Happy summer 2024 from RAC! We’re back with our How to Go Viral series, bringing you the hottest trending summer TikTok sounds to boost your engagement. There are so many ways to get eyes on your music, and this month, we’re focusing on using trending sounds to draw people to your page – and in turn, showcase your music.
Using popular sounds to express your personality can help people discover you as an individual and understand your taste, branding, or aesthetic! If you’re on the fence about making content that isn’t strictly your music, remember that one viral video can create a waterfall effect where TikTok pushes your other content thanks to its algorithm. Plus, it’s fun to try something different! Let’s dive in.
It’s a brat summer…
Featured sounds to try:
Any Charli XCX-coded sound
We can’t talk about viral summer sounds without bringing up Charli XCX. Her album BRAT has taken over the internet and our FYP. Some top trends to try featuring viral sounds from Charli’s album are:
- The Apple dance using Charli XCX’s song “Apple”
This is a fairly simple dance to learn (coming from someone with no rhythm!), and you can use it to promote whatever you want, like an upcoming show, a cute outfit, a song you want people to pre-save, or just for fun!
- 365 x Femininominon (original sound by Adam Wright)
Producer/DJ Adam Wright took two summer 2024 anthems, “365” by Charli XCX, and “Femininomenon” by Chappell Roan, and created an epic mashup that has been going viral on TikTok. Use this sound to share festival BTS, day-in-the-life content, or to inspire your own summer 2024 mashup! You never know, the artists themselves might even repost it.
- I’m Charli XCX and this is what’s in my bag… (original sound by champagnemami)
This viral sound of Charli XCX showing British Vogue what she keeps in her purse is used by TikTokers to show us what’s in their “bag”. You can be original with this! Your bag could be your pedal board case to showcase your guitar pedals or your show day bag as a touring musician – anything can become unique to you if you get creative with it.
Okay, moving on from Charli and BRAT fandom!
Show us your artist looks!
Featured sound to try:
“Original Sound” by kasane teto
43.8k posts
TikTok users are currently using this sound to show off their style while doing the associated arm swing and wobble! Most users add text on the video that says “This trend but with {insert whatever you want here}”. For example, “This trend but with my favourite dresses” or “This trend, but I’m a guy who only buys women’s clothes.” Why not make it artist-themed and show us what you would wear on stage or in a music video?
Use trending sounds creatively!
Featured sound to try:
“DEVIL IS A LIE” – Tommy Richman
155.4k posts
If you spend time on TikTok, you’ve probably heard “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” by Tommy Richman. The viral musician is back with another trending song this summer, “DEVIL IS A LIE”. Some ways to utilize the viral nature of this track (or others like it): use it in your music content, like in a “songs released you should listen to” video, a creative video that shows off your skills, or even a funny video to get more reach.
To find more viral sounds, check the TikTok Viral Sounds page for inspiration.
Bonus tip: utilize the Creator Search Insights Content Gap feature!
If you don’t already know about this powerful hack, the Creator Search Insights “Content Gap” feature on TikTok is designed to help users identify trending topics and content opportunities. This new feature analyzes what popular creators are posting about and highlights trending topics that users are searching for on TikTok with a lack of associated created content. If you’re wondering what people are currently interested in seeing on the app, the “Content Gap” answers that question for you!
Here’s how to find it:
- Search for “Creator Search Insights” in your home page search bar on TikTok
Make sure you select the tool (first option in the photo below) and not the Creator Search Insights TikTok page itself.
- Select the “Content Gap” tab
On the main page, you’ll see insights on what’s trending. If you click the “Content Gap” tab, that’s where you can see trending topics that are underutilized.
- Click on the topics to check out some of the trends, sounds, and their insights.
On this page, you can save the sounds for later, view insights, check out related searches, or click “Create” to use the sound right away.
- Pick one you like, and create your own content!
The Creator Search Insights “Content Gap” was created to empower TikTok creators with data-driven insights to help them create more relevant and engaging content that resonates with their audience and capitalizes on emerging trends. So if you ever feel uninspired and need some topic ideas, this is a very useful tool!
That’s all for this month! Head to TikTok and give some of the featured sounds in this article a whirl, or check out the Creator Search Insights page to see trending topics and plan your next video! For more viral content creation tips, check out our last few articles in the series like Multilingual Multiverse, or Juno-Nominated Women.
Happy brat summer to all who celebrate!
Written by Maya Malkin
Illustration by Holly Li
