KYM Review: 10 Best TikToks Of 2020
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s one of the fastest growing platforms today, TikTok had a lot to prove in 2020. It was tasked with attracting a wider audience and showing potential users that there's more to the platform than meets the eye. For the most part, TikTok (and of course its content creators) managed this, with CNBC even reporting in October that it's surpassed Instagram as the second most popular social media platform for teens in the U.S.
Whether you're into it for the dances, the trends, or the memes, there's been a lot to love on TikTok this past year. In no particular order, here are Know Your Meme's 10 best TikTok videos of the year.
Doggface208's Dreams Video
A viral video of TikToker Doggface208 skateboarding down the street and drinking cranberry juice while vibing to "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac.
- Month: September
- How It Started: In late September, Doggface, aka Apodaca's, truck broke down on the side of the road on the way to work. With only a skateboard and some cranberry juice in tow, he took to the streets for the rest of the journey, deciding to make a TikTok video on the way.
- How It Unraveled: Internet users across platforms felt the pure good vibes emanating from the video, making it go viral everywhere. The video inspired a TikTok trend which Mick Fleetwood himself took part in, got Apodaca a new truck and supply of Cranberry juice, and lead "Dreams" into the US top 40 charts for the first time since 2013.
I Ain't Never Seen Two Pretty Best Friends
A viral video of TikToker JayRScotty sitting in his car, claiming that two pretty best friends simply don't exist. One's always gotta be ugly.
- Month: October
- How It Started: In early October, Jay R Scotty made a video in his typical style (sitting in the car reading various quotes and axioms) where he postures that one friend in a duo is always ugly, both are never pretty. In the video his eyes look very bright and his features cartoonish.
- How It Unraveled: The video blew up beyond TikTok, gaining over 46 million views in 2 months on the platform, inspiring tons of parodies and duets where users try and recreate the video (along with Scotty's exaggerated expressions) and created a saying that is sure to stick with the platform for years to come.
Can We Stop Dueting Videos When We Have Nothing To Add
A TikTok duet chain in response to a TikToker's plea that users stop dueting videos when they have nothing of substance to add to the source video.
- Month: November
- How It Started: In early November, Johnson_fran uploaded a video asking other users to stop pointlessly duetting videos, saying she's not interested in seeing people react uninterestingly to videos. From there, users began duetting her video to make it appear as if she's surrounded by various things or has mis-matched body parts to joke about the video's message.
- How It Unraveled: The video was one of the most dueted of the year, with over 48,000 videos reacting to it.
Claudia Conway Reveals Her Mom Has Covid-19
A video of Claudia Conway, daughter of Kellyanne Conway, revealing that her mother has COVID-19 before the news has the chance to.
- Month: October
- How It Started: In early October, Claudia Conway posted a video from the doctor's office waiting room with the on-screen caption "update my mom has covid" and encouraging people to wear masks in the comments. As an extra jucy cherry on top, she set the video to "Smack My Ass Like a Drum" by PetitMak.
- How It Unraveled: The story was reported widely on the news and many admired her for her message encouraging people to wear masks despite her mother being a Republican.
Bella Poarch Performing M to the B
A video of Bella Poarch lip-syncing to BGMedia's "Mille B (Soph Aspin Send)" as the camera tracks her face.
- Month: August
- How It Started: In mid-August, TikTok star Bella Poarch uploaded a video of herself lip-syncing to "Millie B" with a face-tracking effect, resulting in a video where Poarch pulls a number of humorous faces that hit over 500 million views by December.
- How It Unraveled: The video became the most-liked of 2020 and inspired millions of copycat and parody videos across platforms.
Get That Pepper Off There
A video of TikToker air_hardy's father reacting to a chef seasoning a brisket with what appears to be way too much pepper and mustard.
- Month: July
- How It Started: In mid-July, TikToker air_hardy uploaded a duet to a Grill Nation video in which a chef is seasoning a brisket in a way that Hardy doesn't like the looks of. He shows the video to his dad, who berates it immediately, yelling, "get that pepper off there" repeatedly.
- How It Unraveled: Hardy's reaction inspired other TikTokers to react to the Grill Nation video, as well as inspiring a series of absurd memes on YouTube and Instagram where Hardy's dad yells at a pepper standing on a cliff-edge.
Mi Pan Su Sus
A video of an animated llama dancing to a Russian Kellogs' Honey Pops jingle that inexplicably started popping up in everyone's For You pages.
- Month: July
- How It Started: In mid-July, TikToker awa_de_horchata_uwu uploaded an animated video of a llama dancing on the beach under a red filter set to the song "Mi Pan Su Sus," exposing TikTokers to the strange tune and encouraging them to find out more about it.
- How It Unraveled: The video received over 140 million views in 5 months, inspired over 5 million other TikTokers to use it, and became one of the most viewed videos of the year.
Da Vinki
A video of the Vörös twins answering a series of automated questions incorrectly, specifically pronouncing Leonardo DaVinci's name as "Da Vinki".
- Month: August
- How It Started: In mid-August, TikTokers The Vörös Twins uploaded a video taking an automated Instagram quiz to TikTok. The first question asks "Who painted the Mona Lisa?" to which they answer at the same time, "Da Vinki" mispronouncing DaVinci's name.
- How It Unraveled: The video went viral across platforms, resulting in tons of parodies and memes.
Dr. Phil's #YouHaveTo Video
A video of Dr. Phil telling the internet to stop calling him daddy.
- Month: September
- How It Started: In early-September, Dr. Phil posted a video comically pleading with his viewers to stop calling him daddy, ensuring people that he appreciates the support but saying it's a little weird.
- How It Unraveled: The #YouHaveTo trend was propelled on TikTok and the internet's perception of Dr. Phil as a top-tier memer was increased.
Ok Boomer
A video of streamer Neekolul dancing to the song "Oki Doki Boomer" in a Bernie Sanders shirt.
- Month: March
- How It Started: In early March, Neekolul posted a video of herself in a Bernie crop-top and black skirt performing a choreographed dance and lip-syncing to "Oki Doki Boomer". The video was shared on Twitter and went viral.
- How It Unraveled: Neekolul attracted an army of simps and haters alike from across the web, was reported on widely, solidified herself as an influencer, and paved the way to her joining Esports team 100 Thieves.
Looking for more of this year's best viral phenomena and memes? Be sure to check out our other 2020 meme roundups below:
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Krupam the Oldfag
My favorite TikTok meme of the year is it being revealed as Chinese spyware and the subsequent (and unfortunately unsuccessful) calls to ban it.