How to Find Popular Sounds on TikTok

Using the right sound on your TikTok videos can be the difference between getting 100 views and 100,000. But figuring out which sounds are actually trending - and which are already over - can feel like a full-time job. This guide breaks down the simple, actionable methods you can use to consistently find popular sounds, stay ahead of trends, and create content that gets noticed by the TikTok algorithm. To learn more about boosting your content, read our guide on how to get more views on TikTok.

Why Trending Sounds are a Growth Hack on TikTok

Before jumping into the "how," it's worth understanding the "why." TikTok's algorithm is designed to push out content that people want to see, and sounds are a huge part of that equation. When a sound is trending, it means users are actively engaging with it - watching videos that use it, saving it, and creating their own versions. By using a popular sound, you're essentially tapping into a pre-existing conversation and a built-in audience. If you want to dive deeper into how the algorithm works, check out our article on how to beat the TikTok algorithm.

Here’s what happens when you use a trending sound:

• Increased Discoverability: The algorithm is more likely to show your video to users who have previously enjoyed other content with that same sound.
• Ride the Wave: You leverage the momentum of a trend, boosting your video's potential to appear on the For You Page (FYP). A viral sound acts like a launchpad for your content.
• Stay Relevant: Using current sounds shows that you understand the platform's culture and are actively participating in it, which can help grow a loyal following.

Think of a sound as a hashtag, but more powerful. It categorizes your video and gives the algorithm a clear signal about who might want to see it.

How to Find Popular Sounds Directly in the TikTok App

Often, the best tools are the ones right in front of you. TikTok has several native features designed to help you discover what's hot right now. If you're looking for a quick and reliable way to find a sound for your next video, start here.

1. Scroll Your For You Page (FYP) with Intention

Your FYP is the single most powerful trend-spotting tool you have. Instead of scrolling passively, treat it like research. As you browse, pay attention to the audio.

• Listen for repetition: If you hear the same sound clip three or four times within a 10-minute scrolling session, that’s a clear sign it's trending or on the verge of trending.
• Check the sound icon: Look at the bottom left of the screen, where the sound title scrolls. Is there a little music note with an upward-trending arrow next to it? That icon is TikTok's explicit label for a trending sound. Tap on it.
• Analyze the sound's page: After tapping the sound, you'll see a page dedicated to that audio. Look at how many videos have been made with it. A number anywhere from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands indicates active use. If most of the top videos were posted a month ago, the trend is likely dead. If they were posted in the last few days, you've found a live one.
• Save it for later: Found a good one? Tap the "Add to Favorites" button at the top of the sound's page. This will save it to your library so you can easily find it when you're ready to create.

2. Use the "Add Sound" Feature When Creating

When you open the TikTok camera to create a video, one of the first options you'll see at the top is "Add Sound." This is your gateway to TikTok's official audio library, and it's organized specifically to show you popular audio.

The Commercial Music Library

Once you tap "Add Sound," you'll land in the music library. Don't just grab the first thing you see. Pay attention to the curated playlists TikTok serves up: For more details on accessing this feature, check out our guide on how to access TikTok's commercial music library.

• TikTok Viral: This is the holy grail. It’s a regularly updated playlist of the most popular sounds on the entire platform. If you’re ever unsure what to use, this is a safe bet.
• New Releases: This section features fresh tracks that TikTok is promoting. Getting in early on one of these can give you a major advantage if the song blows up.
• Playlists by Genre: You'll see playlists like "Hip Hop," "Indie," "Summer," etc. - these are great for finding a sound that matches the specific vibe of your video while still being popular.

Again, look for the trending arrow icon next to a sound's name. It's a clear signal to use that audio.

Go Deeper with the TikTok Creative Center

While the in-app tools are great for quick finds, TikTok's own data hub for advertisers offers an incredible, and often overlooked, source of information. The TikTok Creative Center gives you a peek behind the curtain at what is actually trending, backed by hard data. If you're looking to explore this powerful tool, here's our guide on how to access the TikTok Creator Center.

Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. Navigate to the TikTok Creative Center in your web browser. You don't need an ad account to use a lot of its features.
2. On the main page, find the "Trends" tab at the top and click on it. Then, select "Audio" from the dropdown menu.
3. You'll land on the Audio Trends chart. Now, you can filter the results to find exactly what you need:
   • Filter by Region: You can see what's trending in your specific country, which is incredibly useful for connecting with a local audience.
   • Filter by Time Period: You can see trends for "Today," the "Last 7 Days," or "Last 30 Days." For staying current, stick with the 7-day view.
   • Check "New to Top 100": This toggle shows you which sounds just broke into the top list - an ideal opportunity to jump on a trend as it's accelerating.

The chart shows you the song's rank, its artists, and most importantly, how many videos have been created with it. You can even click on the sound to see examples of top-performing videos that are using it. This is a powerful research tool that most creators simply don't use.

Advanced Strategies for Staying Ahead of Sounds

Finding a trending sound is good. Finding it before everyone else does is even better. Here are a few ways to level up your trend-spotting skills.

Follow Trend-Spotting Accounts

There are entire TikTok accounts dedicated to identifying and sharing rising sounds. These creators do the scrolling for you. Finding and following a few of them means your FYP will become a curated feed of trending audio. They often analyze a sound's growth and tell you when to use it for maximum impact. Search for terms like "TikTok trends" or "viral sounds" to find these accounts.

Analyze Your Niche and Competitors

Pay attention to the creators and brands in your industry or niche. What sounds are they using? More importantly, which of their videos using specific sounds are getting the most comments, shares, and views? This isn't about copying their content - it's about identifying the audio that resonates with your target audience. Sometimes, a sound that's trending within a small but passionate community (like a specific video game or hobby) can be more powerful than a massive, mainstream trend. For deeper insights into your channel's performance, consider reading about how to analyze TikTok account performance.

Listen for "Pre-Viral" Sounds

The biggest trends don't just appear overnight. They start small. Keep an eye out for sounds that have a small number of videos using them (maybe 1,000 to 10,000 videos created), yet you’re starting to see them pop up consistently on your FYP. These are often "dormant" or slow-burning sounds that are about to take off. Using them at this stage means your video is one of the first in what could become a massive wave, giving you a greater chance of being featured on the sound page as an early adopter.

Using Trending Sounds the Right Way

Finding the sound is only half the battle. How you use it matters just as much.

• Match the Vibe and Format: A sound usually has a specific trend or format associated with it (e.g., a lip-sync, a dance, a specific joke setup). Tap on the sound to see how others are using it, and think about how you can adapt that format for your own niche.
• Add Your Unique Twist: Don't just recreate a viral video shot-for-shot. The best use of a trend is to apply its format to your own content, expertise, or humor. If it's a pointing trend, for instance, point to tips you use in your industry.
• Act Fast, but Not Too Late: The life cycle of a TikTok trend can be brutally short. Once you've identified a rising sound, aim to create and post your video within a few days. If a sound has already been dominant for over two weeks, it might be on its way out.

Final Thoughts

Finding popular sounds on TikTok isn't about luck, it's a skill you develop by actively paying attention to the platform, using the aforementioned resources. By blending organic FYP scrolling with data from tools like the Creative Center, you can build a reliable system for keeping your content relevant and giving it the best possible chance to grow.

Once you’ve found a batch of great sounds, the next hurdle is planning and organizing your content schedule. To keep our own content fresh across TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, we rely on Postbase. We realized early on that clunky, older tools weren't built for a short-form video world and often failed to post reliably. Its visual calendar helps us map out our entire strategy, and the ability to schedule videos without them failing or losing quality is a huge relief. It turns a viral sound into an amazing piece of content that goes live exactly when it should.