Year on TikTok: 2021-of-a-kind

Celebrating our global community that entertained and sparked joy with their creativity this year

TikTok is a unique place where culture starts and 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.

This year on TikTok, our global community discovered new ways to express creativity, championed the teams and the causes they care about, and found new favorites - from recipes to new music trends and genres. Across the United States, creators inspired others to open a new book, chomp on hot chicken, and treat themselves to a "Bones Day."

"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.

Today, join us as we celebrate all the trends, moments, and movements that made 2021 a year on TikTok that was one-of-a-kind.

TikTok videos transcend cultures and borders to reach For You feeds everywhere. This year, global trending content spanned across beloved categories including comedy, food and drink, and family videos. Some of the top videos in the US showcased the comedic, athletic, and artistic talent in the community. Plus, there were impresive dance moves that launched trends and we got to see the world's all-around gymnastics champion celebrating Olympic gold. Check out the top videos that make up some of this year's biggest moments.

United States

@totouchanemu - Drone Dancing
@chipmunksoftiktok - Squishy the Chipmunk hiding nuts in his mouth
@_catben_ - Restocking at its finest
@my_aussie_gal - Dog painting
@zachking - Zach King disappearing into his art
@tracy.oj - The original "Woman" dance video
@chaotticgoood - Please don't go
@felixgabrielmusic - Here comes the boy musical edition
@sunisalee_ - Sunisa Lee celebrating her gold
@zeddywill - Bro who got you smiling like that?

Around the world

@totouchanemu - Dancing with a drone made us stay for this one
@nathanevanss - There once was a man... The Sea Shanty heard around the world
@youneszarou - A tasty take on photography
@cunhalucass - A casual trip to the aquarium
@a.z.yx - BRB, changing my PFP

Whether TikTok videos make you smile or laugh in unexpected ways, one thing's for sure: our community sparks joy. This year, animals, significant others, and adorable kids are some of the popular content categories that delighted our global community. Take in the good vibes from the videos that brought us all the happiness this year.

United States

@saveafox.rescue - A joyful fox
@sarahforwarkholden - Baby laughs for the first time
@valentinebrothers - Family hide and seek
@jongraz - Is it a bones or no bones day?
@Pudgywoke - Pudgy thanks the audience
@missgunn2u - Child shark is hungry
@camifrobabe - Saying goodbye to grandpa
@andreas.choice - The cats want to come into the room
@haylinic - Wife scratches off telling her husband she's pregnant of her to-do list
@deannagiulietti - Creator commits to the dress

Around the world

@k_passionate - Wonder what a sea otter and you smiling sounds like? Watch this
@jongraz - Was it a bones or no bones day? Only a pug can tell
@edsheeran - Rehearse for your EUROs show or make a TikTok?
@randyfeltface - Only on TikTok will you find a puppet feeding a giraffe carrots
@noorstars - Visiting a family with too many house rules

From homemade beats to classics making a comeback, the songs on your For You feed made you hit listen on repeat. Be it pop, classical, rap, or electronic, music starts on TikTok now. In 2021, trending songs on TikTok broke out from both A-list and emerging artists, spanning a range of genres as diverse as our community itself. Sparking creative inspiration, comedic trends, and dances for people at all levels, here is a slice of our community's favorite songs this year.

United States

"Adderall (Corvette Corvette)" - Popp Hunna
"Batman " - LPB Poody
"Bundles (feat. Taylor Girlz)" - Kayla Nicole
"Kiss Me More (feat. SZA)" - Doja Cat
"TWINNEM" - Coi Leray
"Up" - Cardi B
"Buss It" - Erica Banks
"Astronaut In The Ocean" - Masked Wolf
"Punk Monk" - Playboi Carti
"drivers license" - Olivia Rodrigo

Around the world

Creators are the beating heart of TikTok and they make our community what it is today. We're humbled and excited to see so many creators entertaining fans and connecting with communities, and are proud to see them launch careers on and off the platform. Technology, education and fashion communities saw the most global creators breaking new ground this year. In the US, inspirational lifestyles, hilarious reactions, and new music helped creators become stars and stars become creators that hit new heights in 2021. These are the creators who grew massive fandoms with their captivating content.

United States

Chef Puff, @thatlittlepuff: Puff is an NYC cat chef and TikTok sensation whose fame and love for the culinary arts began during the pandemic. His owner Lynch Zhang posts videos of Puff cooking and debunking food hacks.
Oneya D’Amelio, @angryreactions: Oneya, your go-to creator for motivation and a good laugh, uses his voice, hilarious personality, and optimistic attitude to scream positive affirmations to other creators by dueting their videos.
Olivia Rodrigo, @livbedumb: This 18-year-old singer, songwriter, and actress has blown away millions of fans with her talent. Her debut album not only broke records with seven Grammy nominations, but her songs were behind several viral TikTok trends that took over the app this year.
Lissette Eduardo, @chikybombomreal: Lissette is a Latinx creator from the Dominican Republic who uses her platform to empower other women and spread positive messages to her fans through her hilarious content and honest advice.
Taylor Swift, @taylorswift: Taylor joined TikTok in August with videos that aren’t just of her cat, and reintroduced us to music we know all too well (Taylor’s version).
Anna Sitar, @annaxsitar: Anna X Sitar welcomes her community into her life with the help of comedy and an occasional Starbucks run. She is most well known for dreaming up a perfect future with the "I Don't Want It" series and "Another Day, Another Starbies" reviews on TikTok.
Dr. Shah, @dermdoctor: Dr. Shah is a licensed dermatologist who shares viral skincare, dermatology and beauty videos with his followers, and gives his professional take on the latest trends.
Emily Mariko, @emilymariko: Emily is a woman of many talents, from creating delicious recipes to being a fashion icon to being an overall lifestyle influencer. Her simple yet delicious cooking videos have become the latest obsession on #FoodTok.
Mikayla Nogueira, @mikaylanogueira: Mikayla Nogueira is a beauty TikTok creator and beauty guru, best known for her makeup product reviews, amusing personality, and thick Boston accent. She uses her platform to inspire others to step out of their comfort zone, promote inclusivity, and open up about mental health issues. She was also featured on The Discover List as an Innovator.
Jonathan Graziano, @jongraz: Jonathan and his internet-famous pug Noodles have won the hearts of us all. This duo gives viewers a boost of confidence and positivity to tackle the world on Bones Days, and to be okay with laying low on No Bones Days.

