Take a look at the TikTok Charts for 2021 – which music was most popular and who debuted this year.
TikTok has continued its dominant growth as the favored social media platform for the musically-inclined. ByteDance says 430 songs surpassed one billion video views on TikTok this year. That’s more than three times the number of songs that crossed that threshold in 2020. 175 songs that trended on TikTok charts in 2021 also charted on the Billboard Hot 100. (Twice as many as last year.)
Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music for TikTok, says the platform continues to pave the way for new artists. “From the Beatles to sea shanties, J. Balvin to ABBA and of course who can forget Taylor Swift’s entry – the last 12 months have provided so many music moments, inspired our community of one billion and shown the world that music starts and lives on TikTok.”
According to a recent MRC Data study, 75% of TikTok users in the U.S. say they use the service to discover new artists. 63% say they always hear new music they’ve never heard before on the platform. So here’s a peek at the best new emerging artists on TikTok, in alphabetical order.
TikTok Charts 2021 – Emerging Artists
- Amaarae (Ghana/US)
- Baby Tate (US)
- bbno$ (Canada)
- CKay (Nigeria)
- Cochise (US)
- Coi Leray (US)
- Doechii (US)
- Eyedress (Philippines)
- Feid (Colombia)
- Jay Wheeler (Puerto Rico)
- Kali (US)
- Magdelena Bay (US)
- Måneskin (Italy)
- Navos (UK)
- PinkPantheress (UK)
- RealestK (Canada)
- Saucy Santana (US)
- Shygirl (UK)
- TisaKorean (US)
- YungManny (US)
Who had the most catalog listens on TikTok in 2021?
Megan The Stallion racked up the most catalog views of any artist on TikTok in 2020. The Queen retained her title in 2021. Songs like “Cognac Queen,” “Thot Sh*t,” and “Cry Baby” helped the Houston-based rapper retain her title as artist with the most catalog listens on TikTok.
Doja Cat also followed Megan Thee Stallion’s repeat act by claiming the second spot in both 2020 and 2021. Olivia Rodrigo cracked the number three spot thanks to “Driver’s License.”
Top Artists on TikTok Charts for 2021
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Doja Cat
- PoppHunna
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Cardi B
- YungManny
- Soulja Boy
- Drake
- Kevin Gates
- Coi Leray
TikTok also inspires a new generation of music lovers to seek out what it calls ‘vintage’ hits. Much like the success of Fleetwood Mac hitting charts again in 2020, TikTok helped these songs reach new, younger ears.
- “Rasputin” – Boney M.
- “The Hustle” – Van McCoy
- “Zanzibar” – Billy Joel
- “Careless Whisper” – George Michael
- “Whatta Man (EP Version)” – Salt N’ Pepa
- “It’s Tricky” – Run-D.M.C.
- “More Than a Woman” – Bee Gees
- “Just the Two of Us” – Grover Washington Jr.
- “Poison” – Bell Biv DeVoe
- “Let’s Groove” – Earth, Wind & Fire
Top Comeback Tracks – TikTok Charts for 2021
TikTok says comeback tracks are those that were released between 5 and 25 years ago. They’re not quite old enough to be considered vintage, but these songs trended on TikTok in 2021.
- “Bills, Bills, Bills” – Destiny’s Child
- “Classic” – MKTO
- “Day ‘n’ Nite” – Kid Cudi
- “Gimme More” – Britney Spears
- “Never Forget You” – Noisettes
- “Please Don’t Go” – Mike Posner
- “Where’d All the Time Go?” – Dr. Dog
- “Mama Said” – Lukas Graham
- “SexyBack (ft. Timbaland)” – Justin Timberlake
- “I’m a Survivor” – Reba McEntire
All of these trending songs are great, but what were truly the greatest hits on TikTok in 2021?
TikTok Global Top Tracks – 2021
- Masked Wolf – “Astronaut in the Ocean”
- Måneskin – “Beggin”
- Popp Hunna – “Adderall (Corvette Corvette)”
- ElyOtto – “SugarCrash!”
- The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – “STAY”
- Oliver Tree – “Life Goes On”
- Erica Banks – “Buss It”
- YungManny – “Clap For Em” ft. Flo Milli & Sada Baby
- Megan Thee Stallion – “Cognac Queen”
- Cardi B – “Up”
Top Genres on TikTok – 2021
- Hip Hop / Rap
- Pop
- Dance / Electronic
- R&B / Soul
- Indie / Alt
- Latin
- Rock
- Soundtracks
- Country
- Comedy / Other