Short answer: On TikTok, check the Trends section of TikTok’s Creative Center and the sound pages inside the app; on Instagram, use the audio pages on reels and, in the US, the Trending Audio list of the top 50 tracks. Use a sound while it is still rising, make it fit your content, and if you post as a business, stick to music that is cleared for commercial use.
Instagram says outright that using trending audio can affect distribution, and on both apps a popular sound links your video to a page full of others using it. That makes trending sounds one of the few easy wins in short-form video, provided you find them early and use them properly. Here is where to look and how to judge them.
Where can you find trending sounds on TikTok?
TikTok Creative Center
TikTok’s Creative Center, now presented under the TikTok One Creative Suite name, is a free public resource from TikTok for Business. Its Trends section covers popular hashtags, songs, creators and videos, and you can narrow what you see by filters such as time frame and, for hashtags, industry. It is aimed at advertisers, but anyone can browse it, and logging in unlocks more detail.
The value is perspective: you can see whether a song is climbing or has already peaked, rather than relying on what happens to appear in your own feed.
Inside the TikTok app
- Your For You feed: when you hear the same audio three or four times in a day, that is an early signal.
- The sound page: tap the spinning record or sound name on any video to see other videos using it and save the sound for later.
- The sound library: when creating a video, the add-sound screen suggests popular and recommended sounds for your account.
Where can you find trending audio on Instagram Reels?
Instagram’s creator guidance points to Trending Audio, a list that lets you browse the top 50 tracks on Instagram and see how other creators use them. According to Instagram’s Help Centre, the list is only available in the US and in the Instagram mobile app, for public personal and professional accounts. There, you reach it through your dashboard or professional dashboard, or while browsing audio as you create a reel. Outside the US, use the audio pages on reels instead.
You can also:
- tap the audio name on any reel to open its audio page, see other reels using it and save it;
- check trending templates in the Reels camera, which bundle a popular sound with ready-made timing;
- watch which sounds keep appearing in your Reels tab and Explore.
Since July 2026 Instagram also lets you replace the audio on published feed posts and carousels without losing likes or comments, so a photo post can be given a better-fitting track later. For reels, you can layer up to 20 tracks in one video if a single sound doesn’t cover it.
How do you tell if a sound is still worth using?
A sound that everyone has already used offers less benefit than one on the way up. Check these signs before you build a video around it:
| Sign | Rising sound | Peaked sound |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Center trend line | Climbing over recent days | Flat or falling |
| Videos on the sound page | Recent uploads, a growing number | Mostly older uploads |
| Who is using it | Smaller creators and your niche | Big brands and repeated formats |
| How it feels in your feed | New this week | Already being parodied |
Relevance matters more than timing, though. A sound that suits your topic and lets you add your own angle beats a bigger trend that has nothing to do with your account. Both platforms value original, watchable content; our guides to how the TikTok algorithm works and to getting more views on Instagram Reels explain the wider ranking picture.
Can business accounts use trending sounds?
Not always, and this catches many brands out.
TikTok
TikTok says businesses cannot use the general music library for commercial purposes. Instead they should use the Commercial Music Library, a catalogue of around one million pre-cleared tracks that businesses can use free of charge in organic posts, ads and branded content. Business accounts therefore often don’t see the newest chart songs, and TikTok advises checking with a legal adviser before using other people’s original sounds commercially.
Instagram’s music availability can vary by country, and Meta doesn’t publish one simple rule for business accounts like TikTok’s. If a trending track doesn’t appear when you search for it, it isn’t available to your account, so pick one that is rather than adding it some other way.
For brands, the safest trending sounds are often original audio: voiceovers, dialogue clips or sounds created by other creators that are clearly free to reuse in the app.
How do you use a trending sound well?
- Move quickly but plan: keep a saved list of sounds and a few video ideas ready, so you can film within a day or two of spotting a rise.
- Match the format, add your angle: copy the structure that makes the trend recognisable, then make the content specific to your niche.
- Lower the volume if needed: the sound still links your video to the trend even when your voiceover carries the message.
- Make your own sound: musicians and creators can start trends by releasing a clear, reusable clip; our release plan for a new single covers how artists build that into a launch.
- Check each platform separately: a sound trending on TikTok may not be on Instagram yet, and some tracks aren’t licensed on both; see our guide to cross-posting short videos before reusing the same edit.
Frequently asked questions
How long do trending sounds last?
There is no fixed lifespan. Some sounds rise and fade within days, while others return each year around events or seasons. Watch the trend line and the age of recent videos rather than assuming a set period.
Do trending sounds guarantee more views?
No. A trending sound gives your video an extra route to be discovered, but viewers still decide whether to watch. A weak video with a popular sound usually performs like a weak video.
Why is a trending sound unavailable on my account?
Usually because of licensing. Business accounts on TikTok are limited to the Commercial Music Library, and music availability on both apps can vary by country and account type.
Can I use a trending TikTok sound on Instagram Reels?
Only if the same track is available in Instagram’s audio library for your account. Downloading a TikTok video with its sound and re-uploading it doesn’t give you a licence for the music.
Sources: TikTok Business Help: Commercial Music Library, TikTok Business Help: Creative Center Trends, Instagram for Creators: Find your inspiration, Instagram for Creators: FAQ, Instagram Help Centre: trending audio