TikTok has always been about bringing people together to inspire each other and share moments of joy. It's also a place to find your community, no matter your interests. This has never been more important than in 2020. From devastating bushfires, to a global pandemic that introduced us to social distancing and loss, to community hardships and personal and economic uncertainty the world over, 2020 was one for the history books.

While the world experienced a whirlwind of change, one thing stayed constant: the heart, soul, care, and creativity of the TikTok community. You brought us joy and lifted us up in a tough year. With you, we found a deep sense of community and connection even though we’ve spent much of 2020 separated. You continued to impress and inspire through the insightful, funny and joyful videos, imagined and created, which turned into those memorable cultural moments and movements that gave the world a taste of our true Aussie spirit. Through the TikTok community we spanned borders and generations, shared laughs and tears, and celebrated truly special, unique, and uniting moments. 

And for that, we now celebrate you.  

"2020 has been an unexpected and difficult year for everyone and we've all faced our own unique challenges, big and small. While things have been tough in many ways, Australians have joined people from around the globe to share their experiences, find some light relief, have fun and come together on TikTok. We're overjoyed to have been part of this amazing community and to see Australian creators bringing happiness and inspiration to people all over the world".  Lee Hunter, General Manager, TikTok Australia and New Zealand.

As we reach the end of 2020, we're taking a moment to look back on the impact that you as the TikTok community have made on every facet of Australian life and culture. From the Aussies who gained cult status, built international careers and joined the internet hall of fame, to the adorable pets who jumpstyled across our #fyp, the local indie acts who broke big via your feed, the creators who turned TikTok fans into small business success, those who had Australians laughing about what makes us unique and the ones who encouraged us to stay healthy, experiment with new recipes, try a fresh look, do a dance, or jump on the viral trends that gave us connection with people from everywhere. 

We're excited to be celebrating the top 100 TikTok creators, trends and videos that inspired Australians (and the world) this year.

1. The Aussies faves: The TikTok videos Australians loved in 2020 

In a year where we were physically separated, the community came together on TikTok to find joy, connection and a reason to smile. Many of the videos that came into our homes through our phones, allowed us to join in from wherever we were – from social movements to mesmerising rhythmic lip syncs and dancing carefree in public, here are the global videos that Aussies loved and laughed at in 2020:

@bellapoarch

To the 🐝 🐝 🐝 #fyp

♬ M to the B - Millie B


2. The Aussie sensations: The rising Australian stars of TikTok in 2020

Creators are at the heart of TikTok's global community and this year, we saw Aussie creators go from everyday people to global superstars and cult heroes, showcasing the much-loved Australian spirit, culture, creativity and our unique humour to the world. Fun videos and relatable content immediately graduated to viral video status, catapulting creators into stars overnight as they danced and “Savaged” their way into the internet hall of fame:

@sarahmagusara

#ColorCustomizer just looking through my drafts and totally forgot about this one. Wellll here ya go 🥴

♬ Killing Me Softly With His Song (Remix) - Jd


3. The Aussie showcase: Locally-made TikTok videos that the world went wild for 

When the world couldn’t come to Australia, we truly took Australia to the world. Through TikTok, we shared our great outdoors, precious pets, epic VFX tricks, impressive art and animations, quirky Aussie antics and local facts of life. Our expression of creativity has been well-loved on a global scale. Here are some of the Australian-made TikToks videos that went viral around the world:

@outdoorkindaguy

Wait for the wave to hit the camera 🤯😍🔥.... #ocean #satisfying #gopro #australia #natureathome #heapsgood #amazing

♬ Lose Control - Meduza & Becky Hill & Goodboys


4. Going viral: TikTok trends that took over Australia 

In case you didn't know, Australians embraced TikTok memes, hashtags, challenges and viral trends in all their glory and fun, throughout 2020. With the pandemic leaving many of us with more time up our sleeves, we put our unique spin on the trends that took over the world. We were “bored in the house, in the house bored”, welcomed the #MiPan song into a host of creative videos, WOAH'd through many a transition, and enjoyed the cleanest mirrors we've ever had with the #WipeItDown challenge. Here are the viral trends that TikTok's Australian community couldn't get enough of this year:

@sophie.monk

Nailed it 😂🙈 #fleetwoodmac #dreamschallenge

♬ original sound - Sophie Monk. Teach me TikTok


5. TikTok talent: The most followed Australian music acts on TikTok in 2020

In a year when the music industry was amongst the hardest hit, Australian artists big and small took to TikTok to reach fans when performing IRL wasn't an option. Some of the hottest Aussie musicians on TikTok in 2020 are already global superstars and others are the ones watch, previously undiscovered talents who found sudden fame during lockdown. Here are the Australian acts who took centre stage in 2020:

@sia

Sia pretty in pink performing "Courage to Change" last night at the @bbmas 💗✨💕 - Team Sia

