• by Colin Kirkland , September 14, 2023

To help continue its push into the music industry and highlight music trends, TikTok has partnered with Billboard for the upcoming launch of an official “TikTok BillboardTop 50 Chart,” a weekly list of the most popular songs being played, shared and used in creator videos on the popular social-media platform in the U.S.

According to TikTok, the Top 50 Chart will be the first official chart in the U.S. to monitor music discovery and engagement on the platform, adding that “the chart is based on a combination of creations, video views, and user engagement by the U.S. TikTok community.”

The chart will be released weekly on Thursday mornings.

Previewing a current iteration of the list in a blog post, TikTok shows American rapper Sexyy Red claiming the chart’s top spot, with her song “SkeeYee.” In the number two spot is Doja Cat's “Paint the Town Red” and number three is Taylor Swift's “august.”

“The chart gives a clear picture of the music that is being listened to on TikTok, and consequently starting to trend on DSPs and other services,” said Ole Obermann, global head of music business development at TikTok.

“We see a clear opportunity to recognize the way music discovery on TikTok is shaping popular culture and are proud to offer this tool to the industry, while offering brands a new way to engage with music fans at scale,” said Billboard president Mike Van.

Users can see the chart on the TikTok app by pressing the round icon on the bottom corner of the screen, then tapping the “Music Charts” button in the top right. The chart can also be found on billboard.com.

Over the past few years, TikTok has become a major player in music discovery. Recently, the ByteDance-owned app has doubled down on securing its spot in the music industry by expanding its partnership with Warner Music Group to grow in-app opportunities for musicians, launching a new music streaming platform meant to rival Spotify and Apple Music, and devising a music hub for emerging music that showcases trending songs by both new and established artists.