All-American Rejects, George Strait, The 1975: Currently Trending Tracks

What songs are trending right now? In today’s music landscape, viral hits aren’t limited to brand-new releases topping the charts. Thanks to TikTok challenges, TV and film syncs, commercials, and even random moments of internet magic, older tracks are constantly finding new life. From Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” soundtracking a longboard ride to Connie Francis and “Pretty Little Baby” re-emerging in pop culture, these resurgent songs prove that music history can go viral all over again. In this column, we’ll break down the classic tracks trending online today — and explain what’s driving their return to the spotlight.

October 29

All-American Rejects – Dirty Little Secret

The trailer single from All-American Rejects’ triple platinum-certified second album Move Along, the irrepressibly catchy “Dirty Little Secret” also became the Oklahoman alt-rock act’s first U.S. Top 10 hit early in 2006. Still a popular radio staple, the song is again surging in popularity thanks to several Halloween-related TikTok trends including one where creators show off spooky costumes.

Buy “Dirty Little Secret” on vinyl now.

George Strait – Friday Night Fever

Though it wasn’t selected as one of its three singles, the plaintive “Friday Night Fever” remains one of the most enduring fan favorites from Texan country star George Strait’s 1981 debut, the platinum-certified Strait Country. Accordingly, it’s no great surprise to discover that the song is again undergoing something of a resurgence as it’s now sound-tracking a TikTok trend wherein creators show off customized trucks of all shapes and sizes.

The 1975 – Robbers

One of the key tracks from The 1975’s self-titled 2014 debut, “Robbers” was inspired by an ill-fated robbery heist featured in the 1993 film True Romance undertaken by its Bonnie and Clyde-esque main characters, played on-screen by Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette respectively. With that in mind, it’s fitting that the song is again trending following a daring heist at the famous Louvre Museum in Paris during which thieves are believed to have stolen jewels with a value upward of $100 million.

October 22

D’Angelo – Lady

The wider music world was rocked by the passing of R&B star D’Angelo, who sadly succumbed to cancer on October 14, aged just 51. Born in Richmond, Virginia, the influential singer, songwriter and producer is widely cited for spearheading the late 90s neo-soul movement with his 1995 debut Brown Sugar: a platinum-selling U.S. Top 10 success that remained on the Billboard 200 for an impressive 65 weeks. This legend-securing record spawned a quartet of hits including D’Angelo’s signature song, the sincere, soulful “Lady” which has been trending in the wake of his death.

Sublime – Waiting For My Ruca

An adroit blend of ska, roots reggae, hardcore punk and quirky pop, Sublime’s 1992 debut 40 oz. to Freedom was initially a sleeper hit, though it eventually moved over 2 million copies following the breakout success of the So. Cal trio’s self-titled sophomore set in 1996. A confirmed fan favorite, the record’s atypically sparse and minimal “Waiting For My Ruca” is now pulling Sublime back into the spotlight thanks to a TikTok trend centred around the song’s gentle summery vibe and creators’ curiosity over why the album’s cover art (a shiny, but slightly off-kilter sun) looks a little weird to the uninitiated.

Buy Sublime’s “Waiting for My Ruca” on vinyl now.

October 15

4 Non Blondes – What’s Up?

San Franciscan rockers 4 Non Blondes’ signature hit “What’s Up?” became one of 1993’s biggest global hits, topping charts in no less than 10 European countries in addition to hitting No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Also one of the key tunes from the Linda Perry-fronted band’s platinum debut Bigger, Better, Faster, More!, the perennially popular “What’s Up?” recently turned up in an episode of the sixth series’ of the dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale, but it’s now trending after Cardi B interpolated its chorus into her own “What’s Going On (ft. Lizzo)”: a key track from her new, Billboard 200-topping Am I The Drama album.

Buy 4 Non Blondes’s “What’s Going On” on vinyl now.

Nelson – To Get Back To You

Comprised of Gunnar and Matthew Nelson, the twin sons of the legendary Ricky Nelson, Californian hard rock duo Nelson first came to prominence when 1991’s “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love And Affection” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and its parent album After The Rain lingered on the U.S. charts for more than a year. Another of the band’s most acclaimed tracks “To Get Back To You” originally featured on 2010’s Lightning Strikes Twice and it’s trending again after it featured prominently in a recent episode in the second season of HBO Max’s Peacemaker, in which Gunnar and Matthew Nelson also appeared.

