TikTok already feels like one big joke that anyone outside of Gen-Z doesn't understand -- and it doesn't help that it's largely built around music that only the teens are listening to.
Originating from the lip-syncing app musical. The success of a TikTok song is a bit confounding since "old" songs do resurface on the app, but its pull on what's trending in music is undeniable, making charting hits out of even obscure releases that the kids are playing over their brief videos.
Like all music, not every TikTok song is amazing, but there are a handful of gems on the app that are definitely worth listening to in full. Here are the best of those TikTok songs you've heard parts of, but should definitely listen to the whole thing. Emo band Beach Bunny recently went from a Chicago DIY scene staple to one of the best up-and-coming groups today, and frontwoman Lili Trifilio's earnest lyrics about the doldrums of young womanhood are part of why they're so great.
Songs like "Prom Queen," about how much beauty standards suck, are extremely relatable, so it's no surprise that it took off on TikTok with videos that interpret the lyrics and encourage viewers to be comfortable with themselves.
The song's got a thoughtful message, even as it somberly recognizes how difficult it is not to compare ourselves to others, and those hooks are things of pop-punk dreams.
She makes woozy, catchy songs that are touched by a hint of ska, and it's a good thing the TikTok kids caught wind of her stateside. Joined by her hazy bedroom artist contemporary Gus Dapperton , her song "Supalonely" is indie pop magic, singing about how she's a "lonely bitch" while poking fun at the very trope.
The fun beat is definitely optimal to inspire a TikTok dance , but the tongue-in-cheek song couldn't be a better track to take off while the world is social distancing, inspiring clips of how bored people are at home.
Let "Supalonely" be your quarantine anthem, too. Shout out to Gen Z for recognizing the greatness that is Brockhampton and making them the success story that they've become. Chances are you've heard that sweet pop number at least a thousand times by now, since that song and dance number are practically TikTok canon, so you should check out another hit on the app of hers, "Candy.
Featuring a house-like beat paired with DVBBS' melodic, sly vocals, it's a seductive number even as the lyrics beg to be left alone. From the cult DJs, "GOMF" sounds more fit for a fashion show or an underground rave than it does on TikTok -- which makes sense that instead of inspiring a dance challenge, the song typically plays with videos that fans of comedian Casey Frey make to mimic a skit he posted to Twitter using the same song.
When you listen to year-old, LA-based rapper Flo Milli , her fast-spewing rhymes in her signature cutesy voice make it feel as if you're hanging out with her and she's gossiping your ear off. It's what she manages to do on her song "In the Party," joined by a beat that sounds especially saccharine as it loops her vocals into a nursery rhyme-like "la la la. That is, if you can keep up with her bars. This rap song from Atlanta artist K Camp might actually be more famous for the controversy around its TikTok dance than the song itself.
It plays with what's been coined the " renegade dance ," referring to producer Reazy Renegade's nametag shouted out in the intro, and the moves behind it were seldom credited to its original choreographer, a dancer named Jalaiah Harmon who originally posted the dance on the app Dubsmash last year. She's since gotten the recognition she deserves and even appeared alongside K Camp to do it, and the song's only grown in popularity. It's definitely worth a listen, too -- that minimal, heavy beat sounds as stylish as the luxurious life the rapper touts about in the lyrics "Cash on me, like I hit the lottery".
But this recent Mike WiLL Made-It-produced track from Chicago's latest young star Polo G is much more than that, in fact the banger goes so hard, its quick, drill-style lines will plow you over. The original version is great as is, and sped up here with an added bass, it helps amply Powfu's sincere rhymes about a struggling young relationship. You can assume you'll be hearing more from these two artists.
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