How TikTok Is Resurrecting Old Songs & Making Them Viral Again

Introduction: The TikTok Time Machine Effect

A 20-year-old song you forgot existed suddenly blasts from every phone speaker. A disco track from the ’70s becomes the soundtrack to millions of videos. An obscure indie ballad gets more streams now than when it was released.

This isn’t magic—it’s TikTok’s unique power to resurrect old music. The platform has become the most influential force in music discovery today, capable of:
✔ Launching decades-old songs back onto Billboard charts
✔ Turning one-hit wonders into recurrent anthems
✔ Making obscure deep cuts more popular than current hits

But how does TikTok revive these songs? And what does this trend reveal about modern music consumption?

This deep dive explores:
✔ The science behind TikTok’s music revival effect
✔ 10 iconic examples of songs resurrected by TikTok
✔ Why record labels now strategize around “TikTok moments”
✔ How artists and fans are capitalizing on the trend

1. The Algorithm of Nostalgia: Why TikTok Brings Old Songs Back

How TikTok’s System Rewards Rediscovery

Unlike traditional radio or streaming playlists, TikTok’s algorithm doesn’t care about:

• Release dates (a 1982 song can trend alongside 2024 hits)
• Original popularity (obscure B-sides go viral constantly)
• Genre boundaries (folk, metal, and disco coexist seamlessly)

Key Factors That Make a Song “TikTok-Ready”:

“TikTok is the first platform where music discovery isn’t driven by labels—it’s driven by collective human emotion.“ — Music data analyst Tatiana Cirisano

2. 10 Incredible Music Resurrections Powered by TikTok

1. “Running Up That Hill” – Kate Bush (1985)

• TikTok Moment: Featured in Stranger Things (2022), used in emotional fan edits
• Impact:
  • Topped charts in 17 countries after 37 years
  • Became Bush’s first US Top 10 hit ever

2. “Murder She Wrote” – Chaka Demus & Pliers (1993)

• TikTok Moment: Jamaican dance challenge (#MurderSheWrote)
• Impact:
  • 500M+ views under hashtag
  • Streams increased 4,000% in a month

3. “Dreams” – Fleetwood Mac (1977)

• TikTok Moment: Skateboarding + cranberry juice video (2020)
• Impact:
  • Re-entered Billboard Top 20 after 43 years
  • Stevie Nicks gained 1.2M new Instagram followers

4. “Space Song” – Beach House (2015)

• TikTok Moment: Aesthetic slow-mo trend (#CoreCore)
• Impact:
  • Indie sleeper hit surpassed 1B streams
  • Became Gen Z’s “sad girl anthem”

5. “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” – ABBA (1979)

• TikTok Moment: Nightcore remixes for outfit transitions
• Impact:
  • Streams surpassed “Dancing Queen” temporarily
  • Inspired ABBA’s Vegas hologram comeback

6. “Just the Two of Us” – Grover Washington Jr. (1981)

• TikTok Moment: Cat duet meme (#CatsSinging)
• Impact:
  • Bill Withers’ estate saw 300% royalty spike
  • Became #1 wedding song request again

7. “Babooshka” – Kate Bush (1980)

• TikTok Moment: Dramatic makeup transformation trend
• Impact:
  • 700M+ TikTok views in 2023
  • Inspired Gucci’s 2024 runway soundtrack

8. “I Think I Like When It Rains” – WILLIS (2021)

• TikTok Moment: Indie sleeper hit via ambient playlists
• Impact:
  • Song originally had 2,000 streams → now 200M+
  • Band went from playing bars to Coachella 2024

9. “Cbat” – Hudson Mohawke (2011)

• TikTok Moment: “Worst sex playlist” meme
• Impact:
  • Streams jumped 18,000% overnight
  • Became ironic club DJ staple

10. “Jealous” – Eyedress (2020)

• TikTok Moment: Slowed + reverb edits for moody videos
• Impact:
  • Independent artist got major label deal
  • Song surpassed 1B streams without radio play

3. The New Music Industry Playbook: Engineering TikTok Revivals

How Labels Are Capitalizing on the Trend

1. “Seed & Feed” Strategy:
   • Re-release old tracks with new instrumental stems for remixing
   • Pay influencers to start dance challenges with deep cuts
2. Nostalgia Mining:
   • Target Gen Z’s obsession with “vintage” aesthetics (e.g., 90s R&B revivals)
   • Bundle old songs with new movie/TV placements (e.g., Guardians of the Galaxy effect)
3. Metadata Optimization:
   • Rename songs to include “TikTok Remix”
   • Upload 15-60 second clips directly to TikTok’s music library

“We now plan album reissues around TikTok trends instead of anniversaries.” — Sony Music exec (anonymous)

4. Why This Trend Matters Beyond Virality

Cultural Shifts in Music Consumption

• Democratization of Hits: Fans—not labels—now decide what’s popular
• Genre Fluidity: A punk song from 1983 can trend alongside K-pop
• Artist Second Acts: Legacy acts earn more from TikTok royalties than original releases

Case Study: When “Lovefool” by The Cardigans resurged in 2021, lead singer Nina Persson:

• Gained 500K new Spotify monthly listeners at age 50
• Was invited to perform at Paris Fashion Week
• Licensed the song for 15 new commercials

5. How to Predict the Next TikTok Revival

3 Telltale Signs a Song Will Blow Up

1. Nostalgic Yet Fresh (e.g., “What Is Love” had a 2023 revival)
2. Lyrics Fit Meme Culture (e.g., “Somebody’s Watching Me” for paranoia humor)
3. Has Untapped Dance Potential (e.g., “Rasputin” became a disco challenge)

Sleeper Picks for 2024:

• “The Look” by Roxette (already bubbling in edits)
• “Tarzan Boy” by Baltimora (perfect for workout trends)
• “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega (new AI remixes emerging)

Final Thoughts: Is This the Future of Music?

TikTok has effectively created a cultural time machine—one where every song ever recorded has a chance at rebirth. This raises fascinating questions:

• Will today’s hits need to be “TikTok-ready” to survive?
• Can artists plan for longevity by embedding meme potential?
• Is the definition of a “classic” changing in real-time?

What old song do YOU think deserves a TikTok revival? Comment below—you might will it into existence!