The trends and tracks that start on TikTok often go on to become worldwide sensations. Even unknown songs become heavy hitters once TikTok popularizes them, boosting their audience immeasurably via the video-sharing app.
A number of popular sounds and songs have become instantly recognizable thanks to the TikTok treatment, worming their way into our ears and taking up residence there for any number of weeks and months. While some of the sounds that purchase real estate in our brains do so because they’re annoying or jarring, most remain forever in our memories due to their unforgettable natures.
The best sounds on TikTok
There are far too many audio options on TikTok to possibly sort through them all. Not even the most avid user has managed to track down each and every audio clip and song excerpt, which is thoroughly unsurprising given the massive number of new audio uploads the app receives on the daily. That said, here are a few that we think rank among the very best.
“Working is just not my top priority”
This little gem comes from a 2020 episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. In a conversation between Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe, the eldest Kardashian daughter explains that “we all have different priorities,” but that, for Kourtney, “working is just not my top priority.”
There’s no need to explain why this sound is so popular. All of us wish that working could be lower on our list of priorities, but most people don’t have that privilege. So we grind on and make funny TikToks pretending that we live an easygoing Kardashian lifestyle. More than 8,500 TikToks currently utilize this sound.
“Don’t be suspicious”
This may be the best TikTok audio of all time. Taken from an episode of NBC’s Parks and Recreation, the clip features Mona-Lisa and Jean-Ralphio Saperstein as they sing a weird and hilarious song in an attempt to avoid suspicion. The sound has been used in an utterly massive number of TikToks since it appeared on the platform. The video honestly doesn’t need to make any sense in conjunction with the audio — the sound clip is that good. It’s funny in literally any context, which is probably why it’s been used more than 728,000 times over its lifespan on the app.
“Oh No”
Even people who have never spent a day on TikTok will recognize this sound. That’s because it’s been used a whopping 19.3 million times on the app, soundtracking hundreds of thousands of different videos. Taken from Kreepa’s “Oh No,” this clip is a perfect match for so many kinds of content. It commonly provides background music to fail videos, as well as documentation of people coming to a sudden realization. But it honestly works with far more videos, from pranks to crazy Karen clips.
“Spongebob tomfoolery”
Far from the first audio to be inspired by Nickelodeon’s popular series, “Spongebob tomfoolery” has been one of TikTok’s most popular sounds for months. It never really disappears from “For You” pages thanks to its general versatility. Because this song isn’t overly specific in tone, it suits pretty much any kind of video you can imagine. It has provided excellent background music for over 5.7 million videos so far.
“Monkeys spinning monkeys”
You may not recognize its name, but you’ve definitely heard this audio before. It’s an enduring favorite among TikTok users, appearing on almost any user’s page at least once or twice. Like “Spongebob tomfoolery,” it’s extremely versatile, which helps the sound to maintain its popularity far past other TikTok tracks. Created by Kevin MacLeod and Kevin the Monkey, this audio is a great length for TikTok. Most clips using it are under 20 seconds long, which provides enough time for users to share a video, but doesn’t give them time to linger on unnecessary details.
“Bored in the house”
This sound, which initially cropped up in early March of 2020, became one of the pandemic’s first-ever anthems. It was casually recorded by user @curtisroach as he endured yet another dull day of quarantine and soon became one of the most popular pieces of audio on the app. Like so many other songs on this list, this one works with almost any kind of video. The original upload has been used more than 3.3 million times and dozens of imitations also litter the app. It’s perfectly suited to people dancing around in their pajamas, but it might be even better paired with all the weird shit we do when we think we’re alone.
“Edamame”
bbno$’s unbelievably catchy “edamame,” featuring Rich Brian, took over TikTok over the latter months of 2021. Its contagious tempo suits videos of pretty much every stripe, but works best with quick, snappy dance clips. The audio’s been used in 563,800 TikToks so far and its latest upload only hit the platform less than a week ago. Its enduring popularity on the app displays how much social media can boost the lifespan of a trend.
“I’m a snake”
Some of TikTok’s weirdest sounds are also some of its best. Such is certainly the case with creator @marco2487’s beautifully strange “I’m a snake” audio, which simply proclaims, in a playful, goofy voice, that “I’m a snake.” The audio has been used in more than 12,000 TikToks so far and has been replicated and remixed a number of times. It’s the perfect TikTok audio. The clip most people use is short — only 10 seconds long — thus forcing any videos using it to likewise remain brief. It’s silly and fun and brightens any video it accompanies.
“Twinnem”
“Twinnem” by Coi Leray inspired a trend that emphasizes collaboration, urging creators all over TikTok to combine their talents. The quick, snappy shifts in tempo make for perfect cuts in the resulting videos, many of which feature real life twins. Even when they don’t, TikToks leaning into the “Twinning” audio are rarely solo events. The audio, which has been used 1.5 million creators so far, is almost exclusively used in dual-person uploads.
“Yoncé”
The song behind TikTok’s popular “drop challenge” — “Yoncé” by Queen Bey herself — is a straight-up banger. It inspired the popular challenge when Atsuko Okatsuka decided to use the song as a soundtrack for a series of impressive squats. The rest is history. The song quickly became the soundtrack to a massive TikTok challenge, appearing in more than 215,000 videos.