Around the world

TikTok offers unlimited options for creativity, helping our community produce and share entertaining content with the world. This year's most popular creative effects helped streamline the creation process. We also saw the community thinking of new ways to showcase existing features. Here are the TikTok trends made possible by our tools and effects, and your creativity in 2021.

United States

Around the world

This year, TikTok continued to foster a special space where our community could come together to uplift each other, and support the causes they care about, amplifying their calls for awareness. Our global community supported causes they cared most about throughout the year, including LGBTQ+ advocacy, mental health, and racial equality. While creators in the United States continued to build on their fight for positive change in their communities and the nation. This list encompasses many of the top impactful creators who continue to fight for positive change.

United States

Joel Bervell, @joelbervell: Joel is committed to fighting health disparities in medicine through education and uses TikTok to shine a light on racial disparities and biases in healthcare. Joel was also recently featured as a Changemaker on TikTok's Discover List, and was named as one of ten recipients of the MACRO x TikTok Black Creatives Grant.
Scarlett Smith and Tiania Haneline, @scarlettandtiania: This adorable mother-daughter duo are known for their vlog-style content and daily affirmations that promote happiness and self-love.
Victor Fontanez, @vicblends: This 22-year-old TikTok Latinx Trailblazer is a celebrity barber and entrepreneur, known for giving free haircuts to strangers in public, who aims to motivate, inspire and become a leading voice for this generation of entrepreneurs and content creators.
Alexis Nelson, @AlexisNikole: Alexis Nikole sings and cooks her way through teaching her audience about wild edible plants, their history, and their cultural significance. She was also featured on The Discover List as a Changemaker for her role in educating others about foraging.
Otis Jones, @slntwrlddd: Otis not only teaches ASL classes during his free time, but also educates the TikTok community one sign at a time, promoting his passion for helping hearing people learn ASL with respect and courtesy for the Deaf community.
Chante' Reddest, @nativephotography: Chante’ creates emotional, educational and informative videos about the Native community, with an aim to encourage people to be true to themselves.
Jesús Morales, @juixxe: Jesús is a Changemaker on The Discover List and first generation Mexican immigrant, who has changed the lives of many by using TikTok to crowdfund money for street vendors in Southern California.
Shirley Raines, @beauty2thestreetz: Shirley, the founder of nonprofit Beauty 2 The Streetz, chronicles her life on TikTok as a self-funded, one-woman operation providing beauty services and products to the homeless, all with a personal touch. She was also featured on The Discover List as a Changemaker for her work in the community.
Jason Linton, @dadlifejason: Jason, the adoptive father of three children, uses his platform to promote positive messages of fatherhood and inclusion through music and dancing. Jason was also recently named as one of ten recipients of the MACRO x TikTok Black Creatives Grant.
Hunter Prosper, @hunterprosper: This 25-year-old creator known for the viral series, “Stories From A Stranger,” captures the unique backgrounds of people from all walks of life on his TikTok, all while promoting uplifting messages.

Around the world

Foodies continued to find a home on TikTok this year with simple (sometimes), delicious (always) recipes whetting appetites across For Your feeds. These food videos helped others discover a passion for cooking and learn about new ingredients, techniques and cuisines. From the world's favorite at-home feta pasta to supersized kebabs and salmon rice, to a few pantry decluttering tips, check out all the recipes and food hacks TikTok got the world craving this year.

United States

Around the world

With more than six billion views globally of #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, product lovers on TikTok come for discovery, expression and genuine reviews that have their favorite finds flying off the shelves. Globally, home, beauty, and gadgets were among the categories that sparked shopping trends and "community commerce" conversations this year. US shoppers brought back the classic GAP hoodie, recommended their favorite cosmetics, and demonstrated the effectiveness of their cleaning tools. Discover more of what's on this year's wishlist below and with the TikTok Gift Guide.

United States

Around the world

In 2021, TikTok users rediscovered their favorite pastimes and gave first-time reactions to the trends from decades past. Creators recirculated fashion, collected analog music, and cheered as childhood stars reunited to share songs that they loved years ago. The stroll down memory lane is filled with the trends that made TikTok revel in nostalgia and find inspiration to create something new to share.

United States

Around the world

Whatever you're interested in, whether it's #careertok or #witchtok, on TikTok you can find and connect with a community that shares your passion. This year, some of the popular global communities focused on pets, sports, and education. Creators found their future in the stars by sharing astrological charts, rolled the dice on DnD TikTok, and helped calm viewers with oddly satisfying cleaning videos. Find out more about the plethora of communities on the rise this year.

United States

Around the world

Ask on 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.

Want to know more about what made 2021-of-a-kind? Visit here to learn more about the Year on TikTok.

New to TikTok? Join our community by simply downloading the app for free via the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon.

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