If you walked into a random bubble tea shop in 2018, you were basically guaranteed to hear that signature "JYP!" whisper followed by a beat that felt like pure sunshine. For the longest time, if you asked anyone about the twice most popular song, they’d immediately point to Fancy or the legendary TT. But things have shifted. As of early 2026, the data shows a different winner. It’s actually What Is Love? that has taken the crown, and the story of how it climbed back to the top is actually kind of wild.
Most people assume the newest tracks or the big English crossovers like The Feels would be the ones dominating the charts forever. Not really. While those songs did massive numbers in the US, the staying power of their earlier Korean hits is what defines their legacy.
The Battle of the Heavyweights: What Is Love? vs. Fancy
For years, Fancy was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the Twice discography. It was the song that bridged the gap between their "cute" era and their more mature "girl crush" phase. It felt modern, sleek, and it was the first song that really broke through to Western audiences who weren't already deep into K-pop.
However, late in 2025, something interesting happened on Spotify. What Is Love? officially dethroned Fancy as the group's most-streamed song, crossing the 600 million mark.
Why? TikTok and Reels.
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You've probably seen the dance challenges. That specific point choreography—the "question mark" fingers—became a perennial trend. It doesn't matter that the song is nearly eight years old; it’s become the "evergreen" song of K-pop. Every time a new generation of fans joins the "ONCE" fandom, that’s the song they go to first. It’s the sonic equivalent of a warm hug.
Breaking Down the Numbers (The Real Ones)
If we're looking at YouTube, What Is Love? is also leading the pack with over 895 million views. It’s breathing down the neck of the 1-billion-view milestone, a feat only a few K-pop acts like BTS and BLACKPINK have actually touched.
Here is how the top tier currently stacks up in terms of global impact:
- What Is Love?: The reigning champ. High streaming longevity and nearly 900M YouTube views.
- Fancy: Still a beast. It held the #1 Spotify spot for years and remains the favorite for "concept" lovers.
- TT: The cultural blueprint. While its daily streams are lower now, its impact in Japan is basically unmatched. It spent 112 weeks on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.
- The Feels: The global breakout. It’s their most successful song in terms of Billboard Hot 100 positioning, but it lacks the nostalgic grip of the 2018 era.
Why Some Fans Still Say TT Is the Greatest
Honestly, if you talk to a fan in Seoul or Tokyo, they might still argue that TT is the twice most popular song in spirit. Back in 2016, you couldn't turn a corner in Shibuya without seeing someone doing the "I'm like TT" pose. It was a cultural fever dream.
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The song earned a Perfect All-Kill (PAK) in South Korea, which basically means it hit #1 on every single chart simultaneously. That's a level of domestic dominance that modern K-pop songs rarely achieve because the market is so fragmented now.
But popularity is a moving target. In 2026, "popular" means "most listened to," and that’s where the older tracks like What Is Love? have the advantage. They have years of accumulated plays, whereas newer bangers like Strategy (featuring Megan Thee Stallion) are still building their "lifetime" stats.
The Recent Surge: Strategy and Takedown
We can't ignore the 2024 and 2025 releases. Strategy brought in a huge wave of new listeners because of the Megan Thee Stallion collab. It was everywhere for a few months. Then you have Takedown, which showed a much grittier side of the group.
Even with those hits, the "classics" remain the backbone of the group's 19.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify. It’s a weird phenomenon where the more Twice evolves, the more people seem to appreciate how perfect those early pop gems were.
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What Makes a Twice Song "The One"?
It’s usually the "killing part." In Cheer Up, it was Sana's "Shy Shy Shy." In What Is Love?, it’s that infectious chorus that literally anyone can hum after one listen.
The songwriting team, often led by Park Jin-young (JYP) himself for the big hits, followed a specific formula:
- A high-energy intro.
- A conversational verse.
- A chorus that feels like a payoff.
- A dance break that looks hard but is easy enough for fans to copy.
Actionable Next Steps for Twice Fans
If you're trying to figure out which song actually deserves the "most popular" title for your own playlist, here is how to navigate the discography based on your vibe:
- For the "Classic K-pop" feel: Start with What Is Love? or Heart Shaker. These are the gold standards of the "color pop" genre.
- For a workout or club vibe: Go straight to Fancy or I Can't Stop Me. The synth-pop influence in these is top-tier.
- For Western-friendly pop: Listen to The Feels or Moonlight Sunrise. They are entirely in English and fit perfectly next to Dua Lipa or Ariana Grande on a shuffle.
- To see their growth: Check out the 2025 album This Is For. It’s much more experimental and shows they aren't just a "cute" group anymore.
The data is clear: while TT was the biggest moment and Fancy was the biggest shift, What Is Love? has become the definitive Twice song for the long haul. It survived the test of time, the change in trends, and the shift in how we consume music. It’s the song that continues to define them even a decade into their career.