As summer winds down, we’re looking back at the songs that defined the past few months. From ‘Janice STFU’ and ‘The One That Got Away’ to ‘Earrings’ and ‘Damned’, these are the tracks that soundtracked North America’s summer on TikTok.
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“The One That Got Away” – Katy Perry
This 2011 hit made a major comeback this summer and became TikTok’s Global and U.S. Song of the Summer. It was used in more than 42 million videos and generated over 55 billion video views, sending the song back into charts around the world.
“Cinderella” – Mac Miller ft. Ty Dolla $ign
Taking the No. 1 spot in Canada is Mac Miller and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Cinderella.” The beloved track continued to find a new audience on TikTok this summer, confirming that great songs have a way of coming back around and staying with us.
“Damned (when the gravel hit the stand, I’m damned to loving you)” – Miguel
Miguel brought the drama with “Damned,” landing at number two on Canada’s summer soundtrack. With its R&B sound and emotional pull, the track became one of the songs the continent couldn’t seem to scroll past.
“Janice STFU” – Drake
Of course, Drake had to make an appearance. His hit song “Janice STFU” became a staple across TikTok this summer, as his tracks usually do. The Toronto superstar continues to prove that when he drops a summer track, everyone tunes in!
“Bloodstream” – Alyssa Grace
Alyssa Grace’s “Bloodstream” put an emerging voice in the spotlight. Its presence on the list is another reminder of how TikTok can turn a song into a discovery moment and help listeners find their next favourite artists. The track landed alongside some of the biggest names in the industry and quickly found an audience here in North America.
“Back Home” – Yeat & Joji
Yeat and Joji’s ‘Back Home’ brought a different vibe to the summer list. The collaboration resonated with TikTok users looking for a tune that defines their own summer memories and reminds them of “home.” Creators made soccer edits with the song, photo carousel posts, and used it in the background of their vacation recaps.
“Earrings” – Malcolm Todd
Malcom Todd’s ‘Earrings’ has been everywhere! The success of this track is cementing the young artist’s presence in the industry as it found its way into the feeds of Canadian TikTok users throughout the summer. We saw TikTok users create edits of their favourite shows, using the song to highlight emotional scenes and characters they love. BookTok creators cherished it, and other users made day-in-the-life clips to highlight some of their favourite moments from the season with the tune. The song proved just how versatile a TikTok sound can be.
“Misery” – Pupsies
Summer isn’t just for the feel-good moments and songs. As much as listeners love those tracks this time of year, Pupsies ‘Misery’ brought a moodier edge to the list, and TikTok creators in North America wholeheartedly embraced it. The song’s gloomy lyrics paired distinctively well with its fast beat and lively instrumentation, birthing a summer anthem we didn’t know we needed. Sometimes the soundtrack to your summer memories is the tune that lets you wallow a little and bask in your thoughts.
“Ghetto Love Story” – BabyChiefDoit
This hip-hop track absolutely stole the summer with its upbeat, groovy energy that makes you want to get up and dance. TikTok creators used BabyChiefDoit’s ‘Ghetto Love Story’ in their dance videos, lip-sync clips, and as background music to storytimes and vlogs. The tune fits almost everything!
“Shabang” – Drake
One Drake song is simply not enough. He owned the summer with his album releases, and fans just couldn’t get enough of ‘Shabang’. Many cool trends came with this one. From restaurant transition videos to choreographies and even recipe videos.
“It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over” – Lenny Kravitz
This tune took the No. 3 spot in the U.S on TikTok. For a song older than many currently active TikTok users, its placement on TikTok’s list is notable. It was originally released in 1991 and found a new life this summer as creators on TikTok used the sound for everything from … to the cutest pet videos.
“Spend Dat” – Yung Miami
This high-energy hip-hop track is exactly what we needed this summer. The song quickly became a fan favourite, with TikTok users making Get-Ready-With-Me videos, dance videos and all types of content with the track. To top it all off was Yung Miami’s performance of the tune in New York, making for another memorable moment for the song’s summer run.
“Self-Aware” – Temper City
Temper City’s ‘self-aware’ also made its mark among the summer favourites in North America this year. It’s yet another example of how emerging artists get discovered and find their fan base on the platform.
“Dai Dai” – Shakira and Burna Boy
This summer was a FIFA summer, and besides the unforgettable games and fan experiences as the continent hosted the games, it also left us with the catchy tune, Dai Dai. The anthem reached football fans and social media users across the world, with people supporting their countries during the soccer games and making all sorts of videos with the sound on TikTok.
“DANCE…” – Slayyyter
We can’t talk about summer hits without mentioning Slayyyter’s ‘DANCE’. This tune was the soundtrack of the “stomach ache transition” trend that kept users pumped. Celebrities and artists like Madison Beer, Demi Lovato, Keke Palmer and other big names hopped on the trend using the sound, and people couldn’t stop talking about their videos for weeks.
“End of August” – Noah Kahan
Noah Kahan has been the talk of the summer across North America. His track, “End of August,” is a fitting way to close out the list as summer comes to an end. It’s the perfect soundtrack for a beach day and the last few warm evenings before the cold months return.
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