The right background song can make a break or video, so choosing the perfect track is an important step when creating content. When you use trending audio in your posts, the algorithm is more likely to promote your content on users' For You Pages (FYPs). This increased visibility can lead to higher engagement, more views, and potentially more followers.
Learn how to find trending sounds on TikTok and maximize engagement on your videos.
How To Find Popular TikTok Sounds: 4 Ways
Trends come and go quickly, so it’s key to use sounds when they reach peak popularity to enhance your views — and earnings — per video. Luckily, TikTok offers several in-app ways to find trending sounds, including the following methods.
1. Use TikTok’s Search Function
The search bar is the first place you should look to find trending TikTok songs. Here’s how:
- Tap — Open TikTok on your device, and click on the search bar containing the magnifying glass icon at the top of the screen.
- Search — Enter keywords like “viral sounds” or “trending music” and click “Search.”
- Review — Click on the Sounds tab and look through the results. The list displays each sound’s title, artist, and length. Plus, it shows the number of times the song has been used in TikTok videos, which is a clear indicator of popularity.
If you want more information, navigate to the Hashtags tab to see popular tags associated with your keyword. This will give you an idea of the kind of content creators tend to use the sound for.
2. Look at the For You Page (FYP)
The FYP is where most users discover new content on TikTok. While the app’s algorithm curates this feed’s content based on your actions and interests, it also favors trending content. If you use a trending song in your video, TikTok is more likely to put your content on other users’ FYPs.
When scrolling the FYP, look for different accounts using the same sound in their videos. For example, a viral dance challenge video will often feature the song that inspired the choreography.
Remember that using the FYP to find sounds requires spending significant time scrolling through content, making it more time-consuming than other methods. That said, it also lets you gather additional information on popular video styles, camera angles, and filters that may inspire your own posts.
3. Check TikTok’s Sound Library
TikTok’s sound library contains thousands of original songs created by famous artists and TikTok users. Here’s how to use it to find popular sounds:
- Click the plus — In TikTok, tap the plus icon at the bottom of the screen, which is the same button you use to post a video.
- Open the list — Click “Add sound” to open the sound library.
- Look for popular audio — Scroll through the options to view your recommended and favorite sounds. You can also explore AI-generated playlists such as New Releases, TikTok Viral, and Featured to see what the app thinks is popular.
4. Browse TikTok’s Creative Center
The TikTok Creative Center is a free resource library that provides tips, creative tools, and trend analytics to content creators, marketers, and businesses. Click the Trends tab and sort by Songs to find the biggest sounds on the platform. The ranked list contains each song’s name and artist and a graph charting its performance over the past week.
As well as serving as a great TikTok song finder, the Creative Center’s trending lists also contain valuable metrics. For example, you can filter the results to check whether a song is approved for commercial use. TikTok also lets you see how songs perform in different regions, a handy feature for targeting audiences in specific countries.
4 More Places To Find Trending TikTok Songs
You don’t always need to use TikTok to find the most popular sounds on the app. Numerous third-party apps and websites have information about trending TikTok sounds. Below are some examples you can use to expand your search.
1. Spotify
To find trending songs for TikTok using Spotify, start by exploring playlists like “TikTok Viral” or “TikTok Hits,” which feature music currently popular on the platform. Check the “New Releases” section to discover tracks that may quickly gain traction on social media. You can also browse Spotify’s charts, such as the “Top 50” or “Viral 50,” to find songs that are gaining popularity.
As you discover music that resonates with you, consider creating your own playlist to keep track of songs you want to use in your TikToks.
2. YouTube
On YouTube, browse popular music channels and playlists that highlight the latest hits and viral tracks. Check out playlists like “Top 100 Songs” or “Billboard Hot 100” to discover music trends.
You can also explore TikTok compilation videos to see what background music comes up often. Additionally, look for reaction videos or song breakdowns to learn what type of music people are interested in.
3. TikTok Billboard Top 50 Chart
Billboard Magazine first published its Top 100 chart in 1958. Nearly 70 years later, it remains the music industry standard music chart for song rankings in the U.S. This list will show you what songs are popular with the general public, which is a great starting point for planning your posts.
In 2023, the publication launched the TikTok Top 50 chart, which chooses rankings based on total creations, user engagement, and video views. It updates results weekly, making it an excellent resource for finding popular tunes from the app.
4. TokChart
TokChart is a website devoted solely to tracking the most popular songs on TikTok. It contains valuable information, such as the most followed accounts, trending hashtags, and growing sounds. The data is updated daily, and you can filter results by region and date.
Enhance Your Content With Captions
Trending sounds help you build connections with viewers, increasing engagement, reach, and virality.
Captions has everything you need to create and edit captivating TikTok videos. Create custom royalty-free tracks from over 50 genres, moods, and themes — no music skills required. Generate trending sounds for commercial use and give your content a unique flair.
After finding the perfect songs, use Captions’ other features like background noise removal, automatic captions, and AI avatars to polish your posts. Whether you’re a new or experienced creator, Captions saves you time in the editing room.
FAQs
How Do You Save Sounds on TikTok?
There are various ways to save sounds on TikTok, such as:
- On your profile — Click “Add to Favorites” to save the sound to your profile's Favorites tab.
- In a download — Copy and paste the video URL into an online sound downloader tool like MusicallyDown or SSTikTok.io.
- On a different platform — Use a third-party app like TikMate or TikTok Video Downloader to save songs in your preferred file format.
Trending sounds change often, so you should regularly edit your TikTok downloads and saved sounds to keep up with what’s popular.
How Do You See What’s Trending on TikTok?
There are many ways to find trending audio on TikTok using the platform's internal features or third-party apps and resources. Options include:
- TikTok’s search function
- TikTok’s FYP
- TikTok’s sound library
- TikTok’s Creative Center
- Spotify
- YouTube
- Billboard charts
- Tokboard
- TokChart
How Do You Check for Copyrighted Sounds on TikTok?
TikTok offers a feature that allows you to check for copyrighted sounds before you create a post. To turn on this feature, you must:
- Open the menu — Click the three horizontal lines in the upper right-hand corner of your TikTok profile.
- Select the tool — Choose “Creator tools” at the bottom of the screen.
- Turn on the feature — Tap “Video sound copyright check” to allow TikTok to automatically check for copyrighted sounds.
Why Are Sounds Not Available for Commercial Use on TikTok?
TikTok launched the Commercial Music Library for business account users in 2020 to avoid potential copyright issues. As of 2020, business accounts on TikTok need to have the proper license to use sounds commercially. All the sounds in the Commercial Music Library are precleared for commercial use, making them safe for business accounts.
If you use original sounds or music outside the Commercial Music Library, you must agree to TikTok’s Music Usage Confirmation if the content disclosure setting is turned on. By accepting, you confirm that you’ve not used any copyrighted sounds in your videos and own the proper licenses.