Lesley Gore’s ‘Misty’ Becomes the Oldest Song to Lead TikTok Billboard Top 50
More than 60 years after it was released, Lesley Gore’s rendition of “Misty” hits No. 1 on a Billboard chart, crowning the TikTok Billboard Top 50 dated Jan. 13.
The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity from Jan. 1 to 7. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
“Misty,” a jazz standard first penned by Erroll Garner in 1954 and recorded by Gore for her 1963 debut album I’ll Cry If I Want To, initially debuted on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 at No. 3 (Jan. 6) prior to its rise to No. 1.
As reported last week, TikTok usages of “Misty” mostly involves a trend where the user is shown without a feature (glasses, a certain hair style, etc.) and then with that feature. Though as a spin on what’s expected, the creator usually uploads a photo of them with a friend or family member with that feature (example: a friend with glasses) instead.
“Misty” has continued to jump in Billboard chart-eligible streams since its TikTok trend took off. In the latest tracking week for charts such as the Billboard Hot 100 (Dec. 29-Jan. 4), the track earned 330,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, a boost of 36%, according to Luminate.
At more than 60 years old, “Misty” is the oldest song to reign on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 since its September 2023 inception. It takes over from the previous oldest track, as “Misty” leads following a two-week rule for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which ascended to the top of the list during the holiday season amid multiple other Christmas standards’ chart appearances. Unlike the rest, Carey actually remains on the Jan. 13 survey, albeit at No. 46.
With the path cleared of holiday tunes, Nicki Minaj’s “Everybody” featuring Lil Uzi Vert rises to a new peak of No. 2, while Playboi Carti’s “Sky” makes its monthly return to the chart, this time at No. 3, due to its “wake up, it’s the first of the month” trend.
A trio of big movers reach the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10 for the first time, led by Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me,” which vaults 13-7. One of the more recent trends using the song involves showing off medals with the caption “me if having the [insert thing here] was an award,” oftentimes the “worst ex.”
Project Pat’s “Choose U” jumps onto the chart as the top debut, ranking at No. 8. Its virality coincides with a trend where creators use the phrase “you’re the kind of girl they write books about” and then show a book cover, usually played for comedic effect.
And rounding out the top 10 as another new addition to the region is Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor.” The 2001 dance track has achieved newfound success after a synch in the new film Saltburn, and the craze has crossed over to TikTok, too, with many of the top uploads referencing the movie in some way.
“Murder on the Dancefloor” reaches the Hot 100 for the first time at No. 98, garnering 3.9 million streams, up 131%.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50, also featuring debuts from Coldplay, Kendrick Lamar and Drake here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
Kevin Rutherford
Billboard
