In 2024, we were very demure, revelled in brat summer, and adored a cheeky pygmy hippo, all while supporting businesses of all sizes. Throughout the year, 175 million people in Europe continue to be part of a billion-strong global community to discover new ideas, share passions, and inspire change.

From record-breaking artists to reimagined recipes, best-sellers, and bustling businesses of all sizes, we found joy in learning, laughing, and connecting with one another on TikTok. Let's revisit the year's most memorable trends, creators, and all the moments that became movements. Because on TikTok, a little bit of creativity can spark a lot of impact.

"Throughout 2024, TikTok continued to redefine how we discover, create, and connect through the shared language of video. From small businesses launching global brands to creators and artists at the forefront of cultural movements, TikTok is a catalyst for economic growth, cultural trends, and social impact. We celebrate our global community who have inspired and entertained us this year, as we remain committed to nurturing a positive and inclusive environment where everyone can bring joy, have a unique voice, and a chance to shine," said James Stafford, Global Head of Content, TikTok.

@tiktok_uk see how you made an impact in 2024? very mindful, very demure #YearOnTikTok ♬ original sound - TikTok UK

From moments to movements

In 2024, TikTok community cemented its role as the cultural epicentre of the internet.

From the catchy phrase "very demure, very mindful" popularised by Jools Lebron and Charli xcx's "Brat Summer", TikTok has fuelled countless trends that are now in our cultural lexicon. Meanwhile, the "Man in Finance" meme by Megan Boni sparked important conversations about dating expectations, gender roles, and the allure of the finance world.

Beyond trends created by humans, TikTok has brought attention to cute creatures from the animal kingdom. Moo Deng, the adorable pygmy hippo from Thailand, and Pesto, an oversized King Penguin from Australia, have captured the hearts of the internet the world over.

TikTok also had a profound impact on the culinary landscape, elevating dishes to global sensations. From the decadent Dubai chocolate bar by Fix Dessert Chocolatier, to Logan Moffitt's cucumber salad, TikTok has transformed the way we enjoy and share food.

  • Brat Summer (@charlixcx, UK): Brat Summer, inspired by Charli xcx's album, sparked a cultural shift towards individuality, self-expression, and a carefree attitude. Inspiring countless trends such as Kelley Heyer's iconic Apple dance, Brat Summer encouraged people to embrace their individuality, have fun, and live life to the fullest.
  • Sambas and a Little Red Bag (@maisieisobel_, UK): The #sambasandalittleredbag trend began when @maisiisobel posted a video on TikTok featuring her and her friends meme-ifying their outfits to a quick and catchy tune. Other creators and celebs then jumped on the trend, creating short and sweet soundbites of their own sartorial tribe.
  • The Spud Brothers (@thespudbrothers, UK): The baked potato is enjoying a renaissance this year, thanks to The Spud Bros, a family-run business in Preston, UK. Through their engaging posts and TikTok LIVEs, real-life brothers Jacob and Harley Nelson have attracted a global following with customers from around the world making the pilgrimage to their food van.
  • Merchants Fish and Chips (@merchants_fishandchips, UK): Another food business that has gone viral towards the end of this year, Merchants Fish and Chips demonstrates how a simple TikTok video can propel a business to online stardom. In this case, our community has become obsessed with Chippy Diva, who's unbothered and simply iconic style has led to fans leaving 5-star reviews at the until now little-known chip shop. Merchants have since used their popularity to showcase other local businesses in their area.

TikTok taught us

2024 marked a transformative year for educational communities tapping into TikTok. Museums reached millions, science communicators found a platform to share complex topics, and teachers creatively connected with students across the globe - boosting both their impact and their income.

The STEM community on TikTok inspired and encouraged the exploration of maths and science through engaging content from role models like @eleonorasvanberg. 2024 saw the launch of TikTok's STEM feed in the UK, giving the community a dedicated space to explore a wide range of inspiring, entertaining, and enriching videos related to STEM

