If you had a crystal ball and looked ahead to 2024’s viral moments, there’s a good chance music plays a vital role. You only need to look at how Taylor Swift and Barbie dominated 2023.
It’s the reason why the best creators are always on the hunt for the latest music trends. And if you want to give your content the best chance of going viral, our cheat sheet of the must-have music genres creators can’t get enough of will help you find a soundtrack that’s on trend.
It’s why we’ve examined what almost 2 million Uppbeat users were searching and downloading this year, to give you a snapshot of the most popular music genres right now. So dive in and take a look at 2024’s biggest music trends.
Want to see how creators’ habits have changed in the last year? Check out our guide to 2023’s biggest music trends across social media and see how the musical landscape has shifted
- Addictive pop melodies for feel-good content
- Fresh hip hop beats for cool creators
- Intensify your edits with phonk music
- Add sophistication with classical music
- EDM beats to bring the energy
- Make fun content with funky music
- Build drama with cinematic music
- Discover trend-setting artists on Uppbeat
Raise a smile with addictive pop melodies
2023 was a massive year for pop and we’ve seen a giant leap in creators searching for catchy melodies to use in content. When it came to pop music, Barbie was especially inescapable last year. And while you can’t use Barbie Girl without risking copyright claims, the next best thing is finding equally addictive copyright-free pop music.
Not only are creators searching for the term ‘pop’ but some of the most downloaded tracks on Uppbeat come under the electro-pop tag too.
Take The Royalty Family as an example, going all-out pop for their family’s Barbie transformation. Or you could follow TeethTube in using Andrey Rossi’s Seize The Day to make something as gruesome as dental work seem peppy and upbeat.
Fresh hip hop beats for cool creators
Hip hop is consistently one of the most popular genres on the planet, so it’s no surprise to see creators using it in their videos. And yet we’ve seen a significant leap in searches of over 20% during the last year. Its tight beats provide the ideal cool background for heaps of video content.
If you’re looking for a laid-back vibe from your hip hop, lofi music is another genre that’s proving to be a hit with content creators.
Just check out how the guys at Complex use hip hop to keep their podcasts and sneaker shopping videos feeling fresh. While Deestroying matches the energy of his basketball content with hip hop beats too. It’s a versatile favorite creators can’t get enough of.
Intensify your edits with phonk music
Not familiar with phonk? It’s a brand new hybrid of hip hop and EDM that’s proving a hit with content creators wanting to add energy and intensity to their edits. Like bodybuilder Sam Sulek who uses phonk as an intense intro to his daily vlogs.
If you’re new to this unique sound, our guide to phonk music is a great starting point. And as searches for phonk on Uppbeat tripled in 2023, it’s a genre that’s only going to explode further.
Use classical to add a touch of class to content
Looking for a sophisticated soundtrack for your videos? You’re not alone with a significant leap in creators using classical music to upscale their content. Like Notorious Foodie featuring instantly recognizable Mozart pieces as a background to his exquisite recipes.
Similarly, Yes Theory soundtrack their documentaries with evocative classical music that ties in perfectly with the emotion of the content. It might be one of the oldest genres out there, but classical music is experiencing a revival as a preferred choice for modern creators.
Bring the energy with EDM beats
EDM and electro-house are crowd-pleasing genres which consistently topped both searches and downloads on Uppbeat in recent months. Soundtracking your content with electronic music is a tried and tested way to raise the energy levels in your edits and get viewers pumped.
There are tons of EDM sub-genres that popped up in our most searched terms this year. As well as electro-house, people also search for terms like techno, dance, tropical house and electronic.
Just take a look at Tube Girl’s iconic clips of public dancing on transit. Her use of high-tempo bangers instantly brings viewers up to her vibe. It’s a great example of how electronic music can be a fun way of connecting with your audience.
Make feel-good content with funky music
Want to find an upbeat soundtrack that’ll work for your content, no matter what your niche is? Funky music is the versatile genre that’ll hit the spot. And clearly lots of creators have been looking to add funk to their videos, with searches for ‘funky’ increasing by a third in the last year.
You only have to look at how people are loving Infraction’s Summer Strut, one of the most downloaded tracks on Uppbeat over the last 12 months. Creators are using its funky summertime vibes to bring a fun energy to everything from crème brûlée recipes to making ceramic bonsai pots. It’s the ever-popular genre that works for all kinds of content.
Build drama with cinematic music
Say you want to add Hollywood levels of drama but you don’t have an Oppenheimer budget, cinematic music is the way to go. It’s how challenge creators like Topper Guild and Zhong build tension in their edits and instantly get their audience hyped for their wild videos.
And with an almost 25% increase in searches for cinematic music in the last 12 months, it seems lots of creators are looking to add that blockbuster feel to their content.
Discover trend-setting artists on Uppbeat
Our team is always on the lookout for new music and artists resonating with content creators. In the last few months alone we’ve added iconic hip hop beatmaker and Casey Neistat collaborator Jeff Kaale, alongside Emmy-winning chillhop icon Cloudchord.
With big plans for new artists joining Uppbeat across 2024, keep on top of the latest trends by signing up to Uppbeat. The best bit is, once you’ve set up your Uppbeat account, you’ll get updates on the newest artists straight to your inbox.
Sign up to Uppbeat and keep up with the latest music trends
Trends on social media move fast, which is why we’re always updating the Uppbeat catalog with the latest sounds creators are looking for. Make sure you head to the Uppbeat Trending page to see which tracks are being downloaded the most. Or you can explore the latest sounds added to the Uppbeat catalog by checking out the Brand New In playlist.
Just remember, any time you see a viral trend popping off on YouTube or TikTok, you’ll find the perfect soundtrack to match in our catalog of copyright-free music. Sign up for free and start downloading tracks you can safely use without the risk of copyright claims.
