2023 was the year we learned a new life hack (or two!), laughed out loud, and couldn’t stop thinking about the Roman Empire. Our global community of over 1 billion people, including 8.5 million Australians and 350,000 Australian businesses, continues to come together to connect on TikTok, positively influencing culture and impacting lives.
From foolproof recipes to funny skits, throwback tracks and thriving small businesses, the TikTok community continued creating, connecting and celebrating authenticity on TikTok throughout 2023. In Australia, we saw everything from camels to frogs, outback guides to style icons, impressive impersonators to talented buskers, chef extraordinaires to sports stars, tasty recipes to beauty tips, and more.
“2023 has been another memorable year on TikTok and the biggest yet for our Australian community. We have been so inspired by the incredible creators who are the beating heart of TikTok, and this is an opportunity to celebrate those who have made their mark this year. A massive thank you to our community who show up every day as their true authentic selves and who made 2023 one for the history books – bring on 2024!” said Lee Hunter, general manager at TikTok Australia and New Zealand.
In 2023, trending content took over For You feeds around the world – especially in the entertainment, lifestyle & education, and sports categories. We were mesmerised by Dollievision’s makeup routine, that Capybara song and the brilliance of sheepdogs – so many good memories, you can almost hear it! In Australia, our love of animals, a new beauty hack and a good party (good enough to win the 2023 TikTok Video of the Year award) shone through, accompanied by our renewed obsession with garlic bread.
The 2023 FYFaves for Australia were:
-
@andydavie – Fitzroy blokes’ garage sesh goes global and takes the 2023 TikTok Video of the Year award.
-
@daenskitchen – Mouthwatering ASMR garlic bread… bon appétit!
-
@unknowndazza – The tale of Frodrick the Frod, and his 3D printed house.
-
@ybsbrodie – Ever dared to dive into the secret lives of whales?
-
@robertirwin – Cuteness overload – Robert Irwin introduces us to Australia Zoo’s very first quokka.
-
@himynameispriya – The secret to beautiful lashes and brows? A scorched almond – who knew!
Whether it was pop tunes or comeback tracks, TikTok artists gave us the soundtrack of 2023. This year, one of our most popular songs was “Cupid – Twin Ver – Sped Up Version” by FIFTY FIFTY. Capitalising on the TikTok audience’s affinity for sped-up songs, this version of “Cupid” was a viral sensation, kicking off a number of trends from food tutorials to outfit picks, which have been hugely popular this year.
Turn up the volume and check out TikTok’s most popular songs of the year:
-
Collide (more sped up) – Justine Skye, @unicewani
-
Cupid – Twin Ver. – Sped Up Version – FIFTY FIFTY, @adelemareee
-
Sprinter – Dave & Central Cee, @taylebwillis
-
Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2 – PinkPantheress & Ice Spice, @tazandalessia
-
Her Way (Sped Up) – PARTYNEXTDOOR, @_angelomarasigan
-
White Tee – Summer Walker & NO1-NOAH, @erinvholland
-
NASTY – Russ, @rachevren
-
girls like me don’t cry (sped up) – thuy, @zaraliang
-
Open Arms (feat. Travis Scott) – SZA, @cleanwithnessa
-
Makeba – Jain, @tomharrisfootball
Every day, a star is born on TikTok. This year, we were entertained and inspired by an entire galaxy of creators, who remain the beating heart of our platform.
From recently crowned 2023 TikTok Creator of the Year Indy Clinton and her fellow nominees Angelo Marasigan and Tom Forrest (Outback Tom); here are the breakthrough creators who made it on and beyond TikTok in 2023:
-
@_angelomarasigan – Famous for entertaining parodies and Kardashian impersonations… bible.
-
@indyclinton – TikTok Creator of the Year 2023, chaotic queen and young mum sharing her relatable family antics.
-
@outbacktom – Behold the journalist extraordinaire, musical prodigy, and thanks to his Outback Grandad’s help, an Aussie guide and chef.
-
@andy_cooks – Chef extraordinaire and author, sharing restaurant-quality recipes for aspiring at-home cooks.
-
@sophadophaa – Australia’s ‘it girl’ and Gen Z style icon making waves with her new brand, ‘All for Mimi’.
-
@biteswithlily – Your go-to food guide, revealing top eats from fine dining to convenience store snacks – you’ll never wonder where to eat again.
TikTok is a musical playground where artists and songwriters come together to propel tracks and trends at the speed of culture. Australian artists topped the charts, including global superstar Troye Sivan, Aussie’s favourite popstar / pixie and Music Creator of the Year 2023 Peach PRC, and our resident ‘Free Broccoli’ king Go-Jo.
