Looking for ways to improve your Instagram Reels? Adding a music backdrop to your clips could help. You’ve probably already noticed that most popular Reels incorporate an audio component. Fortunately, you can take advantage of these trending audio tracks for your content. This guide shows how to find trending audio on Instagram and use it for your own content.
Good to know: check out these apps that will help you create gorgeous Instagram Reels.
1. Check Your Instagram Reels Feed
The best way to find trending audio is through the Instagram Reels feed.
- Open the Instagram app (Android | iOS), and tap on the “Reels” button at the bottom. On Desktop, find the “Reels” option by looking at the menu on the left side of the screen.
- Swipe through the Reels until you find one with audio that you recognize. (It’s a good sign that the audio might be trending.)
- Check the lower-left corner of the display, underneath the caption. You should be able to see the name of the track that’s playing in the background. If you notice an arrow next to the track’s name, that’s your clue that it’s a trending audio track.
- If it’s not a trending track, you’ll see a musical note icon next to the track name instead.
Note: just because a track has been used many times doesn’t necessarily mean that it is trending. It’s also possible that the track was trending a few days ago but is now starting to lose momentum.
- To verify a track’s trending status, tap the audio track’s name.
- This will take you to the audio track’s dedicated page, where you will see how many times this track has been used in Reels (at the top).
- You can also browse the complete list of Reels that use this audio track.
- If you’ve decided that you want to use this trending audio track, tap the “Use Audio” button at the top.
- With the trending audio track added to the Reel creation screen, record (or upload from Gallery) the Reels, and add the extra editing touches.
FYI: want a better Instagram experience? Learn how to mute someone, and clean up your Instagram feed.
2. Browse Instagram’s Audio Suggestions
Another way to find trending audio on Instagram is to go straight to the Reel creation screen. When opting to add audio to your clip, Instagram will suggest some tracks that you may want to consider adding – and some of the options may be trending sounds.
- Tap on the “+” button in the upper-right corner of your Instagram profile page.
- Select “Reel.”
- Record your video by pressing on “Camera,” and upload it from your Gallery.
- Tap the “Explore audio” invite at the top. If you don’t see it, tap the musical note icon at the top.
- Instagram will open a “For you” list of songs. Check which songs have been used the most, as they are more likely to be trending.
- On the Instagram Android app, you also have the option to “Save” the tracks shown in the “For you” list to verify whether the song is trending or visit its dedicated page.
- To access your “Saved” folder on Instagram, go to your profile, press the hamburger menu in the upper-right corner, and select “Saved.”
3. Check Instagram Creators Account
The official Instagram Creators account represents another valuable resource when it comes to Reel trends, including audio.
- Make sure you follow the account, and keep an eye on it, especially on Stories, as that’s where you can see the latest trending audio, aka Instagram Anthems.
- Tap to go through the songs that were included in the selection.
- Press the album art to view how many Reels have used the audio so far.
- Some of these songs may have a “New” tag attached to them, meaning they have the potential to become trending but have not yet done so.
- Press the bookmark icon in the upper-right corner to save the song. This allows you to check its stats later and decide whether to use it.
- On the other hand, if you’re ready to start using the track on your own content, tap the “Use audio” button.
- To view older Instagram Anthems, press on the IG Anthems Highlight bubble on the Creators profile. Speaking of Instagram Highlights, read on to learn all about this type of post.
- Keep in mind that the trending status of some of these tracks may have expired since they were posted. Even so, they remain popular tracks with Instagram users.
- You can also browse the Creators accounts, as you may stumble on the occasional viral Reel, as well as useful tips for content creation.
Tip: did you know that you can link your TikTok to your Instagram? We show you how.
4. Look on TikTok for Inspiration
Another method of identifying trending audio tracks is to take a sneak peek at the competition. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that TikTok and Instagram are pretty intertwined when it comes to viral content. What’s popular on one platform may garner attention on the other, so it is a good idea to check the audio that is trending on TikTok, then try to replicate it on Instagram.
- Open the TikTok app (Android | iOS) on your device.
- Tap on the “+” button at the bottom to open the TikTok camera.
- Record or upload your video, then press the musical note icon on the right.
- Swipe down on the “Sounds” page until you find the “Playlists” section.
- Select the “TikTok Viral” option.
- Browse through the available tracks. Tap on the album art to listen to the song.
- Alternatively, use the search bar at the top to look for “viral sounds.”
- The resulting list will show stats of how many posts at TikTok have used a particular audio backdrop.
- Go back to the Instagram app, and open a Reel creation screen.
- Search for the song to see if you can find it. It’s worth using the same sound on Instagram (even if you can’t view its stats), as there’s a chance the song will go viral on Instagram too (if it isn’t already).
- If you don’t have TikTok and don’t want to make an account, check Tokboard, a website that allows you to view the most popular songs on TikTok on a weekly basis.
Tip: check out how to find drafts, saved Reels, and more on Facebook.
5. Follow Top Creator Accounts for Your Niche
Another tip is to make sure to regularly check out all the big accounts related to your niche. If something goes viral, influencers will most likely be among the first to adopt it.
Even if you’re already following many people in your niche, popular accounts may offer the fastest route to see what’s trending in your domain.
6. Use a Reel Template
Templates are designed to help you create stunning Reels with minimal effort. You can find an extensive template collection on Instagram. Most of these templates are also bundled with audio.
While we can’t be sure these audio tracks are trending, there’s a good chance that some of them are. Check the “Trending” section to see what’s available, then add your own photos and videos to complete the Reel.
Perfecting Reel Creation
Reels have become Instagram’s fastest-growing feature worldwide, and Reels creators have multiplied considerably over the last year. To stand out from the crowd, refining your content creation skills has become imperative. Begin here by learning how to add photos to your Reels or voice and related effects.
Image credit: Freepik / Flaticon. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.
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