Think of British cultural exports in the 21st century and you might reach for the familiar examples: James Bond, Downton Abbey, Adele.
But in the algorithm-driven universe of TikTok where a trend known as “Britishcore” is one of the most in demand movements of the moment, it’s the mundane aspects of life in the UK which are going viral.
Britishcore first emerged as a cultural term at the turn of the decade, to describe ramshackle symbols of British life such as dilapidated pubs and lone traffic cones.
Now it has spread to include videos inspired by Trainspotting, lip-synching to Towie stars and satirical celebrations of the Oasis reunion.
TikTok has flagged a surge in interest for UK fashion, comedy and travel on its platform as evidence of renewed interest in British culture – and typically wry takes on it.
The trend is so popular that overseas content creators are getting in on the act, desperate to show how Britishcore their content can be.
In one notable example, American DJ the Dare filmed a tongue-in-cheek clip of himself at Paddington station soundtracked by Ewan McGregor’s opening monologue in Trainspotting and Underworld’s Born Slippy.
The Dare posted the video, which had 245,000 views, with the slogan “Britishmaxxing”.
In another, a US cinema worker lip-synchs to a clip of Gemma Collins from The Only Way is Essex, while an Australian radio presenter sent up the Oasis reunion in a viral post with 3.7m views.
In one TikTok, US content creator @the_quivey10 lists the things he wants to do when he comes to England. They include everyday activities popularised by BritishCore TikToks such as going on a “cheeky Tesco run” and grabbing a Greggs sausage roll.
TikTok said there had been a double-digit rise in posts under the hashtags #ukcomedy, #ukfashion and #uktravel since January, while #OasisReunion has had more than 100m video views over the past fortnight.
“This summer we have seen an explosion of British pop culture on to the global stage,” said Louisa McGillicuddy, a trend specialist at TikTok’s UK operation. “From the phenomenon of Brat to the excitement around the Oasis reunion … the TikTok community in the UK and beyond have been embracing all things Britcore.”
TikTok, which has more than 1 billion users worldwide, says an interest in Britishcore content is also reflected by the popularity of a video of the Killers playing Mr Brightside to a London audience as England won their Euro 2024 semi-final and memes from Collins – a fixture on the loveofhuns TikTok account – and Gary Barlow. A clip of the Take That singer saying “this is my idea of a very nice day out” in a vineyard has become a popular meme overseas, according to TikTok.
Alwyn Turner, senior lecturer at the University of Chichester and an expert in British popular culture, said a “sense of cheekiness” is what links together some of the UK’s most popular cultural exports.
Turner also noted how surges in interest for UK culture could benefit the public mood.
“As a nation, if we have a sense of fame in America, we have a sense of optimism. The country feels like it’s alive and vibrant. It produces something of a feelgood factor in England when we are wanted by the world,” he said.
Other autumn trends on TikTok
The British singer and her eponymous band, whose hits include Smooth Operator and No Ordinary Love, have not released an album since 2010. But TikTok has maintained interest in Sade’s music, with a 63% rise in clips using Sade tracks.
The singer’s look has also taken off on the platform, with one moodboard clip garnering nearly 5m views. The hashtag #sadegirl has also been a recent hit on the platform.
In a combination of travel trend and aesthetic, the northwest region of north America is taking off on TikTok. It is reflected in short slideshows and video compilations capturing the moody, forested look of the region. One account dedicated to the trend, @throughthepnw, has 1.6 million followers.
Food is a popular genre on TikTok and Filipino cuisine has sprung to prominence recently. It has been partly driven by interest in the “boodle fight” – a communal feast where participants eat with their bare hands from a banana leaf-covered table.
This trend supports playing easy, non-violent videogames such as Wylde Flowers, which features farming and magic, or Moonstone Island, a creature-collecting game. There has also been a rise in “deskscaping” by setting up a relaxed gaming environment with plants and ambient lighting.
TikTok has also seen a rise in popularity of educational influencers in areas such as history and science. One example is Katie Kennedy (@thehistorygossip), a content creator who takes an unconventional approach to history teaching. One title reads “Did people shag during the Plague?” and another asks “Why did this Royal enjoy reeking of pure BO?” Despite only launching her TikTok in January 2024 during her final year of university, Kennedy’s page has more than 500,000 followers and 13.9m likes. Her debut book, The History Gossip: Was Anne of Cleves a Minger? and 365 Other Historical Curiosities, will be released on 7 October.
