Jess Glynne's 'Hold My Hand' Tops TikTok's Global and UK Summer Charts After Jet2holidays Ad Goes Viral

When Jess Glynne released 'Hold My Hand' in 2015, she had no idea it would become the soundtrack to a global summer phenomenon — let alone one sparked by a British holiday company’s TV ad. But on September 4, 2025, TikTok officially crowned the song the Global and UK Song of the Summer 2025, a title earned not through radio play or chart dominance, but through 50 billion views and over 4.5 million user-generated videos. The trigger? A simple, upbeat commercial from Jet2holidays, the UK-based travel brand headquartered in Leeds, England.

How a Holiday Ad Became a Global Anthem

The story began in late June 2025, when UK TikTok users started overlaying the voiceover from Jet2holidays’ latest TV spot — a cheerful, slightly chaotic narration about lost luggage and last-minute passport scrambles — onto clips of their own travel mishaps and triumphs. What followed was a cultural avalanche. Within weeks, the trend exploded beyond Britain. In the U.S., Canadians posted videos of their first international trips. Australians recreated the ad’s signature ‘panic-to-joy’ arc with beach sunsets. By mid-July, the song was trending in 154 countries where TikTok operates.

The magic? The lyrics. Lines like “Standing in a crowded room and I can’t see your face / Put your arms around me, tell me everything’s okay” perfectly matched the emotional pivot in those videos — from stress to relief, from anxiety to pure, unfiltered happiness. TikTok’s music team in Los Angeles confirmed the peak: the week of August 18–24, 2025, saw an average of 850 million daily views tied to the track. That’s more than the entire population of the European Union scrolling to the same melody in a single day.

The Songwriters Behind the Soundtrack

While Glynne, the London-born singer known for her 2014 hit ‘Rather Be’ with Clean Bandit, became the face of the resurgence, the real unsung hero is Janee 'Jin Jin' Bennett, the British songwriter and producer who co-wrote the track. Born in London on October 10, 1986, Bennett has previously worked with Raye and Burna Boy — but nothing prepared her for this. On the same day TikTok named Glynne’s song the summer’s biggest hit, they also awarded Bennett their first-ever Songwriter of the Year 2025 title.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that ‘Hold My Hand’ is the number 1 song of the summer on TikTok,” Bennett told reporters. “It’s amazing to see the song take on a life of its own and be known by millions all over the world. #SongwritersDream 🥰”

Glynne, equally emotional, responded: “I’m honestly buzzing that ‘Hold My Hand’ has been named TikTok’s Song of the Summer! This track is so close to my heart… knowing this song has soundtracked so many happy moments around the world… that’s the most special feeling ever.”

The Numbers Don’t Lie — And Neither Does the Money

The commercial’s impact went far beyond views. According to Music Business Worldwide, a London-based industry publication, the viral surge is projected to generate approximately £2.3 million in additional streaming revenue for Glynne and Bennett by the end of 2025. That’s a 3,800% spike over the song’s typical quarterly earnings. For context, the track earned just £60,000 in the same period last year.

And it’s not stopping. Jet2holidays has already commissioned a second ad campaign featuring the same song — scheduled for release on November 15, 2025 — targeting the winter holiday rush. An internal memo, obtained by The Guardian on September 1, confirmed the decision was made within days of the TikTok data surge.

What This Means for Music and Marketing

This isn’t just a feel-good story — it’s a blueprint. For years, brands have chased viral trends. Now, a single ad has resurrected a decade-old song and turned it into a global cultural event. Analysts say this could redefine how labels and advertisers approach music licensing. Instead of pushing new tracks, companies might now seek out nostalgic, emotionally resonant songs with built-in lyrical hooks.

The TikTok Top 10 Songs of the Summer 2025 list reflects this shift. Jeezy’s ‘Soul Survivor’ came in second. Radiohead’s 1997 deep cut ‘Let Down’ jumped to third after being used in nostalgic, rainy-day travel clips. PinkPantheress’s ‘Illegal’ rode a handshake trend to seventh. The pattern? It’s not about popularity — it’s about emotional texture. The right lyric, in the right moment, can resurrect a song from obscurity.

What’s Next?

With Jet2holidays’ winter campaign looming, expect another surge in late October. Streaming platforms are already preparing playlists titled ‘Hold My Hand: The 2025 Rebirth.’ Record labels are reportedly scanning their back catalogs for other 2010s tracks with similar lyrical warmth — think ‘Wake Me Up’ by Avicii or ‘Stay With Me’ by Sam Smith. The lesson? Sometimes, the most powerful music isn’t the newest — it’s the one that makes you feel seen.