Jess Glynne’s 2015 Hit Dominates UK Rankings

LONDON: The immense power of TikTok to resurrect catalogue music and generate billions of views has been quantified by the platform’s annual rankings, which named Jess Glynne’s 2015 track, “Hold My Hand,” as the UK’s TikTok Song of the Year.

The song, which provided the backdrop for the pervasive “nothing beats a Jet2holiday” meme showcasing travel mishaps, was used in approximately 6.6 million user-generated videos and secured more than 80 billion views worldwide, according to the social media giant. This placed the track second globally, just behind Connie Francis’s 1962 release, “Pretty Little Baby.”

TikTok’s ranking formula utilizes a metric that combines the total number of videos using an artist’s music with the popularity of the artist’s own posts. The success of “Hold My Hand” highlights how trends—often focused on humour or relatable experience—can propel older music back into the cultural mainstream.

Despite feeling “inescapable” this year, the track did not manage to re-enter the UK singles charts in 2025, demonstrating the difference between digital virality and traditional chart performance.

A Decade-Spanning Phenomenon
The platform has become a primary tool for music rediscovery, proving that no song, regardless of age, is safe from revival. Other older hits that found new audiences this year include:

• “Breakin’ Dishes” by Rihanna (2007)
• “Let Down” by Radiohead (1997)
• “Rock That Body” by the Black Eyed Peas (2010)

The global Song of the Year title went to Connie Francis’s 1962 track, “Pretty Little Baby,” used over 28 million times, primarily for wholesome content featuring pets and family.

For artists like Jess Glynne, who stated she sees the platform as an “amazing way to engage with people,” this phenomenon represents a crucial new revenue stream and a way to introduce established works to an entirely new generation of listeners.