How TikTok Is Reviving Timeless Tracks: Top Trending Tracks From 2024
In 2024, the social media giant TikTok has become a crucial platform for shaping music trends, allowing artists, both new and old, to reach audiences worldwide. While this year saw Gen Z embracing the chaotic and vibrant spirit of Charli XCX’s album Brat, a quieter yet intriguing trend has emerged on the platform: the resurgence of older tracks.
Songs from past decades are experiencing a significant revival, becoming an integral part of TikTok’s soundtrack as users increasingly raid music catalogues from yesteryear.
Despite the vast array of contemporary music available to soundtrack the ever-popular short videos on TikTok, users have been revisiting tracks from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s. This year, the first time since TikTok started tracking the trends, older music tracks by Bronski Beat, Sade, and Alphaville have dominated the platform.
In fact, a recent report reveals that 19 of the 50 most popular songs on British TikTok this year were from back catalogues, a significant jump from just 8 in 2021. The trend is not limited to the UK – globally, 20 of the top 50 songs are from older records.
The German synth-pop band Alphaville’s 1980s hit Forever Young has particularly resonated with TikTok creators all over the world. The nostalgic anthem has been used in different challenges and creative video concepts, reviving it to a new generation of young people. It is not just popular songs that are being rediscovered, but even lesser-known ones are getting a chance at exposure through TikTok.
For instance, Harness Your Hopes B-side by the indie rock band Pavement has seen a revival across the platform, with some 220,000 posts for it.
Champagne Coast is one other popular song that made the trend within this list, a track created by British artist Devonté Hynes who was signed to the record label with the name Blood Orange in 2011. However, it had been most popular this year and peaking at position 16 in the UK charts after its use in more than 1.1 million TikTok videos. Mainly, these were popular visual content pieces and a story of a relationship involving tears.
Other older catalogue songs also make a mark. The 1984 anthem Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat became a go-to favorite for TikTok dances that encourage parents to recapture their ’80s dance moves. Similarly, Kiss of Life by Sade, released in 1993, remains the timeless classic, with the aesthetic appeal inspiring thousands of TikTok videos under the hashtag #sadegirl.
The trend also indicates the diversity of music now circulating through TikTok. Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, a hit in 1974, is back, with couples using the track to demonstrate their love and show how ‘cute’ their relationships are. These old songs are getting new life in fresh and unexpected ways.
Toyin Mustapha, TikTok’s Head of Music Partnerships for the UK and Ireland, explained that TikTok has democratized the music industry by providing equal exposure to both newer releases and older tracks. “Older tracks and new releases are given the same amount of love by the TikTok community,” Mustapha said. It means that artists are able to discover new audiences at any stage in their careers, and it has helped bring back some of the music industry’s past gems.
Six of the top ten back catalogue tracks on TikTok this year were from the last century, further proving that older music still resonates with today’s youth. These songs are often featured in creative video challenges, which are a staple of the TikTok experience. Forever Young was particularly popular for the water bottle challenge, while Smalltown Boy became the soundtrack for nostalgic dance challenges.
Here are the top older tracks that have been seen on TikTok this year, with each song being more than five years old.
Blood Orange – Champagne Coast (2011)
1.1 million posts
A visually striking track that is often paired with relationship and personal stories.
Alphaville – Forever Young (1984)
458,000 posts
A nostalgic favorite for challenges and creative content.
Redbone – Come and Get Your Love (1974)
386,000 posts
A time classic for all that has to do with love and tenderness between youths.
Tom Odell – Another Love (2012)
238,000 posts
The song is still quite trending on TikTok as one of the favorites.
Pavement – Harness Your Hopes (1999)
219,000 posts
This is an unusual song from Pavement but sure has made an entrance in TikTok.
Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten (2004)
207,000 posts
Pop anthem that came back to relevance with its featuring in a 2023 romantic comedy.
Christina Aguilera – Genie in a Bottle (1999)
207,000
The song has become a staple in any snack-themed challenge.
Sade – Kiss of Life (1993)
194,000
There’s still so much class and beauty in the sound of Sade, and TikTok can attest to this.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Murder on the Dancefloor (2001)
191,000
It’s in Saltburn, but in fact, it’s very well-known, thanks to how well it went viral in itself.
The Fray – Look After You (2005)
188,000
This is a beautiful power ballad that sparked tons of TikTok covers.
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