'Reading Books Of Old' TikTok Trend Explained

4 months ago 50

Want Your Business Featured Here?

Get instant exposure to our readers

About

Reading books Of Old refers to a TikTok trend wherein users on the platform showcase themselves reading books, usually with heavily edited or AI-generated covers, while "Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay plays. The trend, which juxtaposes the earnestness of the song with ironic, humorous or provocative book covers, is an offshoot of the larger Performative Reading phenomenon.

Origin

On February 12th, 2026, TikTok user @tristynohtristyn posted a video composed of several pictures in which he is reading Women in Literature: Reading through the Lens of Gender while "Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay plays in the background, with animated captions highlighting the lyrics, which read:

  
I've been reading books of old, the legends and the myths
Achilles and his gold, Hercules and his gifts
Spider-Man's control and Batman with his fists
And clearly, I don't see myself upon that list

The video went viral, amassing over 13.1 million views and 2 million likes in less than two months. The format was quickly adopted by others, with very little variation from the original. The topics and themes used for the trend, particularly performative male feminism and misandry, also remain largely intact.

@tristynohtristyn I’ve been reading books of old. WE GET IT BRO HOLY CRAP😭😭😭 who is this nobody😭 #ig #fyp #fypシ #reading #xzcyba ♬ No Sound – Melissa Colorado

Spread

The now solidified meme template spread quickly on the platform. On March 9th, 2026, TikTok user @iisaacbrooo posted a similar video, this time holding a book with a cover edited to read "How to End Women's Period Cramps." The video received about 5.2 million views and 698,000 likes in one month.

@iisaacbrooo needs to be stopped #womensrights #endperiodcramps #hammah #fyp ♬ Something Just Like This – The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

On March 11th, 2026, TikTok user @rylands10 posted a video pretending to read a book titled "How To Find The G Spot," which received 2.3 million views and 314,900 likes in less than one month.

@rylands10 #been #reading #books #of #old ♬ original sound – rylands10

On March 12th, 2026, TikTok couple's account @avaxaden posted a similar video, with the boyfriend reading a book with a seemingly AI-generated cover reading "Why is my GF always right?" The video went viral, receiving over 15.7 million views and 2.2 million likes in less than one month.

@avaxaden he’s been reading his books #boyfriend #feminist #viral #fyp #femboy ♬ Something Just Like This – The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

As the trend continued to spread throughout the platform, variations to the subject matter began to surface. On March 12th, 2026, TikTok user @danspen15 posted a video reading a fake book titled "67 Ways To Scissor," which received 2.4 million views and 482,700 likes in less than one month.

@danspen15 #fyp ♬ Something Just Like This – The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

On March 14th, 2026, TikTok user @zaina_b760 participated in the trend, posting a video reading a book titled "How To Make Money Without Working." The post spread quickly, receiving over 18.1 million views and 2.8 million likes in about three weeks.

@zaina_b760 #money #relatable #xyzbca #virl #fyp ♬ Something Just Like This – The Chainsmokers & Coldplay