Can you hit the beat? The Whitney Houston challenge is humbling TikTok

The Whitney Houston Challenge is undergoing another round of interest on TikTok as folks test their familiarity with an iconic song. If you missed it earlier in 2025, attempts to hit that one delayed drum beat in "I Will Always Love You" are back in vogue and entertaining millions.

It's nice when a TikTok trend isn't harassing or maiming anybody.

What is the Whitney Houston Challenge?

This TikTok challenge first spread back in April, but has returned with a passion for October 2025. Using an app, an actual drum, or anything you can bang on, participants must attempt to hit that single beat that happens just before the final chorus of Whitney Houston's best-selling single "I Will Always Love You."

The silence before that beat tends to go on longer than you'd think. Most hit it too early, or they get it in their heads and wait too long.

On April 13, singer and actress Paula Abdul posted her attempt at the challenge. She very nearly nailed it, but was just a hair too quick.

@paulaabdul It’s harder than it looks, okay?? ???? #whitneyhoustonchallenge ♬ original sound - Paula Abdul

"It’s harder than it looks, okay??" she wrote.

In May, every member of the Canadian rock band Simple Plan attempted the challenge on camera, plus some additional staff. Only two of them got it just right, and neither was the drummer.

@simpleplan Gave it our best shot… ????‍♂️???? #whitneyhouston #whitneyhoustonchallenge #challenge #band ♬ I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston

The hashtag #whitneyhoustonchallenge currently holds nearly 25,000 videos on TikTok.

The Whitney Houston challenge returns

Such a fun and harmless challenge was bound to come around again, and it did so just a few months later.

On Oct. 22, the ESPN TikTok account posted footage of a live Whitney Houston Challenge involving a huge screen playing the music video in the background and a single drum. Every adult missed it, with the only winner appearing young enough that we wouldn't be surprised if he'd never heard the song before.

The crowd went nuts for him, and the video gained over five million views.

The day before that, the wife of a member of the Blue Man Group demonstrated just how incredible those artists can be. He did, however, look just as shocked as she did when he hit it perfectly, though that might be his acting ability at work.

"When your husband is a member of the Blue Man Group," the caption reads.

Even sports teams are getting in on the trend. On Oct. 17, professional soccer team the Spurs tried their hand at the beat, and did about as well as you'd think considering they're only supposed to use their feet.

"If this song gets stuck in your head, that’s on you," the account warns.

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