How to Find Trending Sounds on YouTube Shorts

Jumping on a trending sound on YouTube Shorts can feel like catching a wave at the perfect moment - it can carry your video to a massive new audience. But finding those sounds before they peak can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. This guide walks you through the exact methods you can use to discover viral audio consistently, helping you create content that gets noticed. We’ll cover how to find trends natively in the app, look at other platforms for clues, and keep an eye on what’s happening in your specific niche.

Method 1: Scout Directly Within the YouTube Shorts Feed

Your first and best source for trends is the YouTube Shorts app itself. The algorithm is designed to show you what’s popular, so all you have to do is pay attention to the signals. Spending even 15-20 minutes a day intentionally scrolling can give you all the data you need.

Learn to Spot the Signs of a Trend

As you watch Shorts, keep an eye out for a few key indicators:

• The Trending Arrow: When a sound is actively trending, you’ll often see a small arrow pointing diagonally upwards next to the sound title at the bottom of the screen. This is YouTube’s most direct way of telling you, “Hey, people are using this right now!”
• Repetition is Your Friend: The most basic rule of trend spotting is frequency. If you hear the same audio clip three or more times within a short scrolling session - especially when used by different creators in different ways - it’s either already trending or on its way up.
• Check the Video Count: Tap on the sound title in the bottom-right corner of a Short. This will take you to the audio’s main page, where you can see how many other Shorts have used it. While a high number (like 50K+ videos) means the sound is popular, a rapidly increasing number is an even better sign. If a sound has 1,000 videos one day and 10,000 the next, you're looking at a breakout trend.

Use the YouTube Audio Library Like a Pro

Instead of just passively scrolling, you can actively hunt for sounds inside Shorts’ creation tools. This is where YouTube organizes popular audio for you.

Here’s the step-by-step:

1. Open the YouTube app and tap the + icon at the bottom.
2. Select Create a Short.
3. At the top of the screen, tap Add sound.

This opens up the Audio Library, a curated collection of trending and recommended tracks. Break it down like this:

• Top sounds: This is your primary destination. It’s a real-time list of the most used and fastest-growing sounds on the platform. If you’re ever unsure what to use, picking something from the top 10 on this list is a safe bet.
• Recommended: This section is powered by the algorithm, offering suggestions based on videos you’ve watched and the content you typically create. It’s a great way to find sounds that are not only popular but also relevant to your audience.
• Playlists & Moods: YouTube also curates sounds into thematic playlists like "Meme" or "Upbeat." While not always the latest viral hits, these are perfect for finding specific vibes that match your video’s energy without having to search for hours.

Save Sounds on the Go

When you come across a great sound in your feed, don't let it slip away. Tap the sound icon at the bottom of the Short. On the audio page, you'll see two options: "Use this sound" to start creating immediately or "Add to Favorites" (the bookmark icon) to save it for later. Your "Favorites" list becomes your personal library of trending audio ideas, ready whenever inspiration strikes.

Method 2: Use YouTube Music as Your Secret Weapon

If you want to get ahead of the curve, stop looking at what's already trending and start looking at what will trend. This is where YouTube Music comes in handy. Many of the biggest sounds on YouTube Shorts are simply catchy clips from popular songs, and YouTube Music’s charts are an incredible predictor of what will take off next.

Inside the YouTube Music app (or on the website), navigate to the Explore tab and then select Charts. You’ll find a few lists that are pure gold for trend forecasting:

• Top 100 Songs: This chart shows what’s popular on the broader YouTube platform, not just Shorts. The most streamed music videos and songs often spawn trends. Listen for a song with a distinctive beat drop, a surprisingly funny lyric, or a chorus that’s perfect for lip-syncing. Those are the moments creators will isolate for their Shorts.
• Top 100 Music Videos: Similarly, watching the top music videos can give you a heads-up on visual trends that might pop up, directly inspired by the video’s choreography or scenes.
• Trending: This self-updating list is the most volatile and potentially the most valuable. It reflects what’s getting a sudden surge of attention right now. Songs that appear on this chart are prime candidates to become the next big sound on Shorts.

Don't just listen to the songs - listen like a content creator. Ask yourself: "Could a 15-second clip from this song tell a story? Is there a part that's perfect for a transition or a punchline?" By thinking this way, you can identify breakout sounds days or even weeks before everyone else jumps on them.

Method 3: Monitor Trends on TikTok (Yes, Really)

Ignoring TikTok when looking for social media trends is like ignoring the weather when planning a beach day. It's an essential part of the ecosystem. There is a well-established pipeline where sounds become massive hits on TikTok first before migrating over to YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. Being aware of this gives you a major advantage.

You don't need to become a TikTok power user, but spending 15 minutes a day actively listening on the "For You Page" can provide enormous insight. When a sound starts appearing in completely different contexts - from comedy skits to a GRWM (Get Ready With Me) video - you’re seeing the birth of a versatile trend.

When you spot one, take note of the sound title and artist. Then, search for it in the YouTube Shorts Audio Library. If only a few people are using it there, you have a golden opportunity to be an early adopter on the platform and ride the trend's wave as it crosses over. The key is to adapt the trend for your YouTube audience, not just copy what you saw on TikTok. Take the core concept of the sound and apply it to your niche authentically.

Method 4: Follow Trend-Spotting Accounts and Creators

If you don’t have time to do all the detective work yourself, you can follow creators who do it for you. There's a whole cottage industry of content creators and marketers on YouTube whose entire purpose is to spot, analyze, and teach others how to use trending sounds.

Go to the YouTube search bar and try a few of these queries:

• "Trending YouTube Shorts sounds"
• "Viral Shorts audio this week"
• "How to use [name of popular trend]"

You’ll find channels that publish weekly roundups of popular sounds. The best ones don’t just list the sounds, they explain why the sound is working and give you three or four creative ideas for how you can adapt it. Subscribing to a couple of these can feel like having a cheat sheet for your content strategy.

Method 5: Pay Attention to Your Niche

Finally, remember that the biggest trend in the world doesn’t matter if it’s completely irrelevant to your audience. While global trends can drive massive views, niche-specific sounds build community and signal that you're an insider.

Spend time watching Shorts from other creators in your industry. If you run a channel about classic cars, what sounds are other car restoration and review channels using? If you're a book reviewer, are there specific audios making the rounds on #BookTok and "BookTube?" These micro-trends often resonate more deeply with your target audience because they feel like an in-joke they're a part of.

When you use a sound that’s trending in your community, you’re speaking your audience’s language. It is an immediate signal that you belong there, which fosters trust and connection far more effectively than hopping on a random dance challenge that has nothing to do with your brand.

Final Thoughts

Finding trending sounds on YouTube Shorts is a skill that blends observation, forecasting, and strategic thinking. By regularly scrolling your feed with a curious eye, checking YouTube Music charts, keeping tabs on other platforms, and focusing on your niche, you can develop a sense for what's about to be huge. The goal isn't just to use a popular sound, but to use the right popular sound at the right time for your content.

Of course, finding the perfect trend is only half the battle. Once inspiration hits, you have to execute. In our work building Postbase, we focused on taking the friction out of the next step: planning and scheduling your content. Since we built it for modern, video-first formats, you can easily load your YouTube Shorts, TikToks, and Reels into a simple visual calendar, customize the caption for each platform, and schedule them with confidence. It helps you stay consistent so you can spend less time managing posts and more time creating.