Five Throwback Songs That Made a Comeback Thanks to TikTok This Past Year

1. "Dreams" - Fleetwood Mac (1977)

Fleetwood Mac is a renowned American-British rock band that was formed in the 1960s experiencing their peak in the mid 70s with the release of their most successful albums “Rumors” and “Fleetwood Mac.”

The band have experienced numerous peaks in their career and their music influence was undeniable at the time. However, the viral resurgence of their hit track “Dreams” showcased the song to a new generation thanks to a TikTok which turned a classic tune into a trending song of the 21st century.

The video, created by TikTok user Nathan Apodaca (@420doggface208) featured him riding a skateboard, drinking cranberry juice whilst lip syncing to the track. The video's “chill vibes” and laid-back tone encouraged millions of people to recreate the video resulting in a resurgence in popularity of the song prompting “Dreams” to reenter the Billboard Top 100, 43 years after its original release.

Not only this, but the TikTok trend quickly evolved from the Apodaca homage videos and found itself a popular sound amongst young women for “fit checks” where creators show off their outfits to music.

2. "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2003)

Iconic band Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band who were a token of its time known for their distinctive artistic sound.

The bands iconic track “Maps” originally captured fans from the early 2000s however has seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to not one but two viral trends introducing the old hit to a whole community of new listeners.

The first trend that catapulted “Maps” back into the limelight was a short dance routine to a sped-up version of the song, specifically filmed to the catchy lyrics “wait, they don't love me like I love you.”

The dance quickly became widespread and has turned into a meme on Tiktok with users performing the dance in a sped-up motion. Shortly after a playful new trend emerged where users use a filter to remove their facial features and try to place them back on their face in the correct positions, leading to hilarious results.

Maps peaked at #1 on the TikTok charts on October 12th, 2024, and again on November 20th, 2024, as a result of both these trends.

3. "Forever Young" - Alphaville (1984)

This 80s song by Alphaville has quickly become a Gen Z favorite experiencing a remarkable revival.

The track “Forever Young” initially struggled to find mainstream success when first released all those decades ago, however it managed to make a breakthrough towards the end of 2024, thanks to TikTok. The emotionally charged lyrics “forever young, I want to be forever young” resonated with TikTok users due to the sense of nostalgia and the desire to stay youthful.

Although this sound has not got a fixed trend or choreography accompanying it, users are embracing the song in their own unique ways creating diverse videos with the central theme of ageing. For example, montages capturing experiences of the user's youth or comparisons of themselves now to when they were younger.

The hit has become synonymous with the idea of “YOLO” (you only live once) and is encouraging young users to live in the present.

4. "Teenage Dream" - Katy Perry (2010)

Katy Perry is one of the top selling female artists in history having sold over 143 million units worldwide. Her hit nostalgic single “Teenage Dream” released in the summer of 2010 returned to our playlists in the spring because of Australian TikTok creator Anna Paul.

Paul posted a short clip of her lip synching expressively on her second account which reached 26.8m views. She then posted another lip sync to the song which reached 14.8m views to which Katy Perry herself responded “pop off Anna.”

Since then, millions of creators have been recreating Paul's videos including top influencers such as Katie Fang and Sunday Kalogeras.

This song resonated with its
audience due to its connection with girlhood and the idea of the “teenage girl” being so popular on TikTok right now.

5. "Whip My Hair" - WILLOW (2010)

"Whip My Hair" is Willow Smith's debut single released when she was just 10 years old, and now, a decade later it is making a massive comeback. The track is an anthem for self-expression and confidence.

After peaking at #11 on the Billboard charts and making waves globally, like most songs, it eventually faded from the spotlight. However, fast forward a decade and a high-energy TikTok dance to the song created by @Ballintwinzz reached 10.5 million views and the song has been circulating TikTok ever since.

Millions of users have recreated this 25 second dance causing the resurgence of the song's popularity. This hit has sent TikTok users into a deep sense of nostalgia. For many, "Whip My Hair" takes them straight back to their childhoods and creates a cheerful atmosphere.