Remy Ma – Conceited (There’s Something About Remy)

Remy Ma’s “Conceited (There’s Something About Remy)” was originally issued as the second single from the Bronx, NY rapper’s 2006 debut album There’s Something About Remy: Based Upon A True Story. The song ingeniously samples Right Said Fred’s 1991 hit “I’m Too Sexy” and it peaked at No. 7 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart on its initial release. It’s now back in the spotlight as the favored soundtrack to a TikTok trend involving a variety of workout techniques.

Jon Pardi – Can’t Turn You Down

Containing well-received hits such as “Dirt On My Boots” and “Heartache On The Dancefloor,” country star Jon Pardi’s second album California Sunrise scored a U.S platinum certification and only narrowly missed the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. Another of its highlights, the plaintive “Can’t Turn You Down” was co-penned by Nashville-based songwriters Randy Montana and Jeremy Stover and it’s returned to prominence thanks to a TikTok trend where creators express admiration for both the song and – in time-honored country music tradition – a love for big trucks.

Buy Jon Pardi’s “Can’t Turn You Down” on CD now.

October 8

Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett – Monster Mash

Massachusetts singer-songwriter Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett was a lover of horror films from a tender age, so it’s fitting that his signature song “Monster Mash” references legendary horror creations Dracula, the Wolfman and Zombies galore. Originally released in time for Halloween 1962, the song was indeed a smash, not just in the graveyard, but pretty much everywhere. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. Now widely accepted as one of rock’s most inspired novelty songs, the irrepressible “Monster Mash” has gone on to re-chart on five further occasions and it inevitably surges in popularity in the run up to Halloween.

Buy “Monster Mash” on vinyl now.

Rockwell – Somebody’s Watching Me

The son of legendary Motown label founder Berry Gordy, Detroit singer-songwriter Rockwell (aka Kenneth Gordy) caused a sensation with 1983’s “Somebody’s Watching Me”: an enduring pop classic that peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went Top 10 in numerous territories around the world. Featuring an uncredited Michael Jackson supplying chorus vocals, this fine, if slightly creepy song was famously dubbed a “perennial paranoia-rock anthem” by Rolling Stone, so it’s wholly appropriate it should once again be trending with Halloween just around the corner.

Mazzy Star – Fade Into You

A highlight of Mazzy Star’s second album So Tonight That I Might See, 1993’s somnolent and dreamy “Fade Into You” became the Hope Sandoval-fronted band’s only Billboard Hot 100 chart hit and it remains one of that decade’s most fondly-remembered alt-rock tracks. It’s flavored with a little of the chill that arrives with the coming of the fall, so “Fade Into You” is also the perfect song for TikTok creators to choose to soundtrack their posts containing autumnal content.

Buy “Fade Into You” on vinyl now.

Black Eyed Peas – My Humps

Black Eyed Peas’ frontman will.i.am originally wrote “My Humps” with the Pussycat Dolls in mind, but his own band ended up recording it for their third album, 2005’s Monkey Business. That proved to be a sound move, for the Peas’ recording of this playful, dance-enhanced hip-hop hit featuring a duet between will.i.am and Fergie made it to No. 3 on the Billboard 100 and later won a Grammy Award. Twenty years on, “My Humps” is again in the spotlight due to Tyler The Creator sampling it for his song “Sugar On My Tongue.”

Buy “My Humps” on vinyl now.

October 1

Bing Crosby – Do You Hear What I Hear?

Written by husband and wife songwriting team Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne, the heartfelt “Do You Hear What I Hear?” first became a U.S. hit when the Harry Simone Chorale’s recording was released in time for Christmas 1962. However, the song reached a much wider audience when Bing Crosby recorded it the following year and performed a memorable version of it on Bob Hope’s Christmas TV special during the 1963 festive season. “Do You Hear What I Hear?” has since been covered by artists as diverse as Whitney Houston and Bob Dylan, but it’s Crosby’s classic recording that’s now going viral due to a TikTok trend where creators share their thoughts on the festive season and yearn for Christmases gone by.

Shop for Bing Crosby’s Christmas music on vinyl now.

Mindless Behavior – Mrs. Right

The second single chosen from U.S. boy band Mindless Behavior’s 2011 debut #1 Girl, the blissful-sounding “Mrs. Right” features a guest vocal spot from rapper Diggy Simmons, the son of Run DMC’s Joseph ‘Rev. Run’ Simmons. A Top 10 hit on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart on release, “Mrs. Right” is now right back in the spotlight thanks to a TikTok trend where creators display their go-to dance moves.

