What are some of the most popular TikTok trends? 

With so many people following and posting on TikTok, it’s no wonder that there are some challenges, video themes, special effects, and background songs that blow up on TikTok and become TikTok trends that everyone uses for weeks or months to come until they get tired of them and move on to the next ones on the list. 

So, what TikTok trends have people been fond of in 2026 so far? Of course, there is plenty to go through, so this article does not cover all of them, but we’ll check out some of the most interesting trending TikToks.

25+ Popular TikTok Trends of 2026

Here are some of the most popular TikTok trends of 2026, in no particular order:

Don Toliver “Call Back” Dance

As tradition goes, we must start a TikTok trends article with a dance challenge. This is one of the cleaner dance trends doing the rounds right now. The choreography, credited to creator @mai world, is spreading because it looks polished on camera without being impossible for normal humans. That’s usually the sweet spot on TikTok: hard enough to look cool, not so hard that people scroll away muttering “absolutely not.”

“ChatGPT to your [x] right now”

This one is everywhere because it hits a nerve and then makes fun of it. The format is people pretending to be AI responding in an overly calm, validating way to the most annoying person in their life: your flaky ex, your divorced dad, your roommate who thinks one rinsed fork counts as doing dishes. The joke is that the fake AI sounds way too reasonable while quietly making everything worse. The trend also makes fun of the way we treat AI with impatience and get exasperated when we’re asked more questions instead of getting quick responses, but also how we have no problem giving away absolutely sensitive and confidential information just to get help with a minor problem that we could have surely solved ourselves, instead of asking for help from AI.

“I’m just gonna put something on TV while I clean.”

This one is painfully relatable. The setup says you’re about to clean, then the video shows you frozen in place, totally absorbed by whatever is playing on the TV. Broom in hand, zero productivity. The joke works best when the clip on screen is absurdly watchable, like a dramatic performance, a sports moment, or some chaotic scene you know would derail your whole evening.

“Sunshine Boy” / summer-self nostalgia

People use Rihanna’s “Kiss It Better,” especially the “been waiting on that sunshine boy” line, to compare their current winter self with photos or clips from their happier, tanner, beachier era. It’s basically seasonal depression with good lighting. Usually carousel format, with one slide looking bundled up and the next looking like someone who owns a linen shirt and no problems. Or it’s just their happy summer version, like in this video:

“Do you actually want to do this or not?”

A lot of creators are using this audio to act out weirdly intense moments from childhood or family life, where somebody took a harmless activity way too seriously. It’s one of those trends where the text overlay does half the work. The more specific the memory, the better it lands. Same reason old family stories are funny at dinner: the tiny details make it feel real.

Don Toliver “E85” / “like Dumber and Dumber” friendship edits

This one is basically a love letter to chaotic friendships. People use the “like Dumber and Dumber” lyric to stitch together the most ridiculous clips of themselves and their friends: bad decisions, blurry videos, dumb stunts, cursed FaceTimes, the whole circus. Compared with polished friendship montages, this trend wins by looking more like your camera roll after no sleep and too much confidence.

“Boom Clap” unexpected response trend

Using Charli XCX’s “Boom Clap,” creators post one small thing they said expecting rejection or indifference, then reveal the unexpectedly sweet answer they got back. Stuff like “I kind of want Taco Bell” turning into “I’ll drive.” It works because the moment is tiny. Not movie-romance tiny violin stuff. More like everyday-life kindness, which often hits harder because it feels familiar.

“Day in My Life” Micro-Vlogs

These short videos follow creators through small slices of everyday life. Instead of big events, the focus sits on ordinary routines: making coffee, commuting, answering emails, grocery runs, evening walks, or a quiet Sunday reset. A “slow weekend” vlog might show cooking breakfast, reading, and tidying the apartment, while a corporate-worker vlog often jumps between the morning commute, desk work, quick lunch breaks, and the after-work unwind. Other themes show up all the time, too: student days, gym routines, work-from-home schedules, or travel diaries. The appeal comes from the calm rhythm and relatable details. Viewers get a peek into someone else’s daily routine, which often feels oddly relaxing—like borrowing another person’s day for a minute.

2016 is the new 2026

This trend plays on the feeling that internet culture from around 2016 is somehow looping back again. Creators compare old photos, music, fashion, and memes from that era with what’s happening now, often suggesting that the vibe never really left. Videos might show side-by-side clips of 2016 Tumblr aesthetics, early Instagram filters, or music that dominated playlists back then, followed by modern versions that look surprisingly similar. Others lean into the joke more directly, recreating outfits, hairstyles, or editing styles from the mid-2010s. The appeal sits in the mix of nostalgia and recognition—viewers realize that trends they thought were long gone are quietly resurfacing.

