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  • Pretty Little Baby by Connie Francis is TikTok's Global Song of the Year
  • Taylor Swift was the Global Most-Saved Artist in 2025
  • Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne is TikTok's UK Song of the Year
  • KATSEYE is TikTok's Global Artist of the Year 
  • Anxiety by Doechii is TikTok's Music Trend of the Year
  • In 2025, 8 out of the 10 Billboard #1s in 2025 had a TikTok viral moment first
  • In 2025, all 13 UK #1s on the Official Charts had a viral moment on TikTok
 

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 WarrenRavyn Lenaesombr 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 RihannaLet 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 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 SSERAFIMTOMORROW 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."
 
 
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."
 
 
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 familypetsrelationships 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."
 
 
TikTok's Top 10 US Songs of 2025
  1. Pretty Little Baby - Connie Francis
  2. Hold My Hand - Jess Glynne
  3. WHIM WHAMMIE - PLUTO & YKNIECE
  4. Rock That Body - Black Eyed Peas
  5. Doot Doot (6 7) - Skrilla
  6. We Hug Now - Sydney Rose
  7. No One Noticed - The Marias
  8. Bunna Summa - BunnaB
  9. Anxiety - Doechii
  10. Love Me Not - Ravyn Lenae
 
TikTok's Most-Saved Music of 2025 via 'Add to Music App'
TikTok makes music discovery easy for users with the Add to Music App feature, which helps users save a track or album they discover on TikTok to listen to again and again on music streaming services, such as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. TikTok can reveal today that Add to Music App has now been used to save over 3 billion songs to music streaming services, generating billions more streams and driving music into the charts worldwide.
Today, TikTok can reveal that Taylor Swift was the GlobalMost-Saved Artist in 2025 using Add to Music App on TikTok, in a year in which she stunned the world with the release, The Life of a Showgirl. Unsurprisingly, the global community of Swifties on TikTok saved the new album in their millions - both pre-saving it in advance of launch, and saving it upon release - streaming it again and again on music streaming services from the very moment it was available.
The GlobalMost-Saved Track in 2025 was sombr's 'back to friends', which was used in over 7.7m creations and 21.7bn video views, and now has over 1.1bn streams on Spotify, joining the prestigious Spotify Billions Club in Octobersombr has been a true TikTok success story, with 'back to friends' first going viral on the platform in early 2025, fuelling its streaming explosion globally, and giving sombr his first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100, and now a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
The Global Most-Saved Album was Tate McRae's 'So Close To What', which was released in February, and debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Tate McRae is another TikTok success story, with her single 'Greedy' going viral on TikTok in 2023, and supercharging her career. She now has over 13.5m followers on TikTok, and over 54m monthly listeners on Spotify. 
 
TikTok's Music Trend of the Year - Anxiety by Doechii
'Anxiety' - which features a sample of "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye - was originally uploaded as a demo by Doechii in 2019, but was discovered by the TikTok community in 2025, who called for an official release (here is Doechii explaining the history of Anxiety). Doechii re-recorded Anxiety, which dropped in March 2025, and the rest is history. The track inspired a huge global dance trend, based on an iconic dance from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, with Will Smith recreating the dance with his original cast member Tatyana Ali, in which Doechii herself also appears.
'Anxiety' inspired one of the biggest and most iconic trends of the year on TikTok, generating 10.4m creations and 51.6bn video views, and - thanks to its popularity on TikTok - went on to be a global smash hit off platform, cracking the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100, and reaching #3 in the UK singles chart, and giving Doechii five Grammy nominations, for: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
 
TikTok's Songwriter of the Year - EJAE 
EJAE is a New York City-based songwriter, vocalist, and artist. She is the singing voice of Rumi, the leader of Huntr/x, the girl group featured in the hit movie 'KPop Demon Hunters', and co-wrote many of the songs on the biggest soundtrack of the year. 
EJAE first big breakthrough as a songwriter came in 2019 when she co-wrote 'Psycho' for Red Velvet - a track that helped cement Red Velvet's global reputation and opened the door to more high-profile collaborations. Over the following years she contributed to songs for major K-pop acts such as aespaTWICELE SSERAFIMFifty Fifty and many others. 
However, it is EJAE's work on 'KPop Demon Hunters' that has introduced her voice to the world and taken her career stratospheric. EJAE co-wrote the record-breaking single 'Golden', which has been responsible for 9.8m creations and 23.6bn views on TikTok, has topped the Billboard Hot 100 Charts, Billboard Global 200 Chart, and been streamed over a billion times on Spotify. 'KPop Demon Hunters' became the first movie soundtrack to have four songs simultaneously in the Top 10, and the soundtrack's success has helped new fans discover just how much of modern K-pop has been thanks to EJAE
 
