Before we get started, I need to admit something.
I’m not a fan of all the social media “challenges”.
I suppose I’m just too old.
That said, I do have to admit that some of them can be entertaining.
That is certainly true of these viral singing challenges.
I like that a lot of the contributions actually showcase some incredible skill.
And hearing beautiful singing is something I’m always up for. So let’s get right to it.
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The Best Viral Singing Challenges
The following singing challenges are the best ones I’ve seen. Countless people have participated and some of them have contributed some incredible videos.
“Who Sang It Best” Challenge
@theplayerslist THE FINAL! Choose your winner 🎶 #singers #whosangitbest
The strongest contemporary social media is “Who Sang It Best”. In essence, a group of people pick a song and take turns singing the same bit of the chosen tune with their names floating above. The viewers then get to decide who did the best job by commenting under the clip.
Social media portals saw tens of thousands of people picking up on this challenge with TikTok in the lead. Diving into hundreds of follow-ups on this trend had me laughing and crying in almost equal measure.
It’s hard to put a finger on who started this challenge. But this trend isn’t exclusive to amateur singers. I saw tons of compilations revolving around professionals singing the same song, and once again, users had to pick their favorite renditions of the chosen performance.
The one that I’m particularly fond of is Home of the Brave (see the video above) sung by Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston. Although this particular clip has merely 10,000 likes (so far), this challenge is less than a year old and is still spreading like wildfire.
The “Riff” Challenge
@lyanna_kea #asianmomsbelike #asianmom #fyp #foryoupage #riffchallenge #singingchallenge
Not all singing challenges are based on contestants singing actual “songs”. One of my favorite viral singing challenges is called the “Riff” challenge, in which people either choose creative vocal melodies or make their own to cover.
I’ve seen hundreds of hilarious attempts in clips where people grunted, screamed, and yelled. A few managed to surprise me on multiple levels.
I was taken aback by Lyanna Kea’s mom, a former Chinese opera singer, who flawlessly executed an intricate riff on her first try (see video above). The video was uploaded in late 2021 and received over 12 million likes, so try giving it a shot if you’re looking for a hard challenge.
Another impossible riff challenge is the one set by “IAmAngelicaHale” singing Beyonce’s Dangerously In Love. The depth, color, and range of this voice likely ended the streak, since I doubt many people will be able to follow it with confidence.
“Set Fire To The Rain” Challenge
@henrymoodie set fire to the rain has to be one if the best written songs of all time. adele 21 will NEVER get old!! #fyp #setfiretotherain #setfiretotherainchallenge #adele #singing #singer #cover
Adele’s Set Fire to the Rain was recorded back in 2010 but it wasn’t released until 2011. Fast-forward to 2024. The song is now 14 years old and has seen thousands of covers, both amateur and professional-grade.
It’s difficult to say who started the “Set Fire to the Rain” challenge, since it has various iterations across YouTube and TikTok. One of the most popular ones revolves around the chorus.
It’s heartwarming to see that this challenge is just as big and relevant as it was over a decade ago. Henry Moodie is leading this challenge on TikTok, boasting a whopping 3.3 million likes (the video above).
Landon Boyce paid a beautiful homage to this song with his friend, earning 1.3 million likes in return. Another challenger keeping the trend alive and well is Sam Hair Wolf Ryder. His rendition of the tune has well over 1.2 million likes and counting.
“Guess Who’s Singing” Challenge
@hereatlastofficial hmmm…who might it be? #fyp #singing #talkingtothemoon #brunomars #singingchallenge
Here we have an interesting concept – a group of friends sit in front of a camera, and they all appear to be lip-synching, but one of them is truly singing.
When properly arranged, this challenge will have no backing tracks or effects, providing an immersive listening experience. However, it’s usually almost impossible to correctly guess if you’re not familiar with the cast.
Here At Last, a pop music group that hit fame on social media a few years ago is believed to have started the “Guess Who’s Singing” challenge.
All 5 members of the band sat and sang Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars, leaving use viewers wondering. The clip currently stands at 3 million likes and over 384,000+ comments.
“Who’s Your Favorite” Challenge
@aysatofficiel Who’s your favorite ? 😂😂 #tiktokfamily #interracialcouple #mixedcouple #singingchallenge
A unique twist on “who sang it best”, the “who’s your favorite” challenge has friends and/or family members line up to sing one line of a popular tune, and the viewers decide who sounded best.
I love that this challenge showcases the different singing styles and unique personalities of participants, regardless of how skilled, talented, or trained they are.
Aysato and her family of four gained 2.2+ million likes for their version of Talking to the Moon (the video above). What I liked the most is that 18,000 TikTok users couldn’t decide who was their favorite. They praised the kids and the happy couple almost equally. Despite having a competitive contest, I adore the wholesomeness in clips like these.
“Duet This” Challenge
@jonathanymusic #duet with @david.michael.frank I couldn’t resist 🤣🤣🤣 #singingchallenge #dreamon #singer #rock #metal #metalhead
We had a surge of the all-popular mash-up videos and compilations a few years ago, and they’re making a comeback. The”Duet This” challenge has participants with distinctly different interests in music styles pick a song, often reshaping its vibe and feel as they sing along.
Let’s take Jonathan Young’s duet with David Michael Frank as an example (the video above). Jonathan is a metalhead while David wears his emo influences on his sleeve.
They come together on Aerosmith’s Dream On. Their gorgeous rendition of this classic hit earned them over 1.7+ million likes and more than 8,000+ comments.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the clip that introduced me to this challenge. The legendary Jack Black participated in it by replying to AMH Band’s cover of Kickapoo from Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny. He was so impressed by the singer’s authenticity that he ended up lip-synching. Well-deserved 14.4+ million likes, if you ask me.
“Types Of Singers” Challenge
@roseangelmusic What type of singer are you?💞💞 #fyp #typesofsingers #singing #riffchallenge #singingchallenge #AEJeansHaveFun
If there’s one way to showcase your vocal prowess, it would have to be singing one tune in multiple styles. That’s what “Types of Singers” is about. Even though it’s not the most viral trend I’ve caught, it’s something you don’t want to miss if you’re into quality singing.
My favorite challenger of this trend is Rose Angel. She demonstrates her versatility as a singer while stepping into the shoes of five unique singer types, grabbing over 620,000+ likes and more than 3,300+ comments for her remarkable display of professionalism.
Viral Singing Challenges: Final Thoughts
Those were my favorite viral singing challenges, of the ones I’ve seen. Of course, as mentioned above, I’m not all that into social media challenges, so I know there are probably a lot more good ones I don’t even know about.
If you know of any other impressive singing challenges I should check out, please let me know in a comment below. You can also let me know what you thought of the challenges I listed above. Were you already aware of all of them? Do you enjoy watching them?
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