Reels

How to Find Trending Songs for Instagram Reels in 2023

Use these tools and tricks to find out which songs are currently going viral on Instagram Reels.

Whether it’s a top 40 bop or a nostalgic earworm, there are new songs trending on Instagram Reels all the time. Using trending songs in your own content can give your Reels a boost, so it’s good practice to seek out popular songs.

The simplest way to find a trending song on Instagram Reels is to look for the trending arrow icon next to a song title. The arrow, which points up and to the right, appears when the Instagram app notices a song or audio clip has become popular.

That’s a great way to stumble upon trending songs, but it’s not the only method for finding them. Using Reels templates, watching trend reports, and even keeping up with TikTok will give you early insight into what songs are trending on Reels.

Here, we’ll go in-depth on each method to finding trending songs as well as talk about how using trending songs can elevate your Reels.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth your time to hunt down trending songs to use in Reels, the answer is a resounding yes.

First, it’s worth noting that using Reels in general is a great strategy for growing your engagement rate on Instagram. According to Social Insider, Instagram Reels had an average engagement rate of 1.95% in 2022. That’s double the engagement rate of static images, and higher than regular video content on Instagram.

Meta also reported in 2022 that Reels take up 20% of the time users spend on Instagram.

Songs can trend at any time on the app. That means a song doesn’t have to be new on the charts — it’s just as possible for a retro song from the 70s to trend as a new release.

To understand why using trending songs is a good idea for Reels, you need to understand how Instagram’s algorithm works. Like other social media platforms, such as TikTok or YouTube, Instagram’s goal is to keep users scrolling for as long as possible.

When Instagram notices a song or audio clip is trending in Reels, the algorithm will prioritize Reels using that song because they know users enjoy that content. Therefore, using trending songs is a smart way to get Instagram to show your Reels to new users as well as your own followers.

It’s also important to note that unlike the static Instagram feed, which prioritizes accounts you follow, the Reels tab wants to show content from accounts you don’t follow. That makes it an excellent place for users to discover new accounts — maybe even yours! Using trending songs makes that possibility more likely.

Let’s dive into the best methods to find trending songs you can use in your own Instagram Reels.

1. Watch your Reels Feed

Spending time watching Reels is the best way to get inspiration for your own videos and it’s also the perfect way to stumble upon trending songs.

As we mentioned above, Instagram notes when a song or audio clip is trending with a small arrow symbol.

This is what it looks like:

If you tap the song, it takes you to a page with more info.

Again, you’ll see the arrow symbol under the song’s information, as well as a number showing how many reels are using the song. Simply tap “use audio” to make a Reel with that song.

It’s unclear what the threshold is for Instagram to apply the arrow symbol, but we can assume it’s a combination of a high volume of Reels using a song and the recency of many users using that song.

2. Check the Reels Explore page

There are a few ways to use the Explore page to find trending songs on Instagram to use in Reels. However this option is most useful if you already know what you’re looking for.

Open the Explore page by tapping the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of your Instagram app. From there, enter a term in the search bar or tap one of the suggested trending terms at the top of the screen.

For example, Instagram suggested “latte art” as a search term. In the results, I can watch Reels and see if there are any trending songs associated with that term.

By clicking on the “tags” tab, you can check out Reels using trending hashtags to see if there are any trending songs commonly used alongside those trending tags.

There’s also an “audio” tab in the Explore page results. This will only show audio clips that use the keywords in your search, so it’s not immediately useful. However, you could try searching for a particular artist or song name and examine whether there’s a trending song in the results.

3. Check the Reels template library

If you’re ever struggling to edit your own Reels, the templates library is a fantastic resource.

To find it, open the Reels tab and tap the camera icon in the top right corner.

From there, tap “templates” at the bottom.

Here you’ll see a selection of pre-formatted templates for Reels with the song already queued up. All you need to do is add your own clips. You can also find templates in your Reels feed by looking for the “Use template” button on the Reels you see.

