TikTok has opened the door to many artists since the pandemic hit, starting off amazing careers and producing insanely viral hits. Just look at Walker Hayes, Lily-Rose, Priscilla Block and Mitchel Tenpenny to name a few, who have created a big fan base thanks to the app, and have stepped into the country music world as successful artists.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Still, the app has a lot of newcomers waiting to be found, such as rising artists Nate Smith and Andrew Jannaoks who are building up their names, even more, still promoting and releasing new singles to showcase their talent. Here are a few country songs that have gone viral in the past three years that we just can't get over!
"Fancy Like," Walker Hayes
https://www.tiktok.com/@walkerhayesofficial/video/6973392083554012422
Starting off strong, we have Hayes' viral song, "Fancy Like" which jump-started his career once again, and put him on the country grid. The singer actually rose to fame back in 2011 releasing his first album, Reason to Rhyme, followed by Boom in 2017 and Country Stuff the Album in 2017. But, it was the viral hit that really helped him even further. "Fancy like" was released on August 2, 2021, from his fifth EP Country Stuff, after the singer and his daughter Lela decided to make a TikTok video of them dancing to the song.
The video has received more than 2.4 million likes to date, becoming a popular meme which caused the song to reach No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was No 1. on the Hot Country Song, and even got the singer a partnership with Applebees.
"It's nice to know when you put out something that honestly, I just wrote about my family, there's no pretentiousness there," he told CMT. It's just who we are. When you get to be that honest and the public reacts, it's a real magical thing. And the dances, that's just me being a dad. I mean, that's just how we roll around here."
"Just About Over You," Priscilla Block
@priscillablock I sometimes wonder what life is anymore. #fyp #justaboutoveryou
Block originally released a demo track of "Just About Over You" on TikTok in August 2020. The video quickly gained three million views, and Block gained over three hundred thousand fans that donated to help her finish and record the song. The song helped Block land her first ever record deal with UMG Nashville, as the song charted on the American Country Chart in 2021.
She went on to release her first full-length debut album, Welcome to the Block Party on February 11, 2022, which charted at 39 on the US Country chart. She went on to receive a nomination for the 2021 Academy of Country Music Award for New Female Artist of the Year and a CMT Music Award Nomination for Breakthrough Video of the Year for "Just about Over You."
"Gone Too Soon," Andrew Jannakos
@ajannakos Gone Too Soon #homecooking #sing #viral #fyp #foryou #country #popcountry
My personal favorite on the list, Jannakos auditioned on NBC's The Voice in the Spring Of 2019, which led him to create a loyal fanbase on social media. Jannakos was very active on TikTok posting several songs he had written, including "Gone Too Soon." The song quickly went viral with fans begging the singer to release a full version, ultimately releasing it on September 15, 2020. The TikTok video earned nearly a million likes and over nine million views helping Jannakos build his audience even more!
The song recounts Jannakos long distance relationship with his girlfriend, now wife, Katie. It became the singer's title track of his EP, with the single amassing over 60 million on-demand streams to date. He was named an Artist to Watch in 2021, earning him a No 1. debut on the Billboard Emerging Artist Chart while the track hit No. 12 on the Billboard's Hot Country Chart and within the Hot 100.
"Neon Moon," Brooks & Dunn
@brooksanddunn It?s crazy cool to see all your videos, keep ?em coming ! #brooksanddunn #sungoesdown #neonmoon #neonmoonremix #countrymusic
Working its magic, TikTok managed to make this 90s hit viral one more time, and can you blame them? It's a bop! The song comes off Brook & Dunn's debut album, Brand New Man, released in 1992. TikTok users began pairing the song with videos of them showing off their best western outfits and dance moves, singing along to the bold and fun lyrics. The duo even participated in the trend, posting a video of them attempting to do the dance moves, captioning the video, "It's crazy cool to see all your videos, keep 'em coming."
"Truth About You," Mitchell Tenpenny
@m10penny #TruthAboutYou video OUT NOW. Thank y?all for all your support on this song. Let me know what you think! #countrymusic #arttok #youdontknow
Tenpenny first released a snippet of "Truth About You," on Tiktok in July 2021, instantly making an impact. After fully releasing the song, it gained over 2.5 MILLION streams in the first three days. The song is one of Tenpenny's biggest songs to date, and it's easy to see why. He decided to share the song on social media due to the COVID-19 pandemic when he had to put off touring but wanted to still stay connected with his fans.
"Tiktok was definitely new to me this past year but it was a great way to reach out and communicate with people when we were not allowed to go out or tour, and for me it was awesome," he previously told Wide Open Country. "I was able to put demos of songs that I had written up and let people hear some parts of the chorus. "Truth About You" happened to end up resonating, and so we picked it as the single because of what it did on TikTok. That's the reason why it's on the country radio now."
"Whiskey On You," Nate Smith
@natesmithmusic
Dubbed "The Breakup Song Of The Summer," Smith released his viral hit "Whiskey On You" in May of 2022 which tells the story of him saying he was done washing whiskey on his ex. The song became an instant social media hit, previously releasing the song on TikTok receiving a response of over 70,000 videos of fans sharing the song and singing along. The song follows his other viral success, "I Don't Wanna Go To Heaven" which has over 30 million total on-demand streams so far. He was named 2022 Artist To Watch by Country Now, and we can definitely see why!
Smith sings, "Ain't gonna waste one more night missing, wanting you back/ No, I ain't gonna cry another tear in this glass/ You didn't waste any time finding somebody new/ So, I ain't gonna waste another drop of whiskey on you/ No, I ain't."
"Crazy," Patsy Cline
@patsycline #DidYouKnow Patsy Cline's "Crazy" (1961) is still the all-time most played song on jukeboxes in the US over 6 decades after its release?
