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TikTok names UK’s most popular artists of 2020
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 17 December 2020
Yeah, so, TikTok has published a whole load of music-related stats for 2020 in an effort to show you just how very important it is now in terms of getting people interested in anything musical. For example, in the UK, ten songs that trended on the service this year went on to top the singles chart. But that’s a fact it actually revealed earlier this month. What it is focussing on with these latest stats is the artists, rather than tracks, who were the most popular overall on TikTok in the UK this year.
Dua Lipa proved the most popular artist for UK TikTok users in 2020, with the opening lines of her track ‘Don’t Start Now’ in particular getting plenty of TikTok love. She also created a TikTok-specific video for her track ‘Levitating’, with a campaign that engaged millions of fans worldwide. And that’s how you get to the top of the TikTok tree, my friends.
The other artists in the top five “most-used by UK TikTokkers” list were Harry Styles, S1mba, HRVY and Lewis Capaldi. But, while there’s a hefty pop bias in that list, it was actually rap that proved the most popular genre. So that’s nice. For rap.
Of course, it’s one thing to have your music favoured by TikTok users, but which artists were popular TikTok creators themselves? Well, Anne-Marie, Mabel and Nina Nesbitt all made videos that proved popular with fans on the platform. As did, perhaps surprisingly, Andrew Lloyd Webber.
But none of these had the most popular artist account on the platform in the UK. That accolade went to Sam Ryder. Sam who? Come on, Sam Ryder. You know Sam. One single release to his name (from 2019) and still to play his first live show. Sam Ryder.
He’s built up a fanbase on TikTok with his own takes on songs by the likes of Queen, Elton John and George Michael. He’s a bit of a celeb on there – even Alicia Keys is in awe of him. So, yeah, he was more popular than HRVY, Liam Payne, Lewis Capaldi and Yungblud, who made up the rest of the top five.
“2020 has been the year that music started on TikTok – driving music discovery and fan engagement for all artists, from emerging talent to global superstars”, says TikTok’s UK Head Of Music Operations, Paul Hourican. “New artists have been given a big voice on our platform and established names have found new, authentic and creative ways to engage with their fans”.
“We’ve seen so many incredible artist moments in 2020, bringing new music and experiences and inspiring our creative community”, he goes on. “I want to say a big thank you to all the artists and our industry partners who have embraced TikTok this year – bring on 2021”.
So, if you want to be popular, get on TikTok, that’s the news here. At least according to TikTok.