Check to see if any of the suggested songs have the trending arrow. The selection here is limited, so you may or may not see the arrow. But if you do, you’ll be set up to simply add your own video clips and have a professional, trendy Reel in seconds.

4. Follow the @Creators Instagram account

If you know where to find them, Instagram shares all kinds of tips and tricks for succeeding on the platform. The @Creators account is an excellent resource for Instagram creators, especially due to their regular trend reports.

Each week, the account posts an “Instagram Anthems” Reel highlighting trending songs.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Instagram’s @Creators (@creators)

The post includes both new releases, themed songs marking events like Asian Heritage Month, and songs that have been certified as trending.

5. Pay attention to TikTok

It’s no secret that songs, challenges, or hashtags that trend on TikTok eventually make their way to Instagram, too. In fact, a lot of Reels are just content creators and brands repurposing TikTok videos.

Therefore, it just makes sense to keep up with TikTok trends to predict what will go viral next on Instagram Reels.

There are a few ways to find trending songs on TikTok, similar to finding trending songs on Instagram. Watching TikTok’s For You page is the first step to keeping an eye on what’s popular and of-the-moment.

The TikTok Creative Center is also an excellent resource. It has a tab that tracks trending Reels audio, which can be filtered by location.

And, just like Instagram, TikTok’s Explore page has an audio tab for searching for trending audio. Rather than an arrow, TikTok marks trending songs with a “popular” label.

Instagram is happy to suggest trending sounds for you to use when making a Reel.

When creating a Reel, tap the music note icon, which opens the Reels audio library. Here, Instagram will suggest songs and if they’re trending, they’ll have the arrow symbol.

In the audio library you can also search for songs and, again, trending songs will be marked with the arrow symbol.

7. Look at Spotify playlists

Finally, Spotify might be the answer for finding the perfect trending songs for your Reels.

In Spotify, search for “Instagram trending” and you’ll find playlists made by users who track trending songs on Instagram.

The caveat here is you need to check how recently songs were added to the playlist. To do that, open the playlist and take a peek at the “date added” column.

The more recently the song was added, the more likely that the song is still trending on Instagram.

You can also double check by searching for the song on Instagram and checking to see if it has a trending arrow icon.

There are a multitude of ways to find trending songs on Instagram to use in your Reels and you’ll find no shortage of options if you explore all the available methods.

Use these tips to hop on the next viral song and give your Reels a boost with audio trends.

While having a business account on Instagram unlocks important insights and features, it also limits what songs you can use in Reels. Most music from mainstream artists will be unavailable to business accounts because those artists don’t want to be associated with a brand without their knowledge. There’s also the issue of copyright infringement.

Instead, options for business owners will include original audio that indie artists have uploaded themselves as well as DRM free music. Although this limits you, you’ll still be able to see if a song is trending.

When creating a Reel as a business account, Instagram will only suggest songs you are permitted to use. Scroll through the options and look for the trending arrow.

As a small business, you need to decide whether it’s worth switching to a business account and losing access to popular songs.

The simplest way to find trending songs on Reels is to look for the trending arrow symbol. In all likelihood, the songs trending on Instagram will also be trending on TikTok.

You can also check the TikTok Creative Center to see what songs are trending on TikTok, then cross-checking Instagram for those audio clips.

Trending songs on Instagram Reels are audio clips that have recently been used by a high number of users. Instagram notes these clips with a trending arrow symbol. You can find them on the Reels feed, on your Explore page, and in the trending audio suggestions in the Reels editor.

4. What is the most used song on Instagram Reels in 2023?

The top trending songs on Instagram change all the time. Some of the most popular Reels songs of 2023 include:

Die For You by The Weeknd and Ariana Grande
Players by Coi Leray
Watch This (ARIZONATEARS Pluggnb Remix) by Lil Uzi Vert

Additional Resources:

KAPWING