Commenting on the Top Artists and Songs of 2025, Tracy Gardner, Global Head of Music Business Development at TikTok, said: "TikTok has become the industry's most powerful engine for music discovery, the place where beloved classics find a second life and new voices break through - particularly those of women, who dominated music on TikTok in 2025. KATSEYE became the biggest artist of the year, Connie Francis' 'Pretty Little Baby' was adopted by a new generation, EJAE shone a light on female songwriters, and Doechii went stratospheric - all thanks to the TikTok community, and the power of music discovery on the platform. TikTok connects global audiences to the artists and the music they love, and that ability to spark fandom for every kind of artist and genre is what continues to set us apart."

12 Dec 2025 | Press release

Nile Rodgers honoured with Outstanding Achievement Award at 65th MPA Christmas lunch

Iconic CHIC co-founder and global hitmaker recognised for five decades of musical innovation as the MPA celebrates a Disco-themed 2025 Christmas Lunch   The Music Publishers Association (MPA) today presented the legendary Nile Rodgers with its prestigious Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting &...more

12 Dec 2025 | Press release

FAC & Amazon Music offer a step up boost to five more UK artists

  Gigi Moss, lleo, Maya Lane, Nia Wyn and Richard Carter will all receive three days of studio time at The Breakthrough Lab - the bespoke, state-of-the-art production facility operated by Amazon Music and Metropolis Studios This expansion of Step Up Fund...more

12 Dec 2025 | Press release

‘You could go for years without knowing you can earn a penny’: Kojey Radical on songwriter royalties

Exclusive recording of 101 Part Time Jobs podcast with BRIT, Ivor Novello and Mercury Prize-nominated Kojey Radical out now.   The launch of the Livelihood campaign from PRS for Music highlights the crucial need for greater education  around live performance royalties. An...more

12 Dec 2025 | Press release

Over 137,000 Hate Crimes in England and Wales Last Year - Ask For Clive Leads the Charge Against Hate and Builds Inclusive Nightlife Spaces

  Hate crime isn’t just a statistic, it’s a harsh reality affecting thousands daily. Over 137,000 hate crimes were recorded in England and Wales last year, though the true figure is closer to 176,000. Marginalised communities, including LGBTQ+ people and disabled...more

12 Dec 2025 | Press release

rekordbox for iOS/Android now supports SpotifyDJ on mobile devices – rekordbox for Mac/Windows supported

AlphaTheta announces that its DJ application rekordbox for iOS/Android is now compatible with Spotify. Spotify is the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service, offering over 100 million tracks and billions of playlists. With this update, in addition to rekordbox for...more

12 Dec 2025 | Press release

Rebecca Allen promoted to Chief Artist and Strategy Officer at Universal Music Group UK

 ALLEN TAKES ON BRAND NEW LEADERSHIP ROLE FOLLOWING SUCCESS AT THE HELM OF EMI, DECCA, AND UMG UK’S AUDIENCE, MEDIA & STRATEGY DIVISION   Universal Music Group UK (UMG UK), the UK’s leading music company, has today announced the promotion of Rebecca...more

12 Dec 2025 | Press release

Ticket Fairy announces deal to provide millions in funding for promoters worldwide

Ticket Fairy expands global financing, unlocking funding of up to £5M in the UK, €3M across Europe and $3M in the US, for venues, festivals and events promoters   Ticket Fairy has announced a significant expansion of its global financing capabilities that...more

12 Dec 2025 | Press release

Warner Chappell unifies music publishing and production music sync teams under Rich Robinson

Well respected creative leader also adds Audio Asset team to remit   Warner Chappell Music (WCM) today announced it has unified its global sync operations, bringing its frontline, catalog, and now Production Music sync teams together under Rich Robinson, EVP, Global Synchronization and...more

