It’s the social app of choice for millions of people around the world, providing an endless stream of short yet addictive video clips.
Now, as the year draws to a close, TikTok has revealed its top trends for 2024.
From having a ‘brat summer’ to being ‘very demure, very mindful’, TikTok’s ‘Year on TikTok’ report shows what trends have been fueling user engagement in the past 12 months.
Also taking over the app this year has been ‘chip shop diva’, a young star from Worcestershire dubbed as ‘iconic’, and an adorable hippo from Thailand.
According to TikTok, which is owned by Chinese internet company ByteDance, the platform has once again fuelled countless trends that are ‘now in our cultural lexicon’.
‘Throughout 2024, TikTok continued to redefine how we discover, create and connect through the shared language of video,’ said James Stafford, global head of content at TikTok.
‘From small businesses launching global brands to creators and artists at the forefront of cultural movements, TikTok is a catalyst for economic growth, cultural trends, and social impact.
‘We celebrate our global community who have inspired and entertained us this year, as we remain committed to nurturing a positive and inclusive environment where everyone can bring joy, have a unique voice, and a chance to shine.’
It’s the social app of choice for millions of people around the world, providing an endless stream of short yet addictive video clips. Now, as the year draws to a close, TikTok has revealed its top trends for 2024 (file photo)
‘Year on TikTok’ is based on in-app and third-party insights focused on TikTok’s social, economic, and cultural impact, conducted from January to November 2024
Here. MailOnline takes a closer look at some of the biggest TikTok trends of the year.
VERY DEMURE, VERY MINDFUL
‘Year on TikTok’ is based on in-app and third-party insights focused on TikTok’s social, economic, and cultural impact, conducted from January to November 2024.
One of the top trends is the phrase ‘very demure, very mindful’, popularised by Chicago-based TikToker Jools Lebron, known primarily for her make-up tutorials.
She became an overnight sensation in August after she posted a 127-second clip showing off her makeup before work.
She described the look as ‘very demure’ and ‘very mindful’, while adding: ‘a lot of you girls go to the interview looking like Marge Simpson’.
People all over the world started using the term in their own posts, videos, and comments – and Lebron had planned to release merch carrying the phrase until someone else trademarked it.
Lebron, who is transgender, said she was hoping to use any profit that she made off it to ‘do so much for her family’ and ‘provide for her transition’.
The TikTok star who popularized the viral ‘very demure, very mindful’ sound broke down in tears as she revealed someone else trademarked the phrase before she could
CHIP SHOP DIVA
Another emerging star who has taken social media by storm, not just TikTok, is ‘chip shop diva, aka 20-year-old Destiny Harold.
The glamorous worker has become famous as the star of point-of-view videos filmed at Merchants chip shop in Bewdley, Worcestershire, while inspiring countless initiations.
The clips feature an unseen male ‘customer’ (actually a fellow staff member) ordering food, usually haddock and chips, from the inscrutable young staff member.
TikTok said her ‘unbothered and simply iconic style’ has led to fans flocking to the until now little-known chip shop and leaving five-star reviews.
‘Merchants Fish and Chips demonstrates how a simple TikTok video can propel a business to online stardom,’ it said.
Destiny, who has worked in the shop since she was 16, has gained thousands of fans, who have described her as ‘iconic’ and ‘gorgeous’ in comments.
One person said: ‘thanks, it helped me to improve my English. I feel ready to order fish and chips in the UK now.’
Merchants fish and chip shop, in Bewdley, Worcestershire, has gone viral on TikTok for their customer ordering POV videos with the same female staff member serving
BRAT SUMMER
It’s been difficult to escape the phrase ‘brat summer’ on the internet for most of this year, let alone TikTok.
Charli XCX created the term in support of her latest album ‘Brat’, featuring simplistic cover art
British singer Charli XCX created the term in support of her latest album ‘Brat’, released in June, but apparently it’s not just a canny bit of marketing.
Having a brat summer means to enjoy the sunny season with a ‘confident, independent and hedonistic attitude’, according to Collins Dictionary.
The movement became about embodying self-love, positive body image and sultry style choices, marking a sharp departure from the preceding ‘clean girl’ trend.