♬ Courage to Change - Sia
  • @sia, Adelaide born international superstar of art pop.
  • @thenewclassic, Iggy Azalea is from Sydney, left for the US when she was 16 and has gone on to be a recognisable face in the American hip hop scene.
  • @mmiiaax, 18 year old Mia Rodriguez is a Sydney based pop artist who's grown up making content online. She's been on TikTok from the beginning and is showing everyone how it's done, with over 2 million followers.
  • @kimdrac, Kim Dracula is a 22 year old, Hobart based Trap Metal/Hardcore artist. He's only started releasing his own music in 2020 and built a following of over 2 million in a matter of months. 
  • @troyesivan, Troye Sivan is a pop and pride icon of today, with a huge cult following.
  • @peachprc, Peach has built a massive fanbase sharing relatable stories from her life, comedy and showing off her musical talent. Though she's only released two songs of her own, Peach is very much an artist to watch. 
  • @5sos, 5 Seconds of Summer are global pop rock hit makers, originating from Sydney. 
  • @thekidlaroi, The Kid Laroi grew up in Sydney and is of Indigenous heritage. He moved to LA last year and has blown up with his 2020 EP 'F*ck Love* debuting at #8 on the US Billboard charts. 
  • @jaycee, Perth based RnB artist Jaycee brings a DIY flare to his music, producing his own beats. He shows off his skills by remixing everyday sounds, freestyling and presenting his own music on TikTok.
  • @timmytrumpet, Timmy Trumpet is an electronic producer and DJ, famous for infusing electronic music with jazz and - like the name suggests - playing trumpet. 


6. The soundtrack of 2020: Australia's favourite songs to make TikToks with

This year when we were separated, many of us took to TikTok for the first time to make videos that helped us feel together. From viral dances, to comedy skits, moments of joy and expressions of emotion, here are the songs that Aussies used to tell their stories and find fun on TikTok in 2020: 

@_miss.sweeney

Reply to @amy_2020_me Adding fractions with unrelated denominators. To simplify at the end divide both numerator and denominator by 3 to make 9/10 😀

♬ Laxed - Siren Beat - Jawsh 685


7. TikTok from the land down under: The ‘strayan TikToks we could all relate to

In turning to TikTok to celebrate who we are and have a laugh at our selves, Australians have broadcast our unique culture, creativity and larrikin spirit to the world. From tradies mucking around on 'smoko', wild and sometimes worrying fauna that roams freely in our backyard and into our homes, to finding out that Andrew does not run the press conference, here are the TikTok videos that made us proud to be True Blue:

@howridiculous

Australian version of #fleetwoodmacchallenge 🦅

♬ Dreams (2004 Remaster) - Fleetwood Mac


8. TikTok sizzle: Australian foodies creators who had our mouths watering (yes, even the petfood)

It’s no secret that Aussies are food fanatics and our TikTok creators have proved that we're the real kitchen connoisseurs. Multiculturalism is what makes our cuisine so exciting and diverse and Aussie foodies are sharing their heritage via mouth watering recipe inspiration, but it doesn't stop there. From burger tutorials that spawned a thriving business, hacks to help feed a hungry family, throwing down the gauntlet to Gordon Ramsay himself, to gourmet nibbles that will tempt the fussiest of felines, it's all on TikTok. Here are the Aussie food creators that had our mouths watering:

@ms.merhi

You guys wanted more chickpea recipes here’s my favourite chickpea salad #DayForIt #tiktokfood #australia #fyp

♬ original sound - Foodsofnyc


9. TikTok glow-ups: The Aussie fashion and beauty creators who went viral

With much of this year spent having nowhere to go, many Australian creators were damn sure this didn't mean they couldn't get dressed up, or play with their lewk during lockdown. The year of 2020 saw the best of the TikTok community’s artistry emerge, with talented creators finding new ways to express themselves through fashion and beauty. Via makeup tutorials on how to get the smokiest of eyes, recreating famous character looks or creators simply sharing their outfit of the day, making TikTok videos was a creative outlet. Here are some of the Aussie fashion and beauty creators who found global audiences this year:

@rifenstine

I wasn’t meant to actually kiss it... 🤦🏻‍♀️ #Makeup #princesspeach #princesspeachlips #fyp #kiss

♬ Mario Theme - Reprise - Ambassadors of Funk


10. TikTok got game: The Australian sports and fitness creators who brought the game to us

During a year where we were mostly stuck at home, TikTok's sports and fitness creators empowered and encouraged Australian's to get up and go from the comfort of their own homes, balconies and backyards, or make the most of the moments when we could get outside. Armchair athletes enjoyed watching parkour stunts and freestyle football tricks, or sports stars getting in on the latest meme, while the fitness-focussed found training tips and sports nutrition advice. Australia's sporting spirit was stronger than ever on TikTok this year and these are the Aussie sports and fitness creators who inspired us to move - or at least think about it:

@brodiepawson

How are you doing today 😊 ?!? I’ll try and reply to as many of you as I can 👌 #parkour #jump #foru #getfit #run #fast #tiktok #aus #australia #viral

♬ FEEL THE GROOVE - Queens Road, Fabian Graetz


Thank you to our Australian community for this year on TikTok. Now let's get set for 2021. We ready! 🌈 🌞 🎉