’s the perfect hype song. Megan Thee Stallion can do no wrong. Don’t fight us on this one!
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This song, by New Zealand singer Benee and American singer Gus Dapperton, really took off in March 2020, right as America was starting to shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. We’re not experts, but perhaps the “I’ve been lonely” vibes were…particularly…resonant?
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This song works for lots of different kinds of videos—eyeliner tutorials, parkour attempts, or, you know, Will Smith banging his head against the wall for your viewing pleasure.
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Meet the perfect twerk anthem, although we do not condone whatever is happening in this here @HypeHouse vid.
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Although the choreo for this song was popularized by TikTok royalty such as Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae, the genius behind the moves—Jalaiah Harmon—only got credit way after the song had racked up more than 30 million videos.
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Another gem to come out of quarantine, this song captured all of our global pandemic-induced despair.
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A solid pump-up song, it’s like a jolt of badass confidence in musical form. Also, a perfect fit if you’re in the mood to troll TikTok girls.
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We could listen to this song on repeat for HOURS…and apparently, we’re not alone. The tune, brought to you by Canadian musician Powfu and Filipino British singer-songwriter Beabadoobee, had more than 4.2 BILLION plays on TikTok in March 2020 alone.
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Good luck not getting this song stuck in your head for the rest of the day, bye!
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It’s the challenge where people recreate their childhood photos…sometimes with freakish accuracy. Not only is it hilarious, but we also need to acknowledge just how well the cast of Cheaper by the Dozen did theirs. Can we learn a lesson or two, please?
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Okay…so it’s not exactly the 5 Seconds of Summer version we all know and love. But if the band’s guitarist is getting in on the challenge, how can you not be down? (Also, nice try, Michael!)
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Just a short while ago, TikTokers were using this song to promote their personal preferences. Even celebs like Gordon Ramsay got involved. Be prepared for some old-school hip-hop to play on a loop.
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Um, there’s a trend where people are flexing their muscles to the lyrics of this 1970s classic? Tell us: WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL OUR LIVES?
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Want to thank your BFF or your significant other? Do this challenge and see their reaction.
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Be ready to take it all the way back to 2009, because you won’t be able to get this out of your head once you hear it again. You’re welcome.
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Paulina is the Weekend Editor at Cosmopolitan.com. When she isn’t covering celeb and pop culture news, she can be found listening to Taylor Swift, watching a teen drama (One Tree Hill is her favorite), or perfecting her skincare routine.
Adrianna Freedman writes all things TV and film for Cosmo. When not binge-watching the latest series on Netflix, she is busy singing along to her favorite artists/showtunes, consuming too many coffees a day and dreaming about penning her next big story.
Corinne Sullivan is an Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers a variety of beats, including lifestyle, entertainment, relationships, shopping, and more. She can tell you everything you need to know about the love lives of A-listers, the coziest bedsheets, and the sex toys actually worth your $$$. She is also the author of the 2018 novel Indecent. Follow her on Instagram for cute pics of her pup and bébé.
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