The Most Popular Tag on AO3, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the tag you think is the most popular!
Updated on May 5, 2024 06:50
Fans of fanfiction often face the challenge of finding new stories that suit their specific interests among a sea of countless tags and themes. By compiling a dynamic list of the most popular tags, users can effortlessly identify what is trending and adjust their searches or contributions accordingly. This ranking not only reflects the current preferences of the community but also guides newcomers towards content that resonates with a wide audience.
The importance of such a ranking becomes evident as it aids in streamlining the discovery process, making it easier and more enjoyable. A vote-based system ensures that the rankings are updated in real-time and accurately represent the evolving tastes of readers and writers alike. Each vote cast by a user is a step towards refining this tool, enhancing the experience for everyone involved in this vibrant community.
What Is the Most Popular Tag on AO3?
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173votesThis tag is used for fanfiction that takes place in a different universe or timeline than the original source material. It allows authors to explore different scenarios and possibilities.Alternate Universe (AU) is a popular tag on AO3 that refers to fanfiction stories where characters are placed in a different setting or scenario than their original canon. It allows writers to explore various 'what if' scenarios and create unique storylines and character dynamics.
- Setting: Alternate Universe stories often involve placing characters in a different time period, world, or reality.
- Plot: AU stories have different plots than their original source material, allowing authors to imagine new narratives and explore different character relationships.
- Character Alterations: Characters in AU stories may have altered backgrounds, personalities, or abilities compared to their canon versions.
- Crossover: Some AU stories incorporate elements from multiple different fandoms, creating a crossover between different fictional universes.
- Worldbuilding: AU stories often involve extensive worldbuilding, as authors craft new settings and rules for their alternative universe.
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240votesThis tag is used for stories that involve emotional pain or distress, often involving characters experiencing difficult situations or trauma.Angst is a popular tag on AO3, often used to indicate a genre or theme that explores emotional pain, distress, or anguish in a story. It typically focuses on characters experiencing intense emotional turmoil or going through difficult situations. Angst can evoke strong emotions and is commonly used in fanfiction and original works across various genres such as romance, drama, or action.
- Popularity: One of the most popular tags on AO3
- Emotional theme: Explores emotional pain, distress, or anguish
- Character focus: Often centered around a character or group of characters
- Genre compatibility: Used in various genres, including romance, drama, or action
- Fanfiction use: Highly prominent in fanfiction creations
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319votesThis tag is used for stories that are light-hearted and fluffy, often involving romance or humor.Fluff is a popular tag on AO3, referring to light-hearted and cute content that focuses on warmth, comfort, and happiness in a story. It is often associated with feel-good moments, wholesome relationships, and minimal conflict or angst.
- Feel-good atmosphere: The main characteristic of fluff is to create a positive and uplifting atmosphere.
- Light-heartedness: Fluff generally avoids heavy or serious themes, opting for light-hearted and enjoyable narratives.
- Warmth and comfort: Fluff focuses on providing a sense of warmth, comfort, and happiness to readers.
- Minimal conflict: Fluff stories tend to have minimal conflicts or struggles, instead emphasizing on gentle and pleasant interactions.
- Wholesome relationships: Fluff often highlights wholesome and positive relationships between characters.
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419votesThis tag is used for stories that involve one character comforting another who is in emotional or physical pain.Hurt/Comfort is a popular tag on AO3 that refers to a genre of fanfiction that focuses on one character causing emotional or physical pain to another character, followed by comfort and support provided by the other character. It explores themes of healing, redemption, and resilience.
- 1: Mainly found in fanfiction
- 2: Often includes themes of trauma or illness
- 3: Involves one character causing pain to another
- 4: Focuses on the comfort and support provided afterwards
- 5: Explores themes of healing, redemption, and resilience
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520votesThis tag is used for stories that focus on romantic relationships between characters.Romance is a popular subgenre that focuses on the romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters. It often revolves around themes of love, passion, and the pursuit of deep emotional connections. Romances can be set in various settings, including contemporary times, historical periods, or even supernatural/fantasy worlds.
- Primary Focus: Romantic relationships and emotional connections
- Themes: Love, passion, deep emotional connections
- Settings: Contemporary, historical, supernatural/fantasy
- Character Development: Emphasizes character growth and personal transformation
- Conflict Resolution: Usually ends with a positive resolution and a happily-ever-after
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614votesThis tag is used for stories that contain explicit sexual content.Smut is an explicit content tag widely used on AO3 (Archive of Our Own), a popular fan fiction platform. It typically refers to sexually explicit or adult-oriented content in written form. Smut often explores intimate and graphic elements of romantic or sexual relationships between fictional characters. It is a genre favored by many readers seeking adult content in fan fiction.
