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TikTok unveils its top 100 videos, creators and trends of 2020

The short-form video site has had a tumultuous but growth-filled year.

Abrar Al-Heeti Technology Reporter
Abrar Al-Heeti is a technology reporter for CNET, with an interest in phones, streaming, internet trends, entertainment, pop culture and digital accessibility. She's also worked for CNET's video, culture and news teams. She graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Though Illinois is home, she now loves San Francisco -- steep inclines and all.
Expertise Abrar has spent her career at CNET analyzing tech trends while also writing news, reviews and commentaries across mobile, streaming and online culture. Credentials
  • Named a Tech Media Trailblazer by the Consumer Technology Association in 2019, a winner of SPJ NorCal's Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2022 and has three times been a finalist in the LA Press Club's National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.
Abrar Al-Heeti
2 min read
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TikTok is sharing its top content of 2020. 

James Martin/CNET

This year was rough, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and no shortage of other tragedies. But one bright spot was the endless supply of funny, insane, inspirational and comforting videos on TikTok. The short-form video platform on Wednesday unveiled its picks for the top 100 TikTok videos, creators, trends and songs in the US, where it has about 100 million monthly active users.

The ByteDance-owned company broke the videos up into 10 different categories. The first includes top viral videos such as @420Doggface208 listening to Fleetwood Mac's Dreams while skateboarding and casually sipping cranberry juice, and Will Smith participating in the Wipe it Down challenge. The next category lists top trends, hashtags and challenges, like #YouHaveTo#TwoPrettyBestFriends and #DontLeaveMe.

TikTok also chose top creators, like Charli D'AmelioTabitha Brown and Noah Beck; most impactful creators, including @drleslie@taylorcassidyj and @zachv_pat; and top celebrities like Jason DeruloKylie Jenner and Lizzo. Top songs include Savage Remix by Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyonce, Say So by Doja Cat and Tap In by Saweetie. The platform also curated lists for top recipes, trends and hacks; top style and beauty trends; top niche communities and top product elements, such as Green ScreenDuet and Stitch

The Chinese-owned social media site has had a tumultuous year in the US, with the Trump administration pushing to bar downloads of the app, citing data privacy concerns. ByteDance struck a preliminary deal with software company Oracle and retail giant Walmart, but the agreement still needs to be finalized. Still, the app has seen an exponential rise in popularity amid COVID-19 lockdowns, surpassing the 2 billion global download mark early on in the pandemic. 

You can see the full TikTok Top 100 list on the company's Newsroom site