12 Dec 2025 | Press release

MIT Climate Machine with support from Coldplay, Warner Music Group, Live Nation, and Hope Solutions release first ever total emissions of live music in US and UK

Findings from over 80,000 shows across the U.K. and U.S. provide a foundation to decarbonize the future of live entertainment Click HERE for the full report The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Climate Machine (formerly part of the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative) with support from Coldplay,...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

2025 Through Music Video: Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” Was the Biggest U.K. Premiere on Vevo

  Skye Newman and Olivia Dean were also among the chart newcomers in the UK on Vevo  A first for K-Pop, JENNIE’s “like JENNIE” was the most watched premiere on Vevo globally UK fans rewatch “Die With a Smile”, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”,...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

It's Beginning to Sound A Lot Like Last Year - new analysis finds Christmas music is on repeat

New study finds 63% of the songs in the 2024 Christmas Top 40 were exactly the same as the year before  In contrast no songs were repeated in any of the Christmas Top 40s between 2000 and 2005 Fairytale of New York has...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Music Studios Business Rates

The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves 11 Downing Street London SW1A 2AA Dear Chancellor, 7 December 2025 As you are doubtless aware, the United Kingdom is famous for its music industry, and part of that is being home to the finest recording studios in the...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Chancellor's budget sparks alarm as nightlife businesses say Treasury modelling fails reality, new flash poll shows

  The lights are dimming on Britain’s night-time economy. From buzzing pubs to packed music venues, local businesses are sounding the alarm after a new flash survey of 345 night-time economy businesses revealed that the Chancellor’s latest Budget will hit them...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Producer/musician/multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin signs worldwide publishing deal with Peermusic

  Global independent music publishing company, Peermusic, has signed producer, musician, and multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin to a worldwide publishing administration deal as announced today by Jamie Cerreta, President U.S. and Canada, Peermusic and Tuff Morgan, Vice President of A&R, Peermusic. Through the deal, Peermusic will also represent Terrace Martin...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Drowned in Sound Announces Partnership with Qobuz

25 year old music publication and ethical streaming platform partner to support mission-driven journalism and music discovery   Drowned in Sound, the independent music publication, podcast and online community, has today announced a new partnership with Qobuz, the independently-owned high-quality music streaming...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Saudi Arabia’s EIF and Legends Global score big joint venture announcement

  Saudi Arabia’s Event Investment Fund (EIF) and Legends Global have announced a joint venture to support the Kingdom’s vision and investment in its fast-growing venue industry.   This partnership will become the venue operator for venue projects within the Kingdom of Saudi...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Angry Mob Music Signs Foreign Sub-Publishing Agreement With D-Version Music Publishing in Greece

  Angry Mob Music, an independent music publisher boldly serving songwriters, composers, artists, and creatives, has signed a new sub-publishing agreement with D-Version Music Publishing to represent their catalog in Greece, bringing the Angry Mob Music catalog to the Greek market for...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Universal Music Group announces new UMusic shops in New York and London

Today, Universal Music Group (UMG), the world-leader in music-based entertainment has announced the launch of two UMusic Shop locations in New York and London, dedicated to reimagining the fan experience.  Each UMusic Shop offers exclusive custom collections and pieces inspired by UMG's iconic artists,...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Jeff Sosnow named President of Reprise Records

Widely admired exec takes on new role alongside his post as EVP of A&R for Warner Records   Warner Records Group today announced that Jeff Sosnow has been promoted to President, Reprise Records, in addition to continuing in his role as EVP...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Openstage Puts Artists in Control of Fan Relationships by Uniting Once Fragmented Data

Artists struggle with one basic issue: Control.  They don't know who their fans are. Even with large followings, most artists struggle to identify real fans, understand who is engaged, or build relationships over time. Fan information is scattered across ticketing platforms,...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Seventeen live music sector organisations sign open letter to UK Prime Minister calling for urgent review of Business Rates

Dear Prime Minister, We are writing on behalf of the live events sector to urge you to review the devastating, unintended consequences for live venues of changes announced to the Business Rates system at the Budget.  The combined impact of disproportionate, inappropriate,...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

