Finding the perfect song segment for your TikTok video or Instagram Reel is no small feat. If you get it right, you can breathe new life into a track or piggyback on the success of a classic to raise your own profile.
So, to help you out, we've used our new AI-powered Segment Selection tool to find sections from festive classics with the best chance of going viral.
To make this possible, we fed viral hits from TikTok into our AI to train it to understand which song segments tend to perform best. By detecting vocals, song structure, and adapting to different genres, it can select up to three 30-second sections from which users (labels, publishers or artists) can choose.
To prove that it works, when fed with a famous track, this data-backed process can – in many cases – pull the section that has already gone viral. And that's just by listening to the audio.
Before we get into the Christmas hits, we learned a few things while training the AI that could give you a better chance of achieving viral success, whether you're filming a dance, a new challenge, an emotional story or a comedy short.
- Firstly, choose a powerful track with lyrics and some quirky elements.
- You may also want to aim for songs with tempos between 117 and 129bpm (though some slower songs also garner success).
- Don't just start at the chorus or the start of a track. You might also want to try starting at the beginning of a verse (perfect if there are good lyrics) or in the "lead-in" to the chorus. Our research turned up many TikTok hits that incorporated an interesting musical flare before a chorus or verse to grab attention.
Without further ado, here are the best selections from top Christmas songs, as chosen by our AI. If you want to use these sections, we've included timecodes to get super accurate with your TikTok tracks. We've gone to the nearest second with our YouTube clips, but our timecodes go down to the millisecond; you always start on the beat when you pull timings from our Segment Selection tool.
Michael Bublé - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Mr Christmas kicks off our list. Notice that we start bang on the title of the song. This clip is perfect for a nostalgic seasonal video. Think falling snow, peeping through shop windows and light displays.
AI-recommended start time: 0:35:375
Andy Williams - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
This clip is another perfect choice for Christmas lead-up hype. An ideal accompaniment to egregious woolly jumpers and Santa hats.
AI-recommended start time: 0:35:701
Leona Lewis - Kiss Me It's Christmas (feat. Ne-Yo)
This yuletide bop has couples' dance duet written all over it. Don your finery for this slice of christlemas cheese from Leona Lewis' and Ne-Yo's transcontinental collab.
AI-recommended start time: 0:37:140
Kelly Clarkson & Chris Stapleton - Glow
Nothing pairs better with the holiday season than wistful memories of love lost. Not even eggnog. Try this clip to win back your ex. And, if it all goes wrong, pop on some more Clarkson (or Stapleton) and eat the pain away. Pigs in blankets recommended.
AI-recommended start time: 1:48:695
Ed Sheeran & Elton John - Merry Christmas
It's alive! A Christmas monster perfectly designed to return search results for all things festive. Mistletoe and wine? Check. December snow? Got it. Point your camera at the items described in the song for a chance at instant virality. Merry Christmas!
AI-recommended start time: 0:30:314
Wham! - Last Christmas
Easily the best Christmas tune ever penned. From the earworm synth to the whispered "Merry Christmas", the clip is ripe for a comic reimagining. Haven't seen a childhood pet for a few months and want to capture the reunion? This is the soundtrack. Best enjoyed with leg warmers and hairspray.
AI-recommended start time: 1:01:982
Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas
And, of course, no festive TikTok content campaign would be complete without the queen of Christmas herself. To capture the full magic, start a 60-second clip at the start time below and let the chorus run. Take it away, Mariah!
AI-recommended start time: 0:38:997
Have we nailed it? Or are there better start points our AI could have chosen? Let us know on our social channels.
If you would like to chat with us about using Segment Selection on your catalogue, or anything AI, you can drop us a message on sales@musiio.com or via LinkedIn and Twitter. Happy holidays!