  • Big.Manny1 (@big.manny1, UK): Manny has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biomedical science, and brings this knowledge to the community with fun, practical backyard chemistry lessons. Having released his first book, Science Is Lit, this year, he's bringing science to the masses.
  • Yorkshire Fossils (@yorkshire.fossils, UK): Shae and Aaron have amassed 2.3M followers unearthing fossils on the Jurassic Coast, inviting the community to join them and as they find creatures from millions of years ago. Their page is the place to be for any fossil fans!
  • Doctor Ahmed Ezzat (@doc.ahmedezzat, UK): Following on from successful campaigns like #GrabaJab, in October, we announced the launch of the UK Clinician Creator Network. The initiative has brought together 19 leading NHS qualified clinicians, including @drnighatarif and @dr.karanr who are actively sharing their medical expertise on TikTok, engaging a community of over 2.2M followers.
  • Gen Z wrote the script (@royalarmouriesmuseum, UK): By letting Gen Z write the marketing script, museums and other iconic cultural institutions around the world are drawing younger audiences, showcasing the power of creative and innovative marketing. This clever business tactic brought generations together for an extremely amusing trend!

The culture club

Creativity knows no bounds on TikTok.TikTok's power as a launchpad for talent continues to expand, amplifying new voices and spotlighting emerging talent. This year, entertainment icons and British institutions collaborated with TikTok creators to explode the creative scene. From the Oscars® and the Baftas which brought #FilmTok fans together and helped to drive viewers to the big screen, to ongoing partnerships with the RSC and the National theatre that are inspiring a new generation of creatives. The TikTok community continue to shape UK culture on TikTok and beyond.

  • Zainab Jiwa (@zeewhatidid, UK): Zainab is a movie fan turned presenter who has been wowing followers with her interviews with the stars - Zendaya, Nicola Coughlan, Joseph Quinn and Lupita Nyong’o are just some of the famous faces she's spoken to over the past year. If that wasn't enough, she's also an artist, sharing her amazing creations on TikTok.
  • Sonny Monaghan (@sonnymonaghan, UK): For the first time ever in 2024, TikTok collaborated with @dehuktour to give someone the chance to secure their dream role in theatre. Thousands of people posted videos of themselves singing their favourite musicals on TikTok, with a select few invited to audition in person. Theatre creator @sonnymonaghan from East Sussex was chosen and landed the understudy for the lead role.
  • Kim Blythe (@kbfilms92, UK): Kim Blythe is a standup comedian renowned for her funny and authentic comedy which touches on everything from Netflix documentaries to the Olympics. In August she made her debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and our variety show, highlighting some of the most exciting talent from across the Fringe.
  • DJ AG (@djagonline, UK) Ashley Gordon, aka DJ AG, revolutionised LIVE performances on TikTok this year. With his slick street setups, DJ AG has even been dubbed 'the most important DJ in the UK'. Showcasing both rising and established talents, including freestyles with grime legends like Skepta and JME, DJ AG built a platform for organic music moments that are all about showing love to the community and lifting up people around him.

Music on TikTok


Central Cee (@centralcee) is officially the biggest UK artist on TikTok for 2024, climbing two places this year to claim the top spot. Cench has been super active on TikTok, smashing boundaries whilst flying the flag for UK rap. His single 'BAND4BAND', broke the record for single-day streams by a UK rapper, with anticipation for his highly anticipated debut 'Can't Rush Greatness' reaching fever pitch. At number two is none other than Charli xcx (@charlixcx). Charli’s 'Brat' era became a cultural phenomenon this year, redefining confidence with multiple trending songs on TikTok, including 'Apple', 'Guess' & '365', resulting in critical acclaim and a cultural zeitgeist. At number three, Coldplay (@coldplay) treated their fans with innovative experiences like the "MOON MUSiC" campaign, along with their surprise performance on Grafton Street in Dublin, which was captured for TikTok and led to one of the most spectacular pieces of content ever.

Biggest Tracks of 2024

There's been numerous break-out UK success stories this year, as 4 of our 10 biggest tracks are from homegrown talent. Take the enigmatic Artemas (@artemasaltalt), who has shot to prominence with his hit song 'i like the way you kiss me', reaching #3 in the UK Official Charts. Similarly, 'Champagne Coast' by Blood Orange, a catalogue song rediscovered on TikTok in 2024, reached #16 over a decade after its initial release, as the TikTok community routinely breathes new life into catalogue tracks, as old becomes new. There are also 5 genres represented in the UK Biggest Tracks of 2024, showcasing the diverse nature of music discovery within the music loving TikTok community.

Thriving on TikTok

On TikTok, brands and businesses thrive by embracing authenticity and connecting with their global community. This year, we've seen entrepreneurs reimagine e-commerce on TikTok Shop, seamlessly blending content, product discovery, and purchase into a truly unique discovery shopping experience. In the UK, every day, there are now 5000+ LIVE shopping sessions on TikTok Shop.