Sony Music Publishing Signs Global Deal with BigXthaPlug

Sony Music Publishing today announced it has signed a global publishing deal with award-winning, multi-platinum selling breakout star BigXthaPlug. BigXthaPlug, aka Xavier Landum, has quickly established himself as one of music’s most powerful new storytellers. With an unmistakable sound that delves into...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

The Live Awards 2025 - Winners announced

The LIVE Awards 2025, which took place in association with Skiddle at The Troxy, in East London, on the evening of Wednesday 10th December, has published its full list of winners. Attended by over 500 guests including promoters, venues, agents, festivals,...more

11 Dec 2025 | Press release

IMPF Key Principles for CMO Licensing Models for Generative AI

  Generative AI is rewriting the rules of the music ecosystem, at speed and scale we have never seen before. For independent publishers and the songwriters and composers they represent, this shift brings both opportunity and profound risk. At the core...more

10 Dec 2025 | Press release

beatBread Surpasses $100 Million in Deal Funding as Company Marks its Fifth Anniversary

1700 Deals Representing 67 Billion Streams Funded,With Platform Expanding To 42 Countries    beatBread, a leader in funding for independent labels and musicians, today announced a series of major milestones that underscore its accelerating global scale and industry impact as it celebrates...more

10 Dec 2025 | Press release

BDi Music signs exclusive worldwide publishing deal with artist, producer and topliner Jack Critchlow

Critchlow has had significant support at radio at DSPs.   BDi Music has signed emerging artist, producer and topliner Jack Critchlow to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. Hailing from the North of England, 22-year-old Critchlow is one of the most exciting upcoming acts...more

10 Dec 2025 | Press release

Bucks Music Group appoints Rick Lansdell as COO alongside key promotions

Flash Taylor,  James Paterson, Rhiannon Bramley, Maria McDonald, Sevana Mehrunnesa and Andrea Loizidou all step up at independent publisher.   Bucks Music Group has announced the appointment of Rick Lansdell as the company’s Chief Operating Officer, as well as a number of...more

10 Dec 2025 | Press release

Tyler West and Chloe Burrows announced for KISS Breakfast Show

KISS have announced that Tyler West will be the new host of the KISS Breakfast Show. However, he won’t be alone as podcaster and TV personality, Chloe Burrows, will be joining KISS as his co-presenter.   Tyler and Chloe will be taking over KISS Breakfast when,...more

10 Dec 2025 | Press release

Live Music Company DHP Family Brings Two Senior Women To The Board

  Two senior colleagues have joined the board of DHP Family, the live music company behind a host of iconic live music venues, award-winning festivals and a thriving concerts business.  Julie Tippins becomes a non-executive director as she steps away from the...more

10 Dec 2025 | Press release

Music League and Roxxem Win Music Tectonics’ 2025 Swimming with Narwhals Startup Competition

  Music Tectonics is here to shout about the winners of its annual Swimming with Narwhals competition for innovative startups in music tech. These winners show how music is everywhere, shifting the status quo of media, tech, and entertainment. This year, two...more

12 Dec 2025

  • The 10 biggest AI music stories of 2025 (see Features)

11 Dec 2025

  • Do pop stars write their own hits—and if not, who does? (see Analysis)

10 Dec 2025

  • TikTok unveils its Year in Music Report (see Digital)

09 Dec 2025

  • Coldplay, U2, Ed Sheeran named most popular touring artists of the millennium (see News)

  • King Gizzard, having pulled music from Spotify in protest, find genAI clones on the platform (see Digital)

08 Dec 2025

  • UK parliamentarians join call to regulate most powerful AI systems (see News)

  • Martin Mills is trying to thwart a record industry takeover by Universal (see Features)

05 Dec 2025

  • IMPF says members should reject AI deals that do not value songs properly (see News)

  • Which songs do we replay the most? (see Analysis)

04 Dec 2025

  • Spotify Wrapped 2025 goes live (see Digital)

03 Dec 2025

  • Daddy Yankee files lawsuit against former manager and third parties for alleged royalty scheme (see News)

  • EU touring: Impact of Brexit worsening, says UK Music report (see Reports)

02 Dec 2025

  • ORCA released a report analysing the economic investments and social impact of nine leading independent record labels (see Reports)

  • Jorja Smith’s label requests share of royalties from ‘AI-cloned’ song (see News)

01 Dec 2025

  • A creative nation is a thriving nation (see Opinion)