The question on every artist's mind is, what makes a music video go viral in 2024? What are the key ingredients in that elusive spot among YouTube trending music? Let’s dive into what’s popular on YouTube music this year and the kinds of videos that make it big on the platform.
What’s Popular Now?
When it comes to YouTube music trends in 2024, we’re living in a world where a viral song can appear in a blink of an eye. With TikTok as a primary incubator for musical success, YouTube continues to be the landing platform for music videos that gain millions, if not billions, of views. So, what’s viral now? Let’s dive into the current trends in YouTube music.
Popular Catchy Music Across the Decades
Nostalgia is always trendy. It’s one of the most enduring trends in music, in fact. Classic rock anthems of the ‘70s are still rocking the trending pages of YouTube Music and gather millions upon millions of views. Just look up some of the songs, you’d be surprised how much views they gather just upon the pure feelings of nostalgia, even to this day!
Well, not only hits from 70s, 80s and 90s make the cut as the nostalgic hits. Nowadays, songs from the 2000s and 2010s evoke that nostalgic hype. If you think it can’t be, just look up some of the hits from the past decade. “Ai Se Eu Te Pego” that since its release gathered billions of views. Insane, right? These videos often hit viral status thanks to their undeniable hooks and widespread familiarity. What makes this trend unique in 2024 is the way old hits are being rediscovered by younger generations, spurred by viral challenges and throwback playlists. Nostalgia never goes out of style on YouTube, and catchy tunes from yesteryears keep coming back into the spotlight.
Ad Campaigns Through Music
Brands, educators, and even official serious government departments are no strangers to the power of music to deliver their message. In 2024, ad campaigns using music are some of the viral videos on YouTube.
Music (usually) is a key tool in successful marketing strategies, with advertisers creating full-fledged music videos to sell their products or to relay an important message that needs to be imprinted in the minds of people. These aren’t your ordinary jingles — we’re talking professional productions featuring catchy original songs made by collaborating with countless artists that bring in views and trendiness.
Music Phenomena
YouTube has always been the breeding ground for bizarre yet fascinating music phenomena. Unconventional trends seem to thrive on YouTube, appealing to specific subcultures and generating viral content through their creativity and (sometimes) sheer absurdity.
Nightcore
Nightcore is a genre of music that originated from fan remixes, typically characterized by speeding up the tempo of a song, raising its pitch, and making the vocals sound more high-pitched and upbeat. It’s essentially a faster and more energetic version of the original track, often giving it a more "electronic" feel. This genre originated on YouTube and has been at the top of the charts ever since, especially within anime and gaming communities, often paired with anime-style visuals in the videos.
Rickrolling
What’s a rickroll, we hear you asking? Well, it’s a harmless prank! It involves tricking someone into clicking a hyperlink that leads to the music video for Rick Astley's 1987 hit song "Never Gonna Give You Up." The link is usually disguised as something relevant to the conversation or topic, making the victim believe they are being directed to a legitimate source, only to be "rickrolled" when the unexpected music video starts playing.
The prank became a viral internet meme in the mid-2000s, especially on platforms like YouTube and Reddit. Despite being a prank, the meme also led to a resurgence in popularity for Rick Astley and his song. Don’t underestimate a good rickroll!
Literal Music Videos
A literal music video is a parody where the original lyrics of a music video are replaced with new, humorous lyrics that describe exactly what's happening visually in the video, often in a deadpan or exaggerated manner. Instead of following the original song's narrative or meaning, the new lyrics match the specific actions, scenery, and events occurring in the video itself.
For example, if a singer in the video is dramatically gesturing or doing something odd, the new lyrics might explicitly describe those actions in a comically literal way. These videos are popular for their creativity and humor, and they often provide a fun, meta-commentary on the sometimes abstract or outlandish visuals in music videos.
Fanmade music videos
Fanmade music videos are a special breed of viral content. These videos take songs — either original tracks or popular hits — and pair them with clips from beloved TV shows, movies, anime, or even video games. Fan creativity knows no bounds, and these videos usually become instant hits among the fanbase, who desperately crave for more content from favorite franchises.
Fans do everything: from AMVs (anime music videos) to clever mashups and original interpretations of their beloved franchises. Such videos thrive on YouTube, because there is always a demand for them.