Beyond e-commerce, TikTok is a home to millions of brick-and-mortar small businesses, and continues to empower entrepreneurs across various industries to achieve remarkable success.

  • P. Louise (@plmakeupacademy, UK): TikTok-born beauty brand, P.Louise, has taken the beauty industry by storm, setting a new record for the most sales in a TikTok Shop livestream, making over $2m in just 12 hours.
  • Luxe Collective (@luxecollective, UK): Luxe Collective is a resale platform that brings coveted pre-owned luxury pieces straight to your wardrobe. Since they launched on TikTok Shop, they have seen a 20% increase in revenue and have built a strong community base, thanks in part to their TikTok LIVE shopping sessions. These LIVEs have have contributed to 36% of Luxe Collective’s gross sales since launching on the platform.
  • Ruka Hair (@rukahair, UK): Ruka Hair is a renowned hair brand, which is Black-owned and designed to support Black women in their personal hair journeys. Ruka Hair sells hair extensions and clip ins, with the brands clip-in hair products recently becoming available to purchase on TikTok Shop! In October, Ruka Hair won the Estée Lauder Companies NIV Catalysts programme, which will allow the business to continue to grow and mark their mark in the hair extension industry.
  • Made By Mitchell (@madebymitchell, UK): Founded by Mitchell Halliday in 2020, the brand is famed for its commitment to inclusive shade ranges and innovative formulas. This year, Mitchell became the first creator to make $1m in a day on TikTok Shop through LIVE sale events, and opened his own "Mitchell Mart" pop-up at Harrods’ H-Beauty in Bristol following his viral success on TikTok.

#BookTok breakthroughs

#BookTok, our thriving community of book lovers, continues to reshape the literary landscape, turning obscure titles into bestsellers and inspiring millions to rediscover the joy of reading. With over 1.2 million posts created in the first 10 months of 2024, TikTok continues to be a powerful platform for authors, readers, and book enthusiasts to connect, share their passion, and discover new favourites. From emerging authors like @TaliaHibbert to a newfound #Romantasy obsession, TikTok has played a crucial role in shaping literary trends and driving book sales.

  • Eden Victoria (@edenvictorria, UK): Eden is one of our amazing BookTok creators, who has been sharing her romance book recommendations with the community and is now publishing her own book! In July, she was part of our panel of industry experts for the TikTok Book Awards UK & Ireland 2024, helping to choose the shortlist of books, indie bookshops, authors, and creators that have made the #BookTok ecosystem in the UK and Ireland unique.
  • Book Shop by the Sea (@thebookshopbythesea, UK): The Bookshop by the Sea is a vibrant, community-centered bookstore located in Aberystwyth. It offers creative writing classes, poetry evenings, live music, children's events, author talks, and art workshops, as well as weekly LIVES on TikTok sharing some of the fun events going on in-store. The Bookshop was named Independent Bookshop of the Year in the TikTok Book Awards for UK and Ireland 2024, demonstrating just how loved it is by our TikTok community!
  • National Literacy Trust, BookTok bookshelves (@literacy_trust, UK): We believe that everyone should have access to the books that they love, and we were thrilled this year to widen access to books and encourage the enjoyment of reading with the National Literacy Trust through the BookTok Bookshelves initiative. The initiative delivered 20 bookshelves at key locations across the country, from youth clubs, to community centres, because we know that when young people enjoy reading, the benefits are felt in all areas of their lives.

Season of sports

In 2024 TikTok reimagined the way we experience sports - redefining how fans connect and engage with their favourite athletes, teams and leagues while also providing a forum for underrepresented voices. Broadcasters harnessed TikTok's power to reach wider audiences with innovative content that resonated globally. There was a 350% increase in #SportsOnTikTok posts compared to last year, a testament to TikTok's undeniable impact on the broader sports industry.

Celebrate Year on TikTok 2024

As we wrap up yet another memorable Year on TikTok, get ready to celebrate with us in the UK, as we recap all the artists, creators and small businesses who have made it so special.

Learn more about this year's most impactful and memorable trends, creators, and moments via our in-app hub or search #YearOnTikTok on the app.

Methodology

Year on TikTok 2024 is based on research comprising in-app and third-party insights focused on TikTok's social, economic, and cultural impact, conducted from January to November 2024.