‘You are just that girl who is a little messy and maybe says dumb things sometimes, who feels herself but then also maybe has a breakdown, but parties through it,’ Charli XCX said.
‘It is honest, blunt, and a little bit volatile. That’s Brat. Think Courtney Love in the ’90s, Amy Winehouse in the early aughts, and Ke$ha in the 2010s.’
While the phrase has been popular among Gen Z, ‘brat summer’ has left older internet users perplexed.
British singer Charli XCX and her team the term in support of her latest album ‘Brat’, released in June. She’s pictured performing for Saturday Night Live last month
‘For anybody over the age of 40, “brat summer” is what happens when you go on holiday with other people’s children,’ commented Harriet Walker, fashion editor at the Times.
SPUD BROTHERS
Another British success story fueled by TikTok this year is the Spud Brothers, a family-run business from Preston.
The real-life brothers Jacob, 28, and Harley Nelson, 21, post point-of-view videos of them hastily preparing baked potatoes from their food van.
Customers from around the world have made the pilgrimage to their vehicle, while a new pop-up location in Soho has also created lengthy queues.
TikTok said the Spud Brothers are responsible for the humble baked potato enjoying renaissance this year, although fans may want to opt for beans instead of tuna.
But their rise to fame is an emotional backstory, with the pair taking over the van from a family friend following the death aged just 43.
Jacob and Harley said they want to keep his ‘legacy alive’ while ‘inspiring younger people using social media’.
They took over the business from a family friend after the loss of his son, and now the Spud Bros (pictured) have found international fame
MOO DENG HIPPO
Moo Deng or ‘bouncy pork’ is an adorable pygmy hippopotamus living in Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Thailand.
In September, she became a sensation at two months of age when the zoo posted clips of her online, revealing her playful antics and energetic energy.
In one clip, Moo Deng appears to react strongly to being sprayed with the water – and retaliates by charging at her handler and nipping at his leg.
TikTok said the hippo ‘captured the hearts of the internet the world over’, sparking merchandise, make-up and even her own cryptocurrency.
Moo Deng also correctly ‘predicted’ the outcome of the 2024 US presidential election.
However, cruel zoo visitors have been spotted filming themselves abusing Moo Deng with one even pouring water on her to wake her up.
Other videos show visitors throwing objects at the baby hippo at the zoo, which is located around 50 miles southeast of Bangkok.
Moo Deng – or ‘bouncy pork’ – is a two-month-old pygmy hippopotamus living in Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Thailand
MAN IN FINANCE
Possibly the most bizarre trend of the year was sparked by TikTok user Megan Boni, who posted her satirical song ‘Looking for a Man in Finance’ in April.
Without any musical accompaniment, Ms Boni ‘I’m looking for a man in finance, with a trust fund, 6′ 5’’, blue eyes’.
The Philadelphia native originally posted on April 30, 2024, with the text overlay saying ‘Did I just write the song of the summer?’
It was viewed more than 26 million times in three weeks and inspired remixes from the likes of European DJs David Guetta and Alesso.
TikTok said the clip sparked ‘important conversations about dating expectations, gender roles and the allure of the finance world’.
TikTok, first launched in 2016, was originally positioned as an app for sharing choreographed dances to songs.
But it now features a huge range of different content, from fashion and heath advice to book reviews, recipes, tutorials and challenges.
Despite its simplicity, ‘Looking for a Man in Finance’ was a huge hit on TikTok and sparked a wave of imitators (pictured)
According to TikTok, in 2024 the platform has increasingly become a place for science communicators to share backyard chemistry lessons, tips for fossil collecting and more.
Sports events including the Euro football championships, the Olympics and the Paralympics also powered user engagement on TikTok, it said.
However, music is still a big feature of the app, and the most popular artists on TikTok providing the soundtrack to videos in 2024 include Central Cee, Charlie XCX, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran.
TikTok also had a separate music streaming service, TikTok Music, until last month when it was shut down.
‘We will be closing TikTok Music at the end of November in order to focus on our goal of furthering TikTok’s role in driving even greater music listening and value on music streaming services, for the benefit of artists, songwriters and the industry,’ it said.
