Charli XCX’s / Kelley Heyer “Apple” TikTok Challenge Case Study

Millions of Streams in Just Weeks—See How Social Media Challenges Shape Musical Success Executive Summary

On June 7, 2024, Charli XCX released her track “Apple,” showcasing yet another evolution in her artistic journey. Just seven days later, on June 14, 2024, Kelley Heyer launched a TikTok dance challenge that completely transformed the trajectory of the song. This perfectly timed challenge, paired with Kelley’s creative approach, sparked a viral wave of engagement, propelling “Apple” to remarkable success on streaming platforms and social media alike.

Before the challenge, “Apple” garnered over 3.2 million streams on Spotify, averaging an impressive 452,711 streams daily during its first week. However, the launch of the TikTok challenge ignited the song’s true viral momentum, driving cumulative streams to surpass 15 million within the first month and marking a pivotal moment in Charli XCX’s career. The synergy between Kelley’s challenge and Charli XCX’s artistry underscores the growing influence of social media trends in shaping music industry milestones.industry milestones.

Spotify Stream Growth Timeline

Pre-Challenge Track Performance

• June 7, 2024 (Release Date): “Apple” was released, generating 33,474 cumulative streams on Spotify on its first day.

• June 13, 2024: Cumulative streams reached 3.2 million, reflecting an average daily growth of 452,711 streams/day during its first week.

Challenge Created Date

• June 14, 2024: Kelley Heyer launched a TikTok dance challenge for “Apple,” which became an instant hit on social media and dramatically boosted the song’s performance.

Post-Challenge Track Performance

• June 21, 2024 (One Week Post-Challenge): Cumulative streams surpassed 7 million, adding nearly 4 million streams in just one week.

• July 7, 2024 (One Month Post-Challenge): Streams climbed to 15 million, demonstrating sustained engagement and viral success.

Graph of Spotify Streams over time

This Graph shows the Spotify streams of the track over time

Impact of the Challenge on Charli XCX’s Career

Already a highly established artist with a reputation for innovation and influence, Charli XCX’s career reached unprecedented heights with the TikTok dance challenge for “Apple,” launched on June 14, 2024. This viral sensation not only amplified the song’s visibility but also drove an extraordinary spike in her follower counts across every platform. The challenge transformed a single viral moment into a long-term foundation for growth, setting Charli up for continued success in an increasingly competitive industry.

Platform-by-Platform Impact

• Spotify: Charli’s Spotify followers surged to 4.68M by the end of 2024, adding over 1.65M followers in one year. This massive growth reflects how the challenge attracted new listeners and expanded her audience for future releases.

• TikTok: On TikTok, followers jumped by 1.7M, reaching 3.6M by year-end. The platform was the core driver of the challenge’s success, strengthening Charli’s presence as a cultural icon and cementing her status in TikTok’s creative space.

• Instagram: Charli’s Instagram audience grew by 2.33M followers during 2024, bringing her total to 6.9M. This growth demonstrates how the challenge expanded her influence across broader social media platforms.

• YouTube: On YouTube, Charli gained 590K new subscribers, reaching 3.5M total. This reflected her ability to connect with fans across visual and audio mediums, broadening her reach.

Positioning for Long-Term Success

The TikTok challenge not only reignited interest in “Apple” but also bolstered Charli XCX’s overall brand. With millions of new followers and heightened engagement across every major platform, she is now poised to capitalize on her expanded audience for future releases, collaborations, and live events. This challenge proved how a strategic social media campaign can elevate even the most established artists to new heights, reaffirming Charli’s role as a trailblazer in the modern music industry.

TikTok Analytics

Key Metrics

• Total TikTok Posts Using the Audio: 1.6M

• Average Views (Top Videos): 537.8M

• Average Likes (Top Videos): 63.1M

• Average Comments (Top Videos): 252.3K

• Average Engagement (Top Videos): 3,336.4%

Top Creators Who Jump-Started the Challenge

• Kelley Heyer (Creator of the Challenge): 1.5M views, 98.7K likes, 1,229 shares, 289 comments.

• Kevin Chamberlin (Top Contributor): 39.2M views, 5.2M likes, 600.1K shares, 31.2K comments.

• Charli XCX (Artist of the Song): 53.4M views, 2.4M likes, 114.3K shares, 9,905 comments.

This is the original Video that started this trend on social media

Written by: Nick Breen, Founder & CEO of CollabVerse Media