As a content creator or an Instagram enthusiast, you probably know that the shelf life of Instagram Reels trends is quite short: trends come and go at a rapid pace, and keeping up with them can be challenging at times. Even more so if you don’t want to spend all your life scrolling on the platform.
To help you not get behind, in this article, we’ve assembled a list of the hottest Instagram Reels trends. We will be updating this article every month about the biggest new Reel trends as they emerge, so make sure to bookmark it for occasional reference!
September Reels Trends
Trend: More Passion, More Energy
Audio: Original Audio – bigmanbanta
Initially originating on TikTok as a dance trend, “More Passion, More Energy” found its way to Instagram, and for a good reason: the hilarious audio can add a bit of personality and a whole lot of fun to your Reels, and can be used almost with any action-packed footage. So, next time you are shooting a video of yourself going for a jog, cleaning up your place, or choosing an outfit, why not give this audio a try?
Example:
Trend: Thank You, Barbie
Audio: Original audio – emilygstephens
The Barbie crazy didn’t stop after the movie’s release: the memes, the quotes, and Instagram Reel Trends are still very much alive in September. The “Thank You, Barbie” trend is all about encouragement, and you can use it to describe an accomplishment or a tough task you’d like people appreciate more, from academic achievements to editing and posting reels.
Example: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwvoXbxxbee/
Trend: The Music That Starts Playing In My Head
Audio: Original audio – kiss_myabs
Thanks to Instagram, “The Music That Starts Playing In My Head” trend is now the official soundtrack of confusion. The trend is about describing moments when you heard or saw something you couldn’t relate to through adding this little melody to your footage, with the descriptions of what it is you were confused about, often jokingly or in a fun way.
Example:
August Reel Trends
Trend: Paint The Town Red
Audio: Paint The Town Red – Doja Cat
From unboxing videos to hairstyle tutorials, Doja Cat’s “Pain The Town Red” has become one of the beloved ways for Instagram creators to add some enervating and engaging audio touch to their videos. The beauts of the song even inspired a special dance mini-trend!
Example:
Trend: Dog Days Are Over
Audio: Original audio – torchevskay_a
Florence And The Machine’s hit “Dog Days Are Over” has been making a comeback recently, including on Instagram and TikTok. The trend was inspired by the song’s chorus lyrics “Run fast for your mother, Run fast for your father,” and most videos feature, as you may have guessed, people making a run for it! Why not join them?
Example:
Trend: Dance The Night
Audio: Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album) – Dua Lipa
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that 2023 Summer was all about “Barbie” the movie, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the movie’s soundtrack was one of the main trends of Instagram Reels in August. Dua Lipa’s upbeat tune is just too much fun not to start dancing once it’s on, and has been widely used by creators to share their weekend recaps, make-up routines, outfits, trips, and many other pieces of content.
Example:
July Instagram Reel Trends
Trend: Magic Moments
Audio: Magic Moments — Austin Farwell
Magic Moments is an enchanting piano audio mainly used to make magical video edits of picturesque locations and special moments. You can use this melody to create videos from your last vacation, special memories like birthdays and weddings, cute videos of your pets, or memories dear to your heart.
Example:
Trend: Feeling Good
Audio: Feeling Good (Austin Millz Remix)
The energetic remix of Nina Simone’s legendary “Feeling Good” by Austin Millx is making its debut on Instagram as a memorable track used to capture special memories. Elevate your reels with audio that gets people to dance, and share everything that makes you feel good, from backstage videos to birthday party footage.
Keep in mind, however, that the audio can only be used by business accounts.
Example:
Trend: Freaks
Audio: Original Audio – gustibaraa
The trending audio features the acoustic version of Surf Curse’s “Freaks,” which is a great addition specifically for calm, mild, aesthetic video edits featuring nature outings, visits to picturesque places, or special and cherished moments you want to share in a tad sentimental way.
Again, the audio is business-account friendly only.
Example:
How to Find Instagram Reel Trends
One way to find Instagram Reel trends is on the platform itself: in their bid to promote the short video format even more, Instagram introduced built-in tools for finding trends.
For this, you need to have a professional account. Then, from the Instagram app, head to “Professional Dashboard” on your profile, and then select “Reels Trends.” From there, select “Audio” or “Hashtags.” From here, you’ll be able to see trending audios or hashtags, and the reels they are used for. This feature, however, is currently only available for US-based accounts.
Alternative ways to find Instagram trends is through using Instagram’s Explore page. From there, you can engage with trending audio or hashtags, and browse them to discover relevant content.
Following trendsetting influencers and creators, especially people working in your niche, can also offer valuable insights into what’s popular, as well as give you some ideas and inspiration on what types of content you can create for various trending audios.
We also recommend that you stay on top of TikTok trends, as many Instagram Reel Trends tend to originate on TikTok.
Trending Songs for Instagram Reels
Audios are an integral and inseparable part of Instagram reels, including audio recordings of various types (e.g. quotes from movies, some personal recordings, and everything in between,) and music.
As you’ve probably guessed, trending songs are the songs and music that are becoming increasingly popular on the platform. When an audio is trending on Instagram, the platform indicates this with a small arrow on the bottom-left part of the reel.
You can find some trending audios for your reels from the Professional Dashboard > Reels Trends > Audio section, as discussed earlier, or spend some time on the platform’s Reels and Explore sections to see what type of songs or audios are used.
Conclusion
And there you have it, the latest Instagram Reels trends and popular audios we’ve spotted on the platform every month over the last months. Feeling inspired? Now is the right time to give them a try, play around a bit, and see how you can add your own creative spin to the sounds and ideas people have loved so far.
Let us know in the comments if there are trends we’ve missed that you think should be added to the list.
Reviewed By Rem Darbinyan
Revolutionizing industries with AI, Rem Darbinyan is the CEO of ViralMango and an entrepreneur, AI expert, and influencer marketing strategist.
