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  • 2020 was the year of TikTok, as the app shot to global popularity and drew scrutiny from US lawmakers.
  • TikTok stars hung out with the Kardashians, scored TV commercials and reality show deals, and drew criticism for their continued partying and traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The app relies on its massive, constantly growing library of songs and other sounds, which creators use as part of viral dances or other trends.
  • Some of the app's most popular sounds come from creators themselves, others come from TV and movies, some are throwback hits, while other hit songs are made on TikTok.
  • From "The Box" to "he has no lips," here are 50 of the biggest TikTok songs and audios from 2020 and where they came from.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

    • It's been a wild year for TikTok, the short-form video app that's proven to have a powerful tendency to spark trends, catapult songs onto the charts, and provide endless hours of distraction.

    TikTok's userbase drives not only the app's own culture but oftentimes pop culture at large - the Billboard charts are frequently full of songs that are popping off on TikTok.

    While drawing on already popular hits, users of the app also frequently surface and create sounds and songs that become hits and memes themselves. Take an auditory trip down memory lane with 50 of TikTok's most popular sounds in 2020 and where they came from.

    'Heather': 22-year-old pop star Conan Gray's somber track served as the soundtrack to a viral trend

    @tina.burgos

    say sike rn im dreaming there’s no way this is real. ##duet with @charlidamelio

    ♬ original sound - mills

    Conan Gray, the 22-year-old YouTube musician turned pop star had a TikTok hit on his hands with the track "Heather" from his 2020 album "Kid Krow." The song birthed a trend that had TikTok users moving their eyes left to right as they pretended to watch the subject of "Heather," the romantic interest of Gray's unrequited love, pass by. The song's most popular lyrics are "I watch your eyes as she walks by."

    More than 600,0000 videos have been uploaded on one version of the song.

    'He has no lips, how will he get a kiss kiss?': TikTok creator Tati's reaction...

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