17 TikTok Trends That Defined 2020-2023
The pandemic era transformed TikTok from a dancing app into a cultural powerhouse that influenced everything from music charts to fashion trends. Between 2020 and 2023, the platform became the epicenter of internet culture, launching viral phenomena that crossed over into mainstream media and shaped how an entire generation communicated.
What started as 15-second videos evolved into a social movement that redefined entertainment, commerce, and even political discourse. These trends didn’t just entertain—they created shared experiences during isolation, launched careers overnight, and changed how brands connect with consumers.
Here are 17 TikTok trends that defined the years 2020-2023 and left lasting impacts far beyond the app itself.
Renegade Dance
The Renegade became TikTok’s signature dance, though most people who attempted it couldn’t quite nail the intricate arm movements and quick transitions. Created by 14-year-old Jalaiah Harmon, this complex routine required serious coordination and became the gold standard for viral choreography.
When celebrities like Jimmy Fallon started doing it on late-night television, it proved TikTok had officially entered mainstream culture.
Whipped Coffee
Dalgona coffee turned quarantine boredom into a frothy masterpiece that required nothing more than instant coffee, sugar, and serious arm strength. The trend emerged from South Korea and spread globally as people desperately searched for ways to make their home routines more Instagram-worthy.
Suddenly, everyone became a barista, though most discovered that whipping coffee by hand was far more exhausting than it looked.
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Sea Shanties
TikTok somehow made 19th-century maritime work songs cool again, with ‘The Wellerman’ leading the charge in early 2021. Users harmonized, remixed, and created elaborate versions of traditional sea shanties that would’ve made old sailors proud.
The trend was so unexpected that it caught music industry executives completely off guard while proving that TikTok could revive literally any genre of music.
Plant Parent Culture
Houseplants became the new pets as TikTok users showed off their green thumb skills and turned plant care into entertaining content. The trend exploded during lockdowns when people needed something alive to nurture, leading to widespread shortages of fiddle leaf figs and monstera plants.
Plant shops couldn’t keep up with demand as millennials and Gen Z transformed their apartments into urban jungles.
Feta Pasta
A simple recipe featuring a block of feta cheese baked with cherry tomatoes became so viral that grocery stores couldn’t keep feta in stock. Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen originally created the dish, but TikTok turned it into a global phenomenon that had people raiding dairy aisles worldwide.
The trend proved that TikTok could influence consumer behavior on a massive scale, basically turning the app into the world’s most effective recipe distributor.
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Silhouette Challenge
This trend used a red filter and strategic lighting to create artistic silhouette videos set to Paul Anka’s ‘Put Your Head on My Shoulder.’ While it started as a body-positive movement celebrating self-confidence, concerns about privacy and misuse eventually overshadowed its original empowering message.
The challenge highlighted both TikTok’s creative potential and the platform’s ongoing struggles with user safety.
Bridgerton Musical
Two young composers created an entire unofficial musical based on the Netflix series, turning TikTok into a legitimate platform for theatrical composition. Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear’s song snippets gained such popularity that they eventually won a Grammy Award for their album based on the viral content.
Their success proved that TikTok could serve as a launching pad for serious artistic endeavors, not just dance videos and comedy sketches.
Benadryl Challenge
This dangerous trend involved taking excessive amounts of the allergy medication to hallucinate, resulting in hospitalizations and FDA warnings. The challenge demonstrated TikTok’s darker side and highlighted how quickly harmful content could spread among impressionable users.
It forced the platform to implement stricter content moderation policies and showed parents worldwide that they needed to monitor their children’s social media activity more closely.
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Corn Kid
Seven-year-old Tariq became an internet sensation after expressing his pure joy about corn in a local news interview that was later set to music. His genuine enthusiasm turned ‘It’s corn!’ into a cultural moment that spawned countless remixes and merchandise.
The trend showed how TikTok could transform innocent, wholesome content into viral gold while making a young boy famous for simply loving vegetables.
Berries and Cream
A 15-year-old Starburst commercial from 2007 experienced an unexpected renaissance when TikTok users discovered the bizarre ‘berries and cream’ advertisement. The original commercial featured an eccentric character doing a strange little dance, which users recreated and remixed endlessly.
This revival proved that TikTok’s algorithm could resurrect forgotten media from any era and turn vintage weirdness into fresh content.
He’s a 10 But
This rating trend had users evaluating hypothetical romantic partners by starting with a perfect score then adding deal-breaking qualifications. The format became a way to discuss red flags, preferences, and relationship standards while maintaining humor about dating culture.
It sparked countless debates about what truly matters in relationships and became a shorthand way to discuss dating dealbreakers across social media platforms.
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Adult Swim Bumpers
Users created their own versions of the minimalist transition graphics that Adult Swim uses between shows, often featuring surreal imagery and electronic music. The trend celebrated the aesthetic of late-night television and gave creators a chance to experiment with abstract visual storytelling.
It demonstrated how TikTok users could find inspiration in the most unexpected places, even TV commercial breaks.
Vabbing
This controversial trend involved applying vaginal secretions as perfume based on the theory that natural pheromones would attract potential partners. While some users swore by its effectiveness, medical professionals warned about potential health risks and questioned the scientific validity of the practice.
The trend showcased TikTok’s ability to spread unconventional beauty and dating advice, regardless of whether it was actually safe or effective.
Chair Challenge
This seemingly impossible challenge involved standing against a wall and attempting to lift a chair while bending forward at a 90-degree angle. Most men found it impossible while women could often complete it successfully, leading to discussions about body mechanics and center of gravity differences between genders.
The trend turned basic physics into entertainment while accidentally becoming a lesson in human anatomy and biomechanics.
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Devious Licks
Students began filming themselves stealing or vandalizing school property, calling these acts ‘devious licks’ in a trend that caused millions of dollars in damage nationwide. Schools had to close bathrooms and increase security measures while TikTok eventually banned content related to the challenge.
The trend highlighted how quickly destructive behavior could spread through social media and forced educational institutions to develop new strategies for dealing with viral misconduct.
NPC Livestreams
Creators began performing like video game non-player characters during livestreams, repeating scripted phrases and actions in response to viewer gifts. PinkyDoll became the most famous NPC streamer, turning robotic behavior into a lucrative career that earned thousands of dollars per stream.
The trend blurred lines between performance art and digital commerce while creating an entirely new category of online entertainment.
BookTok
Literature found new life as young readers shared book recommendations, reviews, and aesthetic reading content that drove massive sales increases for featured titles. The trend single-handedly revived interest in reading among teenagers and young adults while making certain books instant bestsellers.
Publishers began specifically targeting BookTok influencers, recognizing the platform’s power to shape literary tastes and drive book sales more effectively than traditional marketing methods.
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The Algorithm That Changed Everything
These trends represent more than just viral moments—they showcase how TikTok fundamentally altered the relationship between creators and audiences during a pivotal time in modern history. The platform democratized fame, turned ordinary people into influencers overnight, and proved that creativity could emerge from anywhere at any time.
While some trends brought joy and community during difficult years, others highlighted the platform’s potential for both positive and negative influence. TikTok’s impact during 2020-2023 extended far beyond entertainment, reshaping industries from music to publishing while creating entirely new forms of digital culture that continue to evolve today.
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