TikTok has revealed its annual wrap-up for 2025, naming KATSEYE as its Global Artist of the Year and declaring a nearly seven decade-old classic track, “Pretty Little Baby” by Connie Francis, as the Song of the Year.
The Los Angeles-based girl group KATSEYE rose to global prominence despite forming only in 2023. Their music dominated TikTok feeds throughout 2025 with over 30 billion video views and 12 million creations tagged with their songs.
Two tracks in particular stood out for igniting viral trends. The song ‘Gnarly’ sparked a worldwide dance wave adopted by major K-pop acts and mainstream artists alike. Meanwhile, the single ‘Gabriela’ helped the group break into the mainstream charts, reaching number seven on Spotify’s Global Top 50.
Perhaps most striking was the resurgence of an old-school classic. Connie Francis’s “Pretty Little Baby,” originally recorded in 1962, found new life on TikTok. The song was used in 28.4 million videos—many featuring everyday moments with family, pets or personal nostalgia—and amassed a staggering 68.6 billion views. Even a video by a high–profile celebrity featuring the song contributed 132 million views alone.
That viral resurgence translated into modern listening habits. Pretty Little Baby became Connie Francis’s most-streamed track ever, surpassing 130 million streams on Spotify. It also returned to contemporary charts, spending five weeks on the Billboard Global 200 and four weeks on the UK Official Chart.
TikTok’s influence also extended to discovering fresh voices and reviving overlooked gems. Among the platform’s breakout successes was Doechii whose track Anxiety became the Music Trend of the Year.
Behind the scenes, songwriter EJAE emerged as TikTok’s Songwriter of the Year. As the voice behind several tracks on the soundtrack of the blockbuster movie KPop Demon Hunters, EJAE co-wrote and lent her vocals to songs that stormed global charts.
The platform also shared data about how fans engaged beyond passive listening. Using TikTok’s “Add to Music App” feature, users added more than 3 billion tracks in 2025 to their streaming libraries. The most saved artist was Taylor Swift, supported by the release of her chart-topping album The Life of a Showgirl.
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