September 24

Bobby V – Slow Down

Bobby V first rose to prominence with R&B stars Mista, best known for 1996’s “Blackberry Molasses.” Following the band’s demise, Valentino embarked on a successful solo career, signing with Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha Peace imprint to release his well-received debut album, Bobby Valentino, in 2005. Peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the album was trailed by the U.S. Top 10 hit “Slow Down,” still one of Valentino’s best-loved tracks, which is currently back in the spotlight thanks to a TikTok trend where creators display images of themselves with fake abs.

Trinidad Cardona – Jennifer

Trinidad Cardona’s cult 2017 hit “Jennifer” first went viral in 2017 when the artist posted a video of himself freestyling to the song’s chorus. This led the Arizona-based singer-songwriter and social media personality clinching a deal with Island Records and enjoying further success with tracks including “Dinero” and “Love Me Back.” Now, however, “Jennifer” is again going viral as it’s driving several TikTok trends including one where creators show off intricate dance routines.

Tove Lo – Habits (Stay High)

The very definition of a sleeper hit, “Habits” first appeared as Tove Lo’s second, independently-released single in 2013. It didn’t initially trouble the charts, but a full 12 months later, it climbed to No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in reissued form (as “Habits (Stay High)”) as the second single taken from the Swedish singer’s debut studio album Queen Of The Clouds. The stark, hedonism-related song is now going viral as it’s behind several TikTok trends including a highly individual glow up (personal transformation) trend.

Queens Of The Stone Age – Song For The Deaf

A collaboration between Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan, “Song For The Deaf” remains one of the many highlights from Queens Of The Stone Age’s third album Songs For The Deaf: the celebrated alt-rock band’s first album to go gold in the U.S and also sell a million copies in Europe. Now, though, this epic, brooding song is again spiking in popularity due to its usage in the recent seventh episode of FX’s Alien: Earth, filmmaker Noah Hawley’s sci-fi horror TV series based on the original Alien film franchise.

September 17

Joe Walsh – Rocky Mountain Way

A staple of classic rock radio to this day, “Rocky Mountain Way” was first released as the lead single from Joe Walsh’s second, post-James Gang solo album, 1973’s The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get. An infectious, riff-heavy rocker inspired by the view of the Rocky Mountains afforded by Walsh’s Colorado home, the song broached the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 and its parent album later scored a Top 10 success on the way to going gold in the U.S. The evergreen “Rocky Mountain Way” is again in vogue as it’s currently powering a TikTok trend where creators reveal their favorite guilty pleasures including cheesy TV movies, dark humor and remaining friends with their ex-partners.

Young Jeezy –Sexé

The highly suggestive “Sexé” (featuring Plies) remains one of the key tracks from Young Jeezy’s 2016 album Trap Or Die 3. The Georgia-based rapper’s ninth studio album, it topped the U.S. Billboard 200 and became his third U.S. No 1 album to achieve this distinction. Trap Or Die 3 did yield two spin-off singles (“Let ‘Em Know” and Bankroll Fresh collab “All There”) but it’s fan favorite ““Sexé” that’s currently going viral thanks to a TikTok trend where creators show their face and body in time to the song’s “Two for two, you got a sexy face and body” lyric.

September 10

Reba McEntire – The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia

A song full of mystery and intrigue, the classic murder ballad “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia” was penned by Nashville singer-songwriter Bobby Russell in 1972, with Russell’s then-wife Vicki Lawrence taking her sublime version of the song to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the following year. Country legend Reba McEntire later put her inimitable stamp on “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia” when she covered it for her 1991 album For My Broken Heart and it’s Reba’s version that’s now enjoying fresh interest after Briley King’s new version of the song recently went viral on TikTok.

Shop Reba McEntire’s music on vinyl now.

LOSTBOYJAY – COULD BE WRONG

Rising Toronto-based EDM star LOSTBOYJAY broke into the mainstream after his 2022 hit “COULD BE WRONG” went on to surpass over 100 million streams and later scored a nomination for a Juno in his native Canada. Now, “COULD BE WRONG” is spiking in popularity for a second time after social media creators used it in relation to a new phrase/meme “Sendy,” (deriving from an extreme sports phrase meaning “let’s go for it”) which is currently seriously hot on TikTok.

