Year on TikTok 2021: 2021-of-a-kind

TikTok is a unique place where culture starts and where creativity knows no bounds - where anyone can discover, create, and share content they love. In 2021, over 1 billion people turned to TikTok to be entertained, find and share their joy with others, and learn new things. Our community discovered new ways to express creativity, championed teams and causes, and found new favourites - from recipes and products, to new sounds and genres.

Today, we're celebrating all the trends, creators, moments, and movements that made 2021 a year on TikTok that was one-of-a-kind - our Year On TikTok 2021.

This year, our most popular videos - the "FYFaves" - showcase the breadth of TikTok and its propensity for delivering quirky and joyful content that people love. While cats still undeniably rule the internet - in particular @mmeowmmia in the UK - millions of people around the world have been captivated by educational content about Crohns disease, the mesmerising and calming act of painting road signs, tadpoles and TikTok creator and Strictly Come Dancing star, Tilly Ramsay and her antics with her rather famous dad and family.

TikTok continues to be the heartland of trends that jump off our platform into the real world. From the #FetaPasta trend that caused a run on Feta in the nation's supermarkets, to the miracle beauty items that we added to our shopping baskets, the past year has seen TikTok convince us to try new recipes and products. To reflect on these amazing trends, for the first time in our end of year review, we're publishing "Eats on Repeats", our most popular #FoodTok trends, and "The Wishlist", the products that TikTok made you buy in 2021.

Our Year on TikTok also continues to put a spotlight on the British creators who have made a huge impact in the past year. Whether it's our favourite trainspotter, @Francis.Bourgeois, our modern-day #seashanty bard @nathanevanss, or the young artist who has dominated the TikTok airwaves with "Just For Me", @pinkpantheress, these are some of the "Breakthrough Stars" who have shared their talent and creativity to build a global community of fans.

Meanwhile, passionate activists and educators like inspiring disability champion @ShelbyKinsxo, LGTBQ+ and Black activist, @Benjy_Lookbook, and autism awareness campaigner @_thislineismine, feature on our "Voices of Change" list this year, using TikTok to challenge misconceptions and traditional ideals, and to empower us all to think differently.

Rich Waterworth, General Manager, TikTok UK and Europe, said: "Our Year on TikTok is a homage to the diversity and unpredictability of 2021. While the UK was at its lowest, we had modern day Sea Shanties on the airwaves, powered by a TikTok trend and our community. As we experienced the joy and pain of a near-win at the EUROs, we brought Ed Sheeran's new music to millions of people during our UEFA EURO 2020 Show.

"In the past year, TikTok has been at the centre of so many cultural moments, and we've been proud to be a place where people can come together, through good times and bad, to laugh, smile and express themselves. As we head into 2022, we know that our community will continue to surprise us, bringing joy to everyone through their creativity."

Vanessa Pappas, Chief Operating Officer, TikTok, said: "There's something really special about TikTok's diverse global community that people just can't find anywhere else. For us, 2021 was a year for connection and we’ve seen people on TikTok laughing together, entertaining us, starting cultural phenomenons, and teaching us new things. It's been incredible to see the depths of entertainment and creativity from this community, and we're delighted to celebrate all the ways we've come together this year on TikTok," said Vanessa Pappas, Chief Operating Officer, TikTok.

To celebrate your own year on TikTok, starting today, we're also launching "Ask on TikTok", a new Q&A feature inviting you to look back on your most memorable moments in 2021. Simply choose which questions you want to answer about your year in the app. People can choose a question like "what was your 2021 highlight?" or "what was your happiest moment of 2021?" and answer it in a new creation or by sharing a previous TikTok video.

FY Faves:Our most popular videos in the UK

@mmeowmmia (184.9m views) - proving that cats rule
@mr.colitiscrohns (171m views) - raising awareness about Crohns disease
@thep00lguy (145.7m views) - classic ASMR content from The Pool Guy
@fatcapsprays (143.2m views) - dinosaur street art
@.baby.frogs (141.6m views) - tadpoles to frogs educational videos
@jonosean (141.6m views) - painting road signs
@tillyramsay (120.3m views) - Tilly joking with her dad and mum when they're cooking
@newuk001 (113.1m views) - smartphone floating on a flip flop content
@jeremylynch (113.9m views) - Jeremy Lynch does Spiderman
@samdracott_farrier (104.3m views) - #farmtok with a horse getting their horseshoe changed