How To Find Trending Audio & Music on Instagram

Using popular sounds in your Instagram posts can help you connect with more viewers, boost your content’s visibility, and grow your audience. Since these trends constantly change, it’s important to know where to find the latest hits.

Read on to discover more about the benefits of using trending audio on Instagram and learn where to find it.

What’s Trending Audio on Instagram?

Trending audio refers to popular music tracks or sounds that gain momentum across the platform. Typically, these sounds fall into one of two categories: music and quotes. New music releases, classic hits, or even TV theme songs have gone viral in the past. For quotes, people typically lip-synch to funny audio clips and include captions on the screen.

When sounds go viral, they often stem from creators with large platforms making videos that perform well. Other influencers then use these sounds to create Instagram Reels with the hopes of going viral.

How To Find Trending Audio on Instagram

Here are some simple ways to discover the best songs for Instagram Reels:

• Explore the Reels audio library — When creating a new Reel, click the music note icon to check out Instagram's audio library. The app marks trending sounds with an arrow, and you can see how popular they are by checking the number of Reels currently using that sound.
• Follow popular creators — Keep an eye on influencers you love, especially if they’re in your niche. These creators often use trending audio early, giving you a heads-up on what’s becoming popular.
• Use hashtags — Search for hashtags like #TrendingAudio and #PopularSongs to quickly find what's hot at the moment.
• Check the Explore Page — Instagram’s Explore Page is full of popular content, so it’s a great place to find new ideas.
• Get inspiration from TikTok — Many trends start on TikTok and make their way to Instagram, so keep an eye on both platforms to see what’s taking off.
• Follow audio-focused accounts — Some Instagram accounts specialize in highlighting the latest trending sounds, so following them can keep you in the loop.

Why Does Using Trending Audio Matter?

Adding trending Reels songs to your posts offers the following benefits.

Better Algorithm Performance

Although audio isn’t the primary way Instagram’s algorithm ranks content, the platform does take music and sounds into account. 

To better understand the content, Instagram reviews music choices alongside a post’s visuals and popularity. Then, it shows that video to people who’ve interacted with similar posts in the past. So, since many users engage with trending audio, using popular sounds can increase the number of people seeing your video.

Improved Discoverability

Along with the algorithm benefits, Instagram offers another interesting way for viewers to find your content through popular audio. People can click the trending Instagram song’s thumbnail in the bottom-right corner of the app to see a list of other videos that have used the same sound, so they might see your post in this gallery. 

Strengthened Community Alignment

Trending audio on social media helps people feel connected by creating shared experiences. It’s a fun way for users to interact as they put their twist on the sound while still being part of the bigger trend. Plus, these sounds already have a built-in fanbase, so adding them to your content makes it more likely to attract folks who enjoy the audio. 

Higher Retention Rates

Using popular audio tracks in your content helps you connect with your audience, as familiar sounds can trigger recognition and nostalgia. When you add these sounds to your videos, people may be more inclined to watch your entire post to enjoy the audio. This increases your engagement, which signals to Instagram that your video is worth promoting further.

Maximize Your Reels’ Impact With Captions

Adding trending audio to your post can help it stand out, but your videos need to be high-quality to keep audiences engaged. 

That’s where Captions comes in — our AI tools can significantly boost the impact of your Instagram Reels. By automating captions, removing background noise, and streamlining the editing process, Captions makes it easier to create professional-level content that resonates with your audience.

Start using Captions to elevate your Instagram content today.

FAQs

How Do You Create Your Own Audio for Reels?

Adding your own audio to Instagram Reels can enhance your content's appeal. Start by preparing high-quality audio, using a good microphone if possible. Ensure the audio file is in a format compatible with Instagram, like MP3 or MP4, and trim it to the desired length. To add it to your Reel, simply select the audio from your gallery and use it as the background sound. 

After sharing your Reel, the audio becomes available for future use by you and others, so name it clearly for easy discovery. Encourage engagement by inviting followers to use your audio, potentially sparking a trend.

How Do You Change Audio on Instagram Reels After Posting?

Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t currently allow you to change the audio of a Reel once you’ve posted it. If you’re not happy with the music or sound you used, your only option is to delete the Reel and start over. 

To switch the audio, you’d need to remove the original post, re-edit your video with the new sound, and then upload it again.

Can Business Accounts Use Trending Songs?

Business accounts on Instagram face limitations when using copyrighted music, making it tricky to tap into popular songs for content. To work around this, Instagram offers a library of royalty-free music specifically for business accounts. While this collection ensures businesses can use music without worrying about copyright issues, it doesn’t include trending songs that might give content that viral boost.

Even though access to popular music is restricted, businesses still have creative options. For instance, Captions' AI Music feature allows you to generate custom royalty-free tracks that suit your content. This means you can add unique, engaging soundtracks to your Instagram Reels without breaking copyright rules.