As the home of music discovery, in 2025 TikTok has once again inspired global music trends, written the first chapter of countless artist success stories, and launched viral songs which have gone on to achieve chart success and shaped culture the world over.
In 2025 TikTok and its community of over a billion music fans have proven once again that music starts on TikTok, with TiKTok providing the launchpad for the careers of a host of amazing new artists, including Alex Warren, Ravyn Lenae, sombr and Lola Young.
TikTok has also continued to (re)introduce us to older songs in 2025, with audiences discovering the likes of Breakin’ Dishes by Rihanna, Let Down by Radiohead, and Rock That Body by the Black Eyed Peas, with the community often hearing them – and then streaming them – for the first time, thanks to TikTok.
Today, TikTok is pleased to reveal the most popular artists, songs, trends and musical moments among the global TikTok community in 2025.
TikTok’s Global Artist of the Year – KATSEYE
TikTok’s Global Artist of the Year is KATSEYE (15m followers), the Los Angeles-based girl group that is taking over the world. With members hailing from the U.S., South Korea, Switzerland and the Philippines, they are a truly global act, and are popular with TikTok fans worldwide.
Despite only forming in 2023, the group has become one of the biggest bands in the world, with over 30 billion views and 12m creations using their music on TikTok this year, and have recently been nominated for their first two Grammy Awards, as well as the TikTok Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
KATSEYE had multiple viral music moments this year, including with Gnarly, thanks to its infectious lyrics and a global dance trend spearheaded by the group. K-Pop superstars LE SSERAFIM, TOMORROW x TOGETHER and ENHYPEN jumped on the trend, as did Camila Cabelo, driving 2.4m creations and 13.5bn views, giving them their first ever entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
‘Gabriela’ also sparked a huge dance trend, going viral with 2.8m creations and 9.9bn video views on TikTok, going on to become a global commercial hit, reaching #7 in the Global Top 50 on Spotify, and being nominated for the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy Award.
KATSEYE were at the heart of another cultural moment when their collaboration with Gap – soundtracked by Milkshake by Kelis – went viral on TikTok, with the community recreating their now iconic dance from the ad. This clip alone has now driven 151m views – including renditions by Charli D’Amelio and Sienna Mae.
On learning that they are TikTok’s Global Artist of the Year, 2025, KATSEYE commented: “We had an unforgettable year on TikTok, and it was all because of the EYEKONS who showed up for us every single day. You turned our songs, our moments, and our chaos into something truly global, and we are so grateful for this community.”
TikTok’s UK Song of 2025 – ‘Hold My Hand’ by Jess Glynne
A decade after its release, Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne became one of the defining cultural moments of 2025 on TikTok, first crowned both the UK and Global Song of the Summer, and now officially the UK Song of the Year. Propelled by the ‘Nothing Beats a Jet2 holiday’ trend which exploded in popularity, the song sparked a wave of travel edits, celebratory reunions and feel-good POVs that dominated For You Feeds throughout the year. The TikTok community embraced Hold My Hand as their go-to soundtrack for holiday anticipation and shared moments, helping reintroduce the 2015 hit to millions of new listeners.
When asked about being crowned TikTok’s UK Song of the Year, Jess Glynne said: “Hold My Hand is an incredibly special song to me. When I released it in 2015, I hoped it would resonate with people the same way it did with me when we created it. I always knew there was something special about it. Melodically it’s instantly uplifting and catchy, but at its heart, the lyrics are powerful, they are about connection. When you feel alone or vulnerable, or scared or insecure sometimes all it takes is one person to reach out and show they’re there. ‘Darling hold my hand’ is as powerful as it is simple and can mean something different to everyone, but ultimately it’s about showing up for one another. The Jet2 campaign has brought a really fun, light-hearted twist to the song, and seeing it become TikTok’s song of 2025 ten years after its release has been incredible. It breathed new life into it, and I’m so grateful to see a wave of a new audience now connect with it and learn more about the song, and me. I am incredibly grateful for the journey this song is on.”
TiKTok’s Top 10 Global Artists 2025
TikTok’s Global Song of 2025 – ‘Pretty Little Baby’ by Connie Francis
More than six decades after its original release in 1962, Pretty Little Baby by the late, great Connie Francis found a new generation of global fans after becoming one of the most viral songs of the year on TikTok.
The TikTok community embraced the track in their millions, using the sound in over 28.4m times as the perfect soundtrack for wholesome videos featuring family, pets, relationships and flowers, leading to over 68.6bn views. Kylie Jenner’s video with her daughter Stormi has been viewed over 132m times alone.
Connie Francis was a huge success in the 1950s and 1960s, with hits including ‘Who’s Sorry Now,’ ‘Stupid Cupid,’ and ‘Lipstick on Your Collar’, and was the first woman ever to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. However, following its viral moment on TikTok, it was ‘Pretty Little Baby’ that became Connie Francis’ most-streamed song, with over 130m streams on Spotify, spending five weeks on the Billboard Global 200 chart and four weeks on the UK Official Chart this year.
Connie Francis was delighted by her late-stage career renaissance thanks to TikTok, and even joined the platform in 2025 as a result of Pretty Little Baby going viral.
In her first post on TikTok, Connie Francis said: “I’m flabbergasted and excited about the huge buzz my 1962 recording of pretty little baby is making all over the world. To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is captivating new generations of audiences is truly overwhelming for me. Thank you TikTok.”