Here are the most popular artists whose songs took over our ears and For You feeds in 2023:
-
@troyesivan set fire to the Aussie music charts with Rush (21.2K videos made) and One Of Your Girls (55K videos made).
-
@oxlee and Kayla are the dynamic sibling duo you didn’t know you needed! They collaborate on trending songs, like YOU.
-
@hannahbahng’s debut Perfect Blues MV (4M VV) and follow-up OLeander (2.2M VV) has left her 4.5 followers wanting more.
-
@timmytrumpet stole the show at 2023 Tomorrowland, blending his trumpet magic with John Summit & Hayla’s hit EDM song Where You Are.
-
@deanlewis, the self-proclaimed “sad song king”, pleasantly surprised fans outside a theatre with an acoustic rendition of Trust Me Mate.
-
@heyimgojo turns streets into stages, with his viral live performances. If you’re ever stopped by him, be prepared to sing his hit song Mrs Hollywood (15.4K videos made).
-
@peachprc is Australia’s very own “manic dream pixie”, delivering the bubblegum pink vibes which won her Music Creator of the Year 2023
-
@melroseavenue_ , punk rock sensation, gained a loyal TikTok following of 1.7M with iconic covers of popular songs. Now, fans stream and sing along to his original single Suffering (290K VV).
-
@cultshotta – Western Sydney’s rap duo, childhood friends Rapper E11even and Hypeman Lil Golo, keep things colourful and prove that being unique pays off.
-
@shirinaholmatova1 has serenaded over 5.6M viewers via TikTok LIVE, with an astounding 275 hours of melodious busking.
TikTok is a place where you can start small, but think – and achieve – big. No one knows this better than our small business owners who truly felt the positive impact of our community in 2023. Thanks to trending hashtags like #SMB and #SmallBusiness, we discovered local Australian booming businesses like Fayt The Label, Sarah Jade Hair (TikTok Business of the Year 2023) and QCamel – a busy, working farm which is home to 110 camels.
Here are some of the most beloved small businesses that inspired us in 2023:
-
@dimsimlim – Move over Belfort, this is the real ‘Wolf of Wok Street’.
-
@yasminbrisbane – Did you know camels respond to their own names?!
-
@sarahemiliaofficial – These transformations will have you calling your hairdresser and demanding a refund. Based near Bondi? Treat your hair to a trip to TikTok’s Business of the Year 2023.
-
@brittney_saunders – From influencer to CEO, meet the beauty (and brains) behind your favourite brands.
-
@timthelawnmowerman – The grass is always greener… if Tim pays a visit. This generous firefighter provides free ‘Random Acts of Mowing’ to those who need a helping hand within the Aussie community.
With so much educational content, we learn while we scroll on TikTok! In 2023, #BookTok taught us that reading is cool again, #CleanTok showed us the most helpful household hacks. In Australia, we learned that Aussies definitely appreciate a handy kitchen hack and that the plant parents among us won’t look past a good growth tip either.
Discover the most popular trends, tricks and how-to’s that made our lives even better in 2023:
-
@katclark – No clip needed! Kat Clark teaches us a new way to close those pesky frozen bags.
-
@askellenbeauty – All the tips for getting red carpet ready!
-
@supercars – Let’s take a lap of Mount Panorama, and learn some fun facts on the way.
-
@brad – How to supersize your Pilea plant, from the expert!
-
@joshandmattdesign – Everyone’s favourite design duo shares tips on how to design the perfect backyard.
-
@heykatzam – Travel without travelling, as Kat Zam takes us on an educational trip to a Miniature village in Canberra.
This year, the TikTok community continued to bring their creativity to life and push the boundaries of self-expression through a diverse array of community effects, sounds, filters and more, with over 25 billion videos created using community effects to date. In Australia, we kept close to the CommBank Matilda’s during their time competing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, engaging directly with our favourite players who have since been named TikTok Sports Creator of the Year!
Here are the most popular trends made possible by unique features – and our creativity – in 2023:
-
Winners of Sports Creator of the Year 2023, the @matildas took TikTok by storm this year during the FIFA World Cup. They answered fan questions via their #AskMatildas series.
-
Hilarious brother duo @lukeandsassyscott use the ‘Initial’ creative effect to take part in a fun challenge in their backyard.
-
POV: Your guilty pleasure is illegal – @elleray__ uses the viral Cayo la Ley effect to show us what happens next.
-
@scottoscotto lets this creative effect reveal his beige flags.. Hey bestie!
-
Heartbreak High star @chloeshayden describes her ‘red flags’, using the soundboard creative effect for fun, dramatic flair!
