INTERESTING BACKGROUND MUSIC FOR TIKTOK, REELS AND SHORTS

If you want your video to be a hit on social media platforms, choosing the right audio is key. Selecting interesting background music will help catch and retain your audience’s attention - the best choices will have viewers watching your content on repeat. 

However, you won’t find inspiration for your next audio track by scrolling aimlessly through your feeds. Instead, follow our tips on the best ways to find and use the next big tracks so you can increase your videos’ engagement.

Where to find interesting background music inspiration

If you’ve been struggling to find new and inspiring music for your social media videos, taking the steps below can help you track down new audio:

• Scroll through your Instagram Reels and look out for the ‘trending arrow’ on the bottom left of the screen. This is the algorithm indicating that the sound is up and coming
• Go to ‘Discover’ on TikTok, type in ‘Trending Sounds’ and filter by date to see the latest tracks or uncover older favorites
• Follow Instagram or TikTok creators who regularly post under #TrendingSounds, as they will be the first to share insights on what’s hot in social media audio

These tips will help you discover new tracks you can use in your content. However, following the below guidance will ensure you match your audio to your video in an engaging way. 

What makes background music interesting?

You’re scrolling through libraries of music - but how do you determine the most interesting tracks? There are no hard-and-fast rules, but there are a few tricks for finding music that will pique viewers’ interest. 

Mood-matching music

To give your viewers the best experience possible, the music needs to match the mood of your content. 

High-energy audio is popular with creators who need a background for their dance videos. For example, the track ‘Son Original’ by Eyemazy France kickstarted a routine and style of its own. However, more mellow music has proven equally as popular. For instance, the track ‘Hell N Back’ by Bakar & Summer Walker is used to underscore many lifestyle videos. 

Start by thinking about how you want your audience to feel when they view your video. Then listen to a few tracks and see if they inspire that feeling in you. 

Editability

Having a track that gives you lots of different musical phrases, riffs and loops means you can remix it repeatedly for various videos. This is great if you want your videos or playlists to have a recognisable theme, while still switching up the audio. If you’re buying your tracks, choosing versatile options will help you get the most from your audio. 

Editing or remixing is also a great way to put your own stamp on tracks that are already trending. Take a phrase where the beat breaks down and loop it to create your own catchy version. Mix in another trending track to earn your content extra cred. Or add in a new base or topline to keep the track interesting.

Recognition

Even if you don’t use a track that’s on the hot list, choosing audio with elements that your audience recognizes will help your content stay on trend. In fact, there are a few old hits that have reappeared on social media platforms as the result of a remix or rediscovery. 

After Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s track ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ appeared in the cult film Saltburn, it quickly became the go-to track for online content. Similarly, a remix of ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield and ‘Intoxicated’ by CTA and Martin Solveig has become a trending soundtrack. 

So don’t be afraid to reinvent classic tracks you love for your content, it could be the next viral hit.

Relatable lyrics

Lip-syncing videos have become a huge trend, particularly in YouTube Shorts and on TikTok. The most common videos are of individuals lip-syncing relatable lyrics under funny or self-deprecating captions. 

For example, the phrase ‘All That Work And What Did It Get Me’ from the song Rose’s Turn in the musical Gypsy has been recreated several times to make laugh-out-loud personal clips. Someone will lip-sync the song under captions like ‘when you spend an hour curling your hair and it's windy’ or ‘when you just cleaned the whole house but you have kids’. 

So finding lyrics people can relate to is a great starting point for funny content. Using sections of tracks where the words inspire emotion will also make your viewers more likely to engage and listen. 

Why are certain tracks rehashed? 

Again, there’s no formula for what tracks are likely to be reused as background music. However, a good rule of thumb is understanding what audiences are looking for from the content they’re viewing. 

For example, TikTok audiences want videos that are quirky or fun and likely to make them laugh. YouTube audiences want content that will inspire, educate, or entertain them. If background music tracks help to inspire these feelings, it’s likely that they’ll be rehashed by various creators. 

When does a track stop trending? 

The lifecycle of background music tracks isn’t set or predictable. However, tools such as the YouTube Trending List and TikTok Creative Center can help you keep an eye on what tunes are on the up and which are tailing off. Chances are, if you’re hearing particular music regularly on your feeds, then it’s trending or heading on its way down off the hot list. 

Choosing the right tracks for your videos 

Finding vibey tracks with recognition potential can help take your videos to the next level. Experimenting with music can make the creation process even more fun. 

Need some inspiration? Browse our catalog and get unlimited access to over 50,000 fresh tracks. ⚽ 🏆