Patsy Cline's 1961 hit is still making its way on social media, withstanding its test of time! TikTok users are sampling the epic song, sharing videos of "crazy" situations and stories. The videos range from failed recipe making to dogs being silly, to relationships and breakups. The song has been used over 350,000 times on TikTok with everyone from influencers, fans, and even celebrities jumping on the silly trend.
Did you know the song was actually written by Willie Nelson? It was later popularized by Cline with her version reaching No 2. on Billboard's Hot Country Singles and also crossed to the pop chart as a top 10 single. It quickly became the most played song in jukeboxes in the US, even to this day!
"Redneck Be Like," Thomas Rhett
@parker.brown Let?s blow this up!!! Everyone make the dance!!! #RBL #redneckbelike @thomasrhett @gracehackett8 @millerannemayernick @lauracarolyne_
As if Rhett needed to become even more viral, "Redneck Be Like'' went viral on the app, thanks to Rhett himself! The country music singer decided to show off his quirky dance moves, sharing a fully choreographed dance with some of his closest friends. The country singer captioned the video, "Never thought I'd see the day where i'd be doing a TikTok dance but here we are...tag me when you do it."
The video definitely gives off great vibes and gives you an inside into Rhett's fun personality! The country singer is quite active on TikTok, sharing personal videos of his family as well as behind the scene content. It's pretty great to watch.
"I'm a Survivor," Reba McEntire
@reba When it?s time to feed your donkeys and they?re not the least bit impressed #ImASurvivor #Donkeys #FarmLife #Reba #CountryGirl
McEntire's "I'm a Survivor '' was released in 2001, becoming viral thanks to a funny and witty trend floating around on the app. The song praised single mothers, to which several creators started showing off their daily life as one, raising their children and showing their day-to-day life. The legend herself even jumped on the bandwagon, making her own video, showing herself working on her farm.
"Somebody stared it, just doing things a home and looking at the camera and singing: 'I'm a Survivor.' It just started out so simple, and It's really caught on," she told Variety.
"Would You Go With Me," Josh Turner
@maddieandconnor I guess I?ll take your hand?? #country #couple #texas @joshturnermusic
This trend is defiantly my favorite out of the whole list! Josh Turner's "Would You Go With Me" is currently trending with more and more videos being posted every day showing couples performing country dance moves. The moves include everything from flips, turns, and impressive air jumps. The song was originally released in 2006 written by Shawn Camp and John Scott Sherrill off his album, Your Man.
This was Turner's second No.1 single in a row after "Your Man" peaked at the top of the Billboard Country Chart in 2006. "Would You Go With Me" spent a total of two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 43. The country singer received a Grammy nomination in 2017 for Male Country Vocal Performance of the Year for the single.
"You Ain't Dolly," Ashley Monroe
@the615house Who remembers this one?? #ashleymonroe #blakeshelton #coffeecover #youaintdolly
Talk about a fun song! "You Ain't Dolly (And You Ain't Porter) was written by Ashley Monroe and Vince Gill, with Monroe performing on the song featuring Blake Shelton! The song is a quirky "he said, she said" track with that good classic country style and shy humor. The song references the late Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton"Just About Over You," who spent time recording together in the 60s and 70s. The song has gone viral on TikTok with several couples poking fun at each other, singing along, and pretending to be offended by the lyrics. It's a classic "couples challenge" if you ask me!
"Mr Red White and Blue," Coffey Anderson
@pushistyk Girls waited 7 months for their daddy #militaryhomecoming #BridgertonScandal #OscarsAtHome #HaloSilverTeam
This has got to be by far the saddest trend of them all. Sad in a good way of course, since usually, TikTokers will post videos of soldiers who were deployed coming back to their loved ones. Almost every video makes me cry, as you see soldiers embracing their family members and friends, as they themselves cry together.
It's a cute way to use the song, which is a tribute to the women and men who risk their lives for the United States. The song went viral after 13 service members were killed in a bombing at the Kabul airport during the evacuation of Afghanistan. Coffey learned about the tributes and offered to perform the song at the funeral of the service members whose families wanted him to, performing at six funerals in total.
"Villain," Lily Rose
https://www.tiktok.com/@lilyrosemusicofficial/video/6902956375886925062
Rose was named 2021 Artist to Watch, rising to fame by going viral on Tiktok thanks to her loyal fans. Using her personal story as an inspiration, "Villain" is the perfect way to introduce Rose to the country world, singing about how she feels like the bad guy after an emotional breakup. Rose was able to sign with Big Loud, Black Blocks Music, and Republic Records, as the song spent seven weeks on the all-genre iTunes chart.
"If I had not put up that video that one day...," says Rose told Rolling. Stone. "I have confidence I would have fought 'till the end and it would have happened, but I don't know at this magnitude if it would have ever happened."
"She Likes It," Russel Dickerson (Ft. Jake Scott)
@russelldickersonofficial #duet with @maddieandtaemusic IT DO BE HITTIN THOOOOOOOOOOOOO #shelikesit #foryou #4u #summer #jam
Dickerson has managed to make his song viral, thanks to all the fun videos he has posted, singing along to the song. Fun fact, before the official release of the song, the country singer posted a video on TikTok singing the chorus, saying he needed help and asked his fans to write a verse for it. Scott quickly accepted, wrote a verse, and boom, the song was made! It's a beautiful love song that reminisces on the small gestures both Dickerson and Scott make for their wives.
The duo sing, "She likes it when I wear a suit / Pick her favorite movie / When I open up, when she's talkin' to me / When I go get groceries, and I bring back flowers / And I rub her back for like half an hour / Ooh, ooh, ooh, she likes it when I / Ooh, ooh, ooh, she likes it when I."
