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TikTok charts this week: 13 December 2021
TikTok’s notoriety for its acceleration of trend cycles is reaching new heights, with much of the current popular audio harking back to the early days of last year. Perhaps it’s the new restrictions and looming threat of lockdown causing a nostalgic resurgence of many of 2020’s viral TikTok songs. Gwen Stefani’s ‘Bubble Gum Electric’ is once again a staple of the FYP, alongside ‘I Love You So’ by the Walters and ‘The Boy is Mine’ by Brandy and Monica.
But the possibility of yet more time indoors invites an influx of new users to soundtrack the gloom of modern life with the never-ending stream of trending songs. The past two weeks have seen yet another career launched, the resurrection of chart music of years gone by, and leaked songs enjoying more fame than ever intended. Time goes fast on TikTok (and not just from the endless scrolling…)
Emmy Meli - I AM WOMAN
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@emmymelimusic “I AM WOMAN” I write the best sh!t when I ain’t trying hahaha #fyp #singer #iamwoman #original #myfinALLYmoment
♬ I AM WOMAN - ❦ emmy meli ❦
In 2008 a 14-year-old Justin Bieber rose to fame with his full-length, camcorder-quality covers. Now, a 20-second looped video catapults wannabe songwriters to international fame, often leaving them to scramble to build a full song around their viral segment, before momentum dies.
The latest example of the internet musician to tangible success pipeline is Emmy Meli, whose life has been transformed since releasing ‘I AM WOMAN’ in late November. She’s since quit the two jobs she was working just weeks ago, and the track is creeping into the UK Top 100.
The song exists as TikTok’s unofficial anthem for femininity, 20-year-old Emmy’s bold vocals setting the manifesto for self-love. However, it’s not the official audio bombarding everyone’s FYP, but Emmy’s lo-fi, iPhone recorded version, proving that intimacy and DIY continue to thrive on the platform.
Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me (Dirty Version)
@godisariana inspo by @agsswt - 58 days till christmas 🎄 #arianagrande #santatellme #christmas #58daystillchristmas #foryoupage #foryou #fyp
♬ original sound - ariana grande
Though the likes of Ed Sheeran, Elton John, and LadBaby are contending for this year’s Christmas Number 1, none have captured the attention of TikTok like Ariana Grande and her 2014 single ‘Santa Tell Me’. But it’s the ‘dirty version’ of the bridge trending that, upon first listen, prompts concern you’re experiencing a Mandela effect.
This version, which features the lyrics “I wanna let him unwrap me”, was released exclusively as part of the Christmas and Chill EP vinyl five years ago, making its TikTok debut in time for the festive season. Ironically for an app that enforces strict censorship, it’s adopted the status as this year’s Christmas anthem, in favour of the PG-friendly original.
Olly Murs - Dance With Me Tonight
@madonna Christmas with the fam💚❤️💚❤️💚
♬ Dance with Me Tonight - Olly Murs
The last two years have undoubtedly dented our concept of normality, as we’ve watched society disintegrate and become accustomed to an unrelenting sense of dystopian dread. Hence why it’s almost unsurprising to see Madonna dancing to an Olly Murs single from 2011, dressed as an elf—truly anything can happen.
The credit goes to users ‘emandloz’, who posted their living-room choreographed dance routine to the song in late November. The video has since reached over 17 million views and single-handily triggered the triumphant resurgence of a song that left the charts almost a decade ago.
Lana Del Rey - Meet Me In The Pale Moonlight
@koyadotcom ♬ original sound - .
Written for her Born To Die album and then scrapped, ‘Meet Me In The Pale Moonlight’ was leaked online in 2014, where it enjoyed popularity among Tumblr users for the retro lyricism and dreamy aesthetic. TikTok likes it because of the lyric “When you gonna ditch that stupid bitch you got? It’s me you should be seeing”. It’s easy to forget this is a platform riddled with teen angst until a lyric like this goes viral.
Azealia Banks - 212 x Hung Up Mashup
@sophianicole02 Hung up x 212 official audio #fyp #femaledj #house
♬ Hung Up x 212 Sophia Nicole Remix - Sophia
Turning 10 last week, Azealia Banks’s magnum opus '212' is constantly relevant. The word ‘iconic’ has since lost meaning, but there’s no denying this song and music video had an immense impact on pop culture upon release. It’s an era-defining classic that would be as at home on any party playlist today as it was a decade ago.
But that doesn’t stop users from attempting to reinvent the song. First, there was a questionable collision of '212' and 'Heaven or Las Vegas' by the Cocteau Twins which dominated moody wintery outfit videos. Now, DJ Sophia Nicole has fused the song with 'Hung Up' by Madonna, birthing a chaotic remix that actually kind of works.
Sales - Pope is a Rockstar
@rekahlo #fyp #ShareTheMagic look up the lyrics🤦🏽♂️
♬ Pope is a rockstar for all you guys - Big Daddy Jay
A case of misheard lyrics has Sale’s 2016 song circulating TikTok, with users mistaking ‘“Pope is a rockstar” for “Go little rockstar”. This spurred perhaps the most wholesome trend of the year, that sees users boast their 2021 accomplishments while departing a shred of encouragement to others.
Though attempts have been made to set the record straight, with the original audio re-named to establish the correct lyrics, users are choosing to ignore it. The sombre tone of a break-up song is absent from TikTok’s interpretation, which re-imagines the lyrics as their personal indie-pop cheerleader.
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