September 3

Sam Smith – Fire On Fire

Sam Smith’s “Fire On Fire” was initially written and recorded for Netflix’s 2018 series Watership Down: a spectacular 3D adaptation of Richard Adams’ 1972 novel of the same name. Now, though, Smith’s soaring ballad is back in the spotlight due to its placement in another contemporary Netflix title. This time around, the song features significantly in the denouement to the second series of the U.S. coming-of-age drama series My Life With The Walter Boys and it’s spiked in popularity since fans of the show have used it on TikTok while sharing their thoughts on the series’ emotional finale.

Shop for Sam Smith’s music on vinyl or CD now.

Mykko Montana – Do it

Mykko Montana’s career has so far included collaborations with numerous prominent hip-hop artists such as Young Thug and Gunna. As his recent single “Brain Pumper” reveals, he continues to make quality records, though his signature song arguably remains the confident, uptempo “Do It,” featuring K. Camp. A club-friendly hit on release in 2012, “Do It” is enjoying a resurgence on TikTok, where it’s currently soundtracking a trend involving cool choreographed dance moves.

Anna Kendrick – Cups (Pitch Perfect’s When I’m Gone)

Adapted from a folk song named “When I’m Gone,” originally recorded by The Carter Family during the 1930s, Anna Kendrick’s “Cups” first featured in the popular musical comedy Pitch Perfect in 2012. Republic Records then released a remixed version “Cups (Pitch Perfect’s “When I’m Gone)” which rewarded Kendrick with a Billboard Top 10 hit and a triple platinum certification. With its percussive backdrop based on the children’s clapping game ‘The Cup Game’ (recreated by Kendrick in the song’s video), “Cups” has a unique feel and it’s no surprise to discover it’s now trending on TikTok, with its catchy chorus line (“You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone”) providing the soundtrack for a photo swipe trend.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens – Oh Very Young

One of the key tracks from his eighth studio album Buddha & The Chocolate Box, the poignant “Oh Very Young” rewarded Yusuf / Cat Stevens with a U.S. Top 10 hit in 1974 and it remains a staple of his anthology collections to this day. Now, though, the song is finding a new audience due to its usage in the soundtrack to Thursday Murder Club: the Netflix film adaptation of Richard Osman’s best-selling book of the same name concerning four elderly people living in a British retirement complex who solve cold case murders for fun.

August 27

Jon Pardi – Mr. Saturday Night

The title track from country superstar Jon Pardi’s fourth album from 2022, “Mr. Saturday Night” is likely to remain one of his key songs as it maintains a truly universal appeal. It’s a beautifully-drawn portrait of the sort of guy who is (at least superficially) the life and soul of the party. However, as its plaintive lyric implies (“Yeah, I turn it on/But all alone I’m going out of my mind/ They don’t know how much I missed her Saturday night”) the bravado masks Pardi’s narrator’s real feelings. A cult favorite from the get-go, “Mr. Saturday Night” is again spiking in popularity with Pardi fans on TikTok.

Shop Jon Pardi’s music on vinyl or CD now.

The Gap Band – Early In The Morning

The first of three hits from 1982’s Gap Band IV, “Early In The Morning” went on to become the long-running Tulsa funk and R&B specialists’ biggest U.S. success, peaking at No. 24 on the Hot 100 and also topping Billboard’s R&B Chart for 3 weeks. This sure-footed, funk-flavored pop song still sounds great today, so it’s no surprise that it’s currently undergoing a resurgence in a TikTok dance trend involving creators showing off their good taste in music.

NAV – Myself

Originally the second single from the Canadian rapper and producer’s debut commercial mixtape NAV from 2017, “Myself” was never a major chart hit, yet it’s gone platinum three times over in the U.S. and it remains one of Nav’s signature tracks. Though deceptively dreamy in mood, “Myself” features a hard-hitting lyric (“I’ve got a lot of enemies who used to be my friends”) and its evergreen appeal continues to attract dedicated listeners, with NAV fans currently showing their general appreciation of the song on TikTok.

Halsey – Colors

Now set to return in a deluxe edition to celebrate its tenth anniversary, Halsey’s 2015 debut Badlands rapidly became one of that year’s landmark releases, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and receiving reams of critical acclaim into the bargain. The album’s success was supported by several successful singles, including “Colors,” an electro-pop classic that was by turns melancholic and euphoric. The song has remained in the public conscience ever since. It’s been certified platinum three times over in the U.S. and is now undergoing a resurgence on TikTok where it’s being used in a wide-ranging trend involving all manner of superhero edits.

Shop the Halsey 10th anniversary editions of Badlands now.