Year on TikTok 2022: The biggest music and artists in 2022
Year on TikTok is the short-form video platform’s fifth annual round-up of the top videos and trends in the US and around the world in 2022.
Below, we dive into the three music related categories that defined TikTok and wider music culture: The Playlist, The Hitmakers and Emerging Artists. Find all ten categories in TikTok’s full article here. Check out 2021’s Year on TikTok here.
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We’re honored to celebrate our global community who shaped this year’s trends, shared new ideas, learned from one another, and turned their passions into careers and livelihoods throughout 2022. It’s been truly inspiring to see over a billion people around the world show their creativity and come together to experience joy and find a sense of belonging on TikTok.
Vanessa Pappas, Chief Operating Officer, TikTok
People flock to TikTok to be entertained, but so much everyday magic transcends the platform; establishing careers, building brands, and opening the door to real, tangible success. This year’s recap encompasses the many paths to discovery that help us enrich our lives with creative learnings. Congratulations to all the creators, artists, and small businesses featured in this report, and thank you to our community for making 2022 a momentous year!
Marisa Hammonds, North America GM, TikTok
The Playlist are the ten new and classic tracks making it big on TikTok, both in the US and around the world in 2022, from breakthrough, emerging and established artists.
United States
1. “Sunroof” – Nicky Youre & dazy
Hummable, breezy brilliance from a talented duo, originally released via SoundOn
This flex-heavy hit had us all feeling ourselves throughout 2022
3. “Ginseng Strip 2002” – Yung Lean
Trends come and go, but this melody stuck with us all year
The “Queen of TikTok” continues her reign 👑
5. “Just a Cloud Away” – Pharrell Williams
There were no clouds in the sky when this feather-light 2015 hit trended this year
This TV-to-TikTok song helped inject some drama into our lives
TikTok continues to catch a vibe, as another 2015 song resurges
8. “Jiggle Jiggle” – Duke & Jones & Louis Theroux
From an almost forgotten rap recited at a chicken shop, to TikTok, to the pop charts
9. “BILLIE EILISH.” – Armani White
This N.O.R.E.-sampling smash helped Armani White earn his first Hot 100 hit and a Def Jam deal
10. “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” – Kate Bush
TikTok played a crucial role in elevating this 1985 classicto the Hot 100
Around the world
1. “Ginseng Strip 2002” – Yung Lean
Trends come and go, but this melody stuck with us all year
2. “Sunroof” – Nicky Youre & dazy
Hummable, breezy brilliance from a talented duo, originally released via SoundOn
4. “Beat Automotivo Tan Tan Tan Viral” – WZ Beat
Baile funk meets background music for this self-fulfilling prophecy
5. “Cool for the Summer” – Demi Lovato
It was a sped-up summer on TikTok
6. “Jiggle Jiggle” – Duke & Jones & Louis Theroux
From an almost forgotten rap recited at a chicken shop, to TikTok, to the pop charts
7. “Me Porto Bonito” – Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone
The most popular of El Conejo’s many trending songs in 2022
The “Queen of TikTok” continues her reign 👑
This flex-heavy hit had us all feeling ourselves throughout 2022
10. “Una Noche En Medellín” – Cris Mj
The biggest hit in a big year for regional Latin music on TikTok
These are the biggest artists in the US that took over For You feeds and the charts, with the most video views.
The self-proclaimed “Queen” loves TikTok and TikTok loves her back
Bella continued to “build” in 2022, releasing her debut EP
It was definitely not Un Verano Sin Bad Bunny, as several songs from his smash hit album trended this year
What if there was a song…
Another massive year for Doja Cat, who sampled Elvis and collabed with Post Malone
She used TikTok to introduce the world to her friends and family and show off her favorite memes
The 19-year-old singer took us behind the scenes of the life of a burgeoning superstar
The proud Minnesotan elevated his game this year, scoring a major hit with “Betty (Get Money)”
Uses her account to show off her irreverent personality (and sterling singing voice)
The hitmaker “made us look” with glimpses into her personal life
As so many now have, below are ten artists who came up on TikTok in the US and grew across platforms, featuring on the charts and even the Grammy Awards.
The Bronx baddie served up hits like “Munch (Feelin U)” and her fans on TikTok ate them for lunch.
Steve Lacy scored one of the biggest TikTok hits of 2022 with the addictive “Bad Habit.”
Country fans on TikTok fell in love with Zimmerman, who elevated from the auto bodyshop to the CMAs this year
JVKE wowed fans, onlookers, and piano teachers on TikTok and beyond with his emotional hit “Golden Hour”
The “STARS” aligned for Benson Boone, whose winning charm and golden pipes earned him 3.3 million followers
Let’s gooooooo! Memphis’ GloRilla had the rap song of the summer with the Hitkidd-produced “F.N.F.”
Big Latto grew a big fanbase (6.6M followers) with her big personality and “Big Energy”
The Mexican-American singer deserves all the plaudits that came his way after the TikTok-trending “Evergreen” became his first-ever Hot 100 hit
TikTok listened to Muni Long’s breakout hit for “Hrs and Hrs,” driving it to the Billboard Top 20
He showed off his silky smooth vocals on his ballad “Sun and Moon” (678k video creations) en route to 80+ million streams.
Did you know RouteNote work with TikTok to help hundreds of thousands of artists get their own music on to the short-form platform and start distributing for free? Find full details by clicking here.