Ven pa’ acá

Let’s get back to some dance challenges. This one is to the Mexican song “Me Jalo” by Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera Oficial. The trend shows two people, usually couples, dancing and drawing the other person in with an imaginary string to the lyrics “Que yo me voy pa’ allá, me voy pa’ allá, me dices: Ven pa’ acá, vente pa’ acá”, which mean “I’m going there, I’m going there, You tell me: Come here, come here”, and which perfectly fit this trend. 1.3 million videos use this sound. Here are a few of the most popular:

If you don’t have a partner, you can do this trend with a friend or loved one. Here’s a girl with her dad—so cute.

Shake It To The Max

Another dance challenge is to the song “Shake It To The Max” by Shenseea, MOLIY, skillibeng & Silent Addy, which has 1.2 million videos. 

Done With Yuh Ex

This is another version of the song “Shake It To The Max” with different lyrics, but the same beat.

Stepcappella

This sound (son original – estheeer) only has about 84k videos, but it’s trending right now with a very interesting concept: one person of the group starts dancing while the others stand still, and then they gradually join in when the rhythm shifts, kind of like the dancing equivalent of a cappella singing.

It’s a fun trend to do with the entire family.

Azul – J Balvin

This song is from 2020, but it’s trending again in dance challenges.

PASSO BEM SOLTO

The slowed version of the song PASSO BEM SOLTO by ATLXS is very popular on TikTok right now, at 1.7 million views.

Mientras Vas Bailando

“Mientras Vas Bailando” is a song by Maluma, Ozuna, J Balvin, and Nicky Jam that became trendy on TikTok as an entry-level dance challenge that almost anyone can do. Even Maluma made a TikTok video for this song.

Chicken Banana

This trend revolves around a catchy dance-pop track titled “Chicken Banana,” released by Crazy Music Channel on February 3, 2025. The choreography is intentionally goofy, featuring exaggerated chicken-like flapping and banana-style wiggling. Its simplicity and silliness have made it accessible to a wide audience, from children to grandparents.

A Shimmy a Day Keeps The Sad Away

The “A Shimmy a Day Keeps the Sad Away” trend is currently popular on TikTok. It involves users performing a simple shimmy dance, often accompanied by captions like “A shimmy a day keeps the sad away.” The trend is embraced for its lightheartedness and the idea that a daily shimmy can uplift one’s mood. Notably, singer Meghan Trainor participated in the trend, adding to its visibility. The trend is characterized by its simplicity and inclusivity, with participants from various backgrounds joining in. These two people won the trend for me with their goofiness and self-love encouragements:

Picked a Winner

The song “Necklace” by Gabriella Rose has sparked a notable trend on TikTok. Since its release, users have been creating videos featuring the track, contributing to its growing popularity on the platform. The trend encompasses a variety of content, from personal storytelling to creative interpretations, all set to the backdrop of Rose’s song. Many TikTokkers are using the sound to show they picked the winner, whether that winner is a person, a dress, or a wedding venue.

That Was Rude

The “That Was Rude” trend on TikTok features the song “Hit Me” by Megan Hilty, Christopher Sieber, and Jennifer Simard. This audio clip, originating from the musical Death Becomes Her, includes the line “That was rude. That was pretty f***ing rude,” which users employ to highlight moments of perceived rudeness in a humorous or exaggerated manner.

Participants in this trend often share personal anecdotes or reenact scenarios where someone behaved rudely, syncing their reactions to the audio. The trend has gained traction due to its relatability and the expressive delivery of the line, making it a popular choice for storytelling and comedic content.

To explore this trend further, you can visit the #ThatWasRude page on TikTok, where numerous creators have shared their interpretations and experiences using this sound. Many of them are pretty dark or sad, but the sound somehow makes the stories more palatable.

Bloodline

The “Bloodline” trend on TikTok is hitting a nerve for a lot of people — in a good way. The part of the song that’s really catching on is the lyric:
“The storm keeps on raging, but don’t you forget, God’s not done with you yet.”