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Music that Catches Fire on Social Media
Sometimes a song doesn’t become an instant hit upon release. Or it does, but fades away into time as often happens. TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and sometimes even Reddit breathe in a second life to such songs, where they become trending almost overnight. TikTok, in particular, has become the incubator for music discovery, where 15-second clips of songs spread like wildfire through challenges, dances, and memes. Or, like in the case of the song “Little Dark Age” by MGMT - historical edits on more serious topics.
These snippets quickly migrate to YouTube, where creators post extended versions, remixes, or even mashups with other trending tracks. Social media nowadays is often the birthplace of hits that blow up due to massive community support.
Collaborations and Cameos
The rise of cross-genre collaborations isn’t new, but in 2024, these partnerships are driving a massive number of views. Viral music videos are often packed with surprise cameos, whether it’s your favorite rapper hopping onto a pop star’s track or unexpected duets between artists who exist in totally different worlds. These videos thrive on the “wow” factor of star power, keeping fans hooked and pushing the video to viral status in no time.
Movie, Cartoon, and Series Soundtracks
Another enduring trend on YouTube is the viral success of soundtracks from popular movies, cartoons, and series. Since the movie producers often incorporate original songs made from collaborations with music artists, no wonder fans want to hear more of it. Firstly, it’s something to keep them connected to the impactful series or a movie. And secondly, it’s more content from their beloved artist.
Fans love to revisit their favorite moments through music, and composers are gaining fame not just in theaters but online as well. Same composers of viral soundtracks even hold live concerts with How to Train Your Dragon, Harry Potter, and even game soundtracks performed live by the same people who originally recorded them for their respective franchises. Do not underestimate the power of nostalgia in this case. Even now people are listening to their favorite instrumental soundtracks!
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The Rise of Genre-Bending Tracks
In 2024, genre-bending tracks are dominating YouTube. Fans are flocking to songs that combine pop with EDM, hip-hop with indie rock, or even classical music with trap beats. Artists like Billie Eilish have paved the way for this trend, but now lesser-known creators are jumping on the train, making hybrid genres that pull in audiences from all over the world. The more experimental and out-of-the-box, the better!
Funny Original Songs and Remixes
What are the most popular videos on YouTube? Well, aside from cat videos that is. It’s humor! Humor has always been a driving force on YouTube, and music here is no exception. Funny original songs always stick out and attract a variety of people to listen both ironically and not. Viral music videos in this genre can be absurd, hilarious, or just downright weird.
Same goes for funny or outright weird remixes of something seemingly simple like an interview. We saw the success of the “Bed Intruder Song”, “Oh my daym”, “Can’t hug every cat”, “Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That” (and many many more), the recent years didn’t fall too far off from that. People love such remixes, people absolutely love humor. These videos resonate with a wide audience because they mix the musical with the comedic, and the quirkier the better. Creators who can pull off the perfect blend of catchy music and humor often find themselves catapulted to viral fame.
Visual Stories That Pull at Your Heartstrings
Forget simple performance-based videos; in 2024, the most popular music videos on YouTube are mini-movies with emotional storytelling. It can be a narrative about heartbreak, or self-discovery, or even a story of artists’ past that just connects with a viewer in a special way. These narrative-driven videos invite audiences into a story rather than just a song.
Dance Challenges Are Still Going Strong
No YouTube music trends article would be complete without acknowledging the ongoing power of dance challenges. Since the rise of TikTok, dance videos have become one of the easiest ways to make a song explode. In 2024, this trend is still going strong, with artists creating choreographed routines specifically designed to be replicated by fans.
K-pop continues to lead the charge here, with groups like BTS, BLACKPINK, and Stray Kids releasing complex yet addictive dance moves that fans all over the globe love to mimic and upload. These trends quickly move from TikTok to YouTube, where compilations of the best fan videos go viral.
Bonus Round: Parody Videos
Cover songs and parodies have been a staple of YouTube music since the early days, and they’re not going anywhere. In fact, they’re trending even more. New artists find their footing by reimagining popular songs and giving them a twist — whether it’s through a humorous parody or a heartfelt acoustic rendition. These videos ride the wave of already popular songs but add a fresh spin, giving viewers something familiar yet exciting.
So, what’s the secret to a viral music video on YouTube in 2024? It’s a blend of emotion, humor, creativity, and understanding your audience. It’s about tapping into the trends that resonate with your viewers and keeping things fresh and exciting.
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