- Tag Usage: Widely used
- Content Type: Written fiction
- Explicitness: Sexual and adult-oriented
- Subject Matter: Romantic or sexual relationships between fictional characters
- Intimacy Level: Exploration of explicit and graphic elements
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710votes
Canon Divergence
AO3 communityThis tag is used for stories that diverge from the canon or original source material in some way.Canon Divergence is an alternate universe concept in fanfiction where the storyline diverges from the original canon material. It explores various 'what if' scenarios and introduces changes to the plot, characters, or setting while still being rooted in the established canon universe.- 1: Alternate timeline
- 2: Different character relationships
- 3: Modified plot events
- 4: Altered character backgrounds
- 5: Exploration of 'what if' scenarios
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83votesThis tag is used for stories that focus on the relationships and bonds between characters who are friends.Friendship is a cherished bond that brings joy, love, and support into our lives. It is a connection between two or more individuals based on trust, loyalty, and mutual understanding. Friendship is a beautiful gift that enriches our lives and fills them with laughter, shared experiences, and emotional support.
- Trust: Friendship is built on trust, where individuals can rely on each other and confide in one another.
- Loyalty: Friends stand by each other, offering unwavering loyalty and support in good times and bad.
- Mutual Understanding: True friends understand and accept each other's differences and flaws, fostering a deep connection.
- Shared Experiences: Friendship is strengthened through shared experiences, creating lasting memories and moments of joy.
- Laughter: Friendship brings laughter and humor into our lives, creating an atmosphere of fun and positivity.
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96votes
Fluff and Angst
AO3 communityThis tag is used for stories that combine elements of both fluff and angst.The 'Fluff and Angst' tag on AO3 refers to a genre of fanfiction that combines elements of both lighthearted, fluffy content and emotional turmoil or angst. These stories often depict a mix of heartwarming moments and intense emotional struggles, creating a rollercoaster of emotions for readers. The tag gained popularity among fans who enjoy a balance of warmth and heartache in their reading material.- Genre: Fluff and Angst
- Tone: Emotional and variable
- Themes: Love, friendship, personal growth
- Emotional balance: Combines warm and fuzzy moments with emotional turmoil
- Character development: Focuses on exploring characters' internal conflicts and growth
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107votes
Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Archive of Our Own (AO3)This tag is used for stories that take place in a different universe or timeline and also diverge from the original canon.Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence is a popular tag on Archive of Our Own (AO3) that refers to fanfiction stories that explore alternative paths or scenarios from canon source material. In these stories, the plot diverges from the established canon events, resulting in a different outcome or storyline. This tag allows fans to explore 'what if' scenarios and delve into alternative character development, relationships, or plotlines within the original canon framework.- 1: Provides an alternate storyline from the original canon
- 2: Explores 'what if' scenarios or alternative character development
- 3: Allows for changes in relationships between characters
- 4: Offers an opportunity to explore alternative plot developments
- 5: Maintains the original canon framework while introducing diverging elements
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Ranking factors for popular tag
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Consistency of useHow consistently a tag is used is also important. A tag that is used frequently but in different ways may not be as popular as a tag that is used consistently to refer to a specific theme, character, or relationship.
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Number of works associated with the tagThe number of works that are associated with a tag is another way to gauge its popularity. A tag with a high number of associated works is more likely to be popular than one with only a few.
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Age of the tagThe age of the tag is also relevant, as newer tags may not have had enough time to accumulate as many uses as established tags.
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Fandom contextUnderstanding the context of the fandom is important when considering tag popularity. A tag that is popular in one fandom may not be popular in another.
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Changes in popularity over timeTrends in tag popularity can also be important to track. Some tags may rise in popularity during a certain time period or with the release of new canon material.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular tag on AO3. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or tag is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 3202 views
- 205 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each tag once every 24 hours. The rank of each tag is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular tag on ao3
When it comes to fanfiction, Archive of Our Own (AO3) is one of the most popular platforms for writers and readers alike. With over 5 million works hosted on the site, it's no surprise that there are a wide variety of tags used to categorize stories. Tags allow users to easily search for stories that fit their interests, and they can range from specific fandoms and characters to more general themes and genres.
But what is the most popular tag on AO3? According to StrawPoll data, the top tag on the site is "Angst." This tag is used to describe stories that focus on emotional pain, suffering, and hardship. It's a popular tag across many fandoms and genres, and it's not uncommon to see it paired with other popular tags like "Fluff" or "Hurt/Comfort."
While "Angst" may be the most popular tag on AO3, it's worth noting that the site offers a wide range of options for users to explore. From "Alternate Universe" to "Slow Burn," there's a tag for just about every type of story you could imagine. So whether you're looking for heart-wrenching tales of emotional turmoil or light-hearted romances, AO3 and its tags have got you covered.
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