Instagram says sorry after pushing Creed's 'Higher' on too many users
Instagram kept offering users one song they did not ask for: Creed's "Higher". On Oct. 9, Meta confirmed to Billboard that the track was being suggested to an inordinate number of people as music to pair with posts and Stories. The company said the song was reaching more people than intended, and that it is continuing to investigate the over-recommendation.
Users noticed first. People trying to add a clip to a photo or short video reported seeing "Higher" in their song recommendations without a clear reason. Posts and Stories are two of the app's main ways to share photos and short videos. The repeated suggestions for Story posts were reported in October 2026.
Meta said it looked into those reports and found the imbalance. Instagram has apologised after repeatedly recommending "Higher" to users adding music to posts, according to Consequence. Instagram attributed the pattern to a glitch in its recommendation algorithm, the automated system that decides which songs to put forward.
A Meta spokesperson told CNN that "Higher" is always recommended to them too. The remark was made as the company answered questions about the complaints. Some users had speculated the repetition was the result of a conspiracy, but the company described it as an error in how widely one track was pushed.
Not every frequent suggestion was a fault. Meta said Soulja Boy's "Turn My Swag On" showing up often in recommendations is not a bug. The company said that track is genuinely popular on Instagram, which explains why many people keep seeing it.
For listeners meeting the song through a phone screen, "Higher" has a long history. Creed released it in 1999 as the lead single from its second album, "Human Clay". It peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 2000, the chart that tracks the most popular songs in the United States.
What makes this stand out is the mismatch. Music suggestions are meant to feel personal, shaped around a moment or mood. When many unrelated posts get nudged toward the same song, the personal touch breaks.
Meta said it is still looking into the issue. The company has apologised while that work continues.