That line’s become a kind of emotional anchor. You’ll see creators pairing it with old footage of hard times — hospital visits, addiction struggles, loss, divorce, burnout — then cutting to where they are now. Some show themselves clean, healthy, with their kids, thriving in a new job, or just finally smiling again. The transformation hits harder because the lyric frames it like, “This isn’t the end of your story.”

It’s not polished or flashy — it feels raw. A lot of people aren’t even trying to go viral; they’re just documenting personal comebacks. Some stitch it with just text and a photo. Others film themselves tearing up while listening to the line. It’s that kind of trend — reflective, faith-tinged, and deeply tied to people showing their scars without shame.

If you scroll through the tag, you’ll get a mix: recovery journeys, mental health reflections, family reconciliations. No single format, just the common thread of people saying, “Hey, I’ve been through it, but I’m still here.”

And here are some of my favorite TikTok trends of 2025:

Dating in 2025

The dating-in-2025 trend was all over TikTok last year, and while we’ve entered 2026, I feel like it still applies to the dating scene — it’s pure chaos in the best way. A bunch of creators are using a viral audio clip of a female comedian grilling an audience member with rapid-fire questions like:

• “Are you single?”
• “Do you like girls?”
• “Do you have any baby mamas?”

It’s basically become the unofficial soundtrack for every modern dating horror story.

People are using it to act out (or straight-up expose) the weirdest red flag moments they’ve experienced — someone saying they’re “technically single,” or claiming their ex is “just staying with them temporarily.” The audio gives the perfect mix of dry sarcasm and side-eye energy that fits today’s dating scene way too well.

Others are using it in skits: someone playing both sides of the conversation, or making it look like a live interrogation before a first date. Some even use it as a fake “vetting process” for Hinge matches.

The tone is somewhere between therapy session and stand-up comedy set, and the comment sections are full of people saying stuff like, “Too real,” or “This literally happened to me last week.”

It’s less about finding love and more about laughing through the mess — very on-brand for 2025 dating.

The Tight Pull

The pantyhose head trend on TikTok is a hilarious, slightly chaotic challenge that has taken over feeds. It involves two people stretching pantyhose over their heads and then taking turns yanking the other’s stocking in rhythm with House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” The result? A lot of flailing, distorted faces, and uncontrollable laughter.

This trend, sometimes tagged as the “tight pull” or “stocking on head” challenge, is all about timing and teamwork. One person pulls, the other reacts, and they switch back and forth to the beat. The more dramatic the facial expressions, the better. Some duos even choreograph their moves, turning it into a full-on performance.

It’s become a go-to for friends, couples, and families looking to share a laugh—and maybe go viral in the process. The simplicity and silliness make it accessible to everyone, and the shared experience of looking ridiculous together adds to the fun.

’80s Dance

One of my absolute favorite TikTok dance trends is the ’80s dance trend. Kids ask their parents how they used to dance in the ’80s to a very ’80s-sounding dance song (Smalltown Boy – Bronski Beat), and the videos are absolutely fabulous. You can tell by their unleashed happiness that the ’80s were such a different time, and people had so much fun. Not to mention some moms and dads had (and still have) some amazing moves!

I Don’t Like It

This trend uses an original sound by Kylie Jenner where she uses the aging filter and says “I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all”.

While some people also use this sound to recreate the same kind of video using the aging filter, which we’ll talk about in a bit, the sound is also used by TikTokkers to talk about other things they don’t like, using text captions to showcase what they’re dissatisfied with while mouthing the words “I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all”. For example, this woman doesn’t like how her man does certain things around the house:

Aged Filter

As I was saying above with Kylie’s “I don’t like it” sound, there is a very popular aged filter going around TikTok. The filter shows how you would look old, with wrinkles, a weaker jawline and sagging skin, hyperpigmentation, and grey hair. Some dermatologists say it’s accurate, while other experts say it’s hard to say with accuracy what someone will look like, because there are a lot of factors at play, like genetics, how well you take care of your skin, sun exposure, and other lifestyle factors. However, Gen Zers and Millennials are freaking out when seeing themselves so aged, which is perhaps what this filter’s purpose is, to help companies sell more anti-aging cosmetics.

This one from Meghan and Jack, who are some of the most famous TikTokers, was hilarious:

I hope you’ve enjoyed these popular TikTok trends I’ve selected for this article. If you’d like to see more, check out these sexy TikTok trends and these TikTok makeup trends. If you’re a creator and would like to optimize your social media game on TikTok, these social media monitoring tools will help you stay on top of popular trends.

See also: Secret TikTok Emoji Codes: Do They Work?