As an avid Gen-Z TikTok user, it's hard not to notice the resurgence of songs from the 1970s. Both number one hits, like “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, and sleeper hits, like “Be Like a Woman” by Chris Rainbow, have become popularized among Gen-Z, all thanks to the video-sharing platform.
With TikTok's For You Page (FYP) algorithm, users can interact with ongoing trends for weeks on end. Whether it's a specific video style or song, TikTok’s FYP helps fuel the multi-week-long trends we see. Although many “trending audios” help contemporary musicians gain further exposure on TikTok, attention is also being drawn to artists from the 20th century, specifically the 1970s.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, TikTok has become one of the leading social media platforms around the world. Later on that year, Nathan Apodaca [@420doggface208] garnered millions of views after posting a video of him skateboarding and drinking cranberry juice, singing along to Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit, “Dreams.” The video was not only noticed by multiple Fleetwood Mac members but also by millions of users, leading many to discover Fleetwood Mac for the first time. With song lyrics that describe the aftermath of a breakup and the independence gained from it, Apodaca’s video provided an uplifting energy amid the chaos of 2020. In the weeks following the posting, the former US Billboard Hot 100 number one single landed at number 21 on the same chart.
Although many of the songs that trend on TikTok are from 50 years or more ago, the emotional relatability and the overall aesthetic of the 1970s that they offer help make them so popular and loved by many users.
Apodaca’s viral video isn’t the only TikTok that has helped Fleetwood Mac reach younger generations. In 2023, Amazon Prime released “Daisy Jones & the Six,”a miniseries based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The show, which follows the rise and fall of a 1970s rock band and the tumultuous relationships within it, is loosely based on Fleetwood Mac, specifically the relationship between members Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. Although popular upon its release, TikTok broadened the show's audience. From its release to the months following the premiere of the show, it seemed like everyone's FYP’s were composed of everything “Daisy Jones & the Six.”
Many videos that circulated on TikTok during this time were clips and edits of the show; however, Fleetwood Mac began trending once again as well. Viewers of the show drew comparisons between the characters Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne’s turbulent relationship and that of Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.
One of the many ways that the show reflected the real-life relationship was during a performance of the fictional band's song “Regret Me.” The scene mirrored a 1997 live performance of Fleetwood Mac's “Silver Springs.”The emotional performance led by Nicks displayed the years-long tensions between Nicks and her former partner, Buckingham. With intense eye contact and passion, Nicks sang directly to Buckingham, who stood feet away, playing guitar and providing backing vocals.
Since the release of “Daisy Jones & the Six” three years ago, “Silver Springs” has remained popular on TikTok. Late last year, a mashup of “Silver Springs” and Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” was created and quickly began trending on TikTok. Since its release, over 1 million users have shared nostalgic videos to this hit sound.
Although TikTok has helped introduce many recognized artists and bands like Fleetwood Mac to younger audiences, the app also introduces less mainstream artists from that decade. In late 2025, Chris Rainbow’s “Be Like a Woman” gained immense popularity across TikTok. Originally released in 1979, the song was not a commercial hit until its recent success.
With the continuous resurgence of decades-old songs, TikTok allows users across all generations to discover “new” artists and songs. The app’s algorithm-driven FYP not only helps younger audiences, like Gen-Z, learn about oftentimes relatable songs they may have never heard of, but it also helps the artists of those songs to reach a wider and newfound audience.
The arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com
