The year is coming to a close and people have already moved on from the momentary bliss that is Spotify Wrapped, but there's still one social titan that has yet to throw its hat into the year-end list ring — TikTok.
@tiktok Let's celebrate the unforgettable trends, creators and moments that brought us closer together in 2022, a year that's truly #ForYou. #YearOnTikTok
TikTok today released a list of its Top 10 most-viewed videos of 2022. If you’re under the age of 25, you’re probably already sick of them, but don't worry — we’re here to shit on them as much as we are to celebrate their success. If you’re a millennial (or an Instagram Reels user), you’ll be delighted to see that the Corn Kid remix and Louis Theroux’s “Jiggle Jiggle” made the cut. Regardless, let’s take the opportunity to collectively laugh or cringe as we count down this year’s most-viewed videos from the most powerful social media app in the world.
1. The Uncanny Giant Chocolate Giraffe
@amauryguichon Chocolate Giraffe! 🦒This 8.3ft tall 100% chocolate sculpture is my biggest creation yet. #amauryguichon #chocolate #giraffe
Last year, when it came to food videos, we asked whether or not we were looking at cake cleverly disguising itself as a miscellaneous object or the miscellaneous object itself. Now that it’s 2022 and the world is infinitely more complex, we have to add another question to the mix — is it chocolate?
2. Squishy Gobbles Down on Some Nuts
@chipmunksoftiktok Thank you God my little Squishy is back from hibernation, fill the cheeks my sweet baby #fyp #welcomeback #cuteanimals #cute #chipmunks #squishy
Our sweet baby is back! Squishy the chipmunk is out of hibernation and apparently people are excited. Either that or they just think the video is funny. The top comment on the video is, “that’s Alvin chipmunks😅,” so we’re going to go with the latter. Then again, the second top comment is, “SQUISHY LETS GOO,” so who’s to say?
3. Rosalía Chews Gum and Everyone Loses Their Minds
TikTok has always been flooded with the same happy-go-lucky day-in-the-life videos, but our queen Rosalía is here to put a more honest twist on the trend. Her viral video followed her throughout her day, going to the gym, cooking and eating — and she chewed her gum with the perfect deadpan look through it all. Same, Rosalía. Same.
4. The "Jiggle Jiggle" One
@blondebrunetteredhead does this turn you on? #fyp
In March, Duke and Jones uploaded a hilarious remix of documentarian Louis Theroux rapping a cappella in an interview and the internet went wild. 6.6 million videos later, it’s safe to say that the joke has gotten a tad old, and the most-viewed video using the sound is perhaps the best possible reflection of that attitude. The three dancers in the video are completely unamused as they go through the dance moves. We couldn’t relate any harder.
5. I'm Just a Baby!
@little.blooming.women Did. She. Stutter? #parenting #toddler #toddlersoftiktok
At number five, we have another piece of relatable content for adults trying to evade their responsibilities. On February 19, the child of @little.blooming.women let out a rallying cry that would unite users from coast to coast. When confronted by her mother who was scolding her for not following her orders, she clapped back with, “I’m just a baby!” The perfect excuse for just about anything.
6. The Corn Video. You Know the One.
@schmoyoho intro song for any meal/snack with corn 🌽 - from iconic interview on @doingthings
It’s corn! A big lump with knobs! You might remember @schmoyoho from their viral “Songify the News” series on YouTube that took off around the 2016 election, but their career got a second wind when they joined TikTok and started posting bite-sized remixes instead of their usual elaborate songs. Between the Corn Kid remix and “Chrissy Wake Up,” it’s safe to say that @schmoyoho completely dominated the TikTok sound space in 2022.
7. It's About Damn Time (That Y'all Get Your Dance Moves Right)
@lizzo I would’ve given my left coochie lip to be at the spring awakening reunion show 😭
The TikTok dance space is extremely crowded, and because the videos are so easy to make, that means that everyone thinks that they can and no one really thinks about if they should. Look, not everyone has what it takes to be Charli D’Amelio and somebody has to say it.
Thankfully, Lizzo’s here to back us up. After seeing countless people doing the dance to her song “About Damn Time” wrong, she decided to put the amateurs in their place, yelling at them like a disgruntled dance instructor to set the record straight on how the dance is actually supposed to go. Thanks, Lizzo!8. The School Musical Reveal That Went On Just a Little Too Long
@itsmrfinn Part 2: The FINAL day of our musical reveal. #musicteacher #music #musiceducation #musicaltheater #musicaltheaterkidcheck
This teacher deserves a raise for the two-minute reveal of his school’s musical, recording a video of himself talking and then interacting with that video in class as if he were on a video call with himself. In case you were wondering, the musical ended up being The Addams Family. Surely Jenna Ortega would’ve been thrilled.
9. Tom Is No Longer Homeless
@jimmydarts Tom is no longer homeless and now has a full time job that he loves ❤️
In possibly the most heartwarming video on this list, Jimmy Darts got a homeless man named Tom a job, with Tom telling Jimmy, “I love it! I wish I could sleep down here! Coming down to work is the most important thing. It’s a great place to work! It feels wonderful.” In total, Darts raised $20,000 for Tom.
10. Lava Vs. Ice (Jurassic Park Style)
@meltandpour Who won ?
This list wouldn’t be complete without a satisfying destruction video. Sadly, it’s not actually that satisfying, as the lava just wears itself out after a while and barely makes a dent in the ice.
Photo via Getty/ Michael Tran