These TikTok Songs Are Going to Shake Up Your Whole 2021 Playlist

I love TikTok songs. That Spotify bot—the one that downloads all your data and then roasts you for your music taste—told me to stop getting all my music from TikTok. It's the way a lot of people are finding music these days, and it's overwhelming because TikTok is supposed to be for teens. That's why I texted my 14-year-old sister and asked for a list of the most popular songs on the app right now before I started writing this. All the smartest people know when to do something yourself, and when it’s better to defer to the experts.

Granted, all she said was “the Corvette Corvette one.” So bravely and alone, I embarked on this journey to find the best TikTok songs of 2021. I sifted through the content treasure trove that is TikTok to mine the best of the best songs of the moment. And in all seriousness, TikTok is the only way I know what songs are popular anymore, now that there are no bars or parties or public spaces to go to.

This list will grow, so keep an eye out. For now, here they are: the best TikTok songs of 2021 so far—a healthy mix of new pop, EDM, and some blasts from the past, too. These are the ones worth listening to for longer than a 15- (or 60-) second clip. I promise.