This week on the Spotlight channel, we bought whatever these fake commercials are selling and feted Movember’s finest moustaches.
And here’s what else bedecked our upper lip:
Taylor Swift - Blank Space
While a Swift hit is hardly @breakingnews here at YouTube, we’d be remiss not to mention the week’s single biggest kahuna. Bolstered by a surprise release and a tantalizing subject matter (Taylor’s mascara-streaked self-parodying as a crazy girlfriend), “Blank Space” set a new personal record for first-day view count, with over 4 million hits on Monday. Forget Kim K: from where we sit, it was Taylor Swift who broke the Internet this week.
Epic Rap Battles of History - Ghostbusters vs Mythbusters
At this point, ERB’s a bonafide institution. Back for their fourth season, their first video, a face-off between the ‘busters, proves their schtick’s still starp, the raps’re still smart, and they’re still bringing the views to the yard (over 6M in a couple days).
Obese2Beast - My Biggest Insecurity: Loose Skin
We recently wrote about YouTube’s body image empowerment videos, but we haven’t seen one like this. John David Glaude recently lost 160 pounds, and has a YouTube channel motivating others with tips, workouts, and Q&As. His latest video focuses on the loose skin left in the wake of extreme weight loss, but whether or not you can relate to this journey, his candid confrontation of the thing about himself he hates the most feels incredibly courageous. And with over 4 million views in three days, it clearly struck a chord.
K.C. Hohensee - Blackbird with Lennon
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night/Take these broken wings and learn to fly.” If there’s a more intimate, touching, tear-jerking "Blackbird" cover, we haven’t seen it. In this clip, which went viral this week, musician Chris Picco serenades his newborn son Lennon, who’d been delivered via emergency C-section after the sudden passing of Picco’s wife. The gentle tribute (shot just a day before little Lennon passed away) has drawn tears around the world.
-- Claire Stapleton
This week on the Spotlight channel, we bugged out over kids who got moves, paid tribute to a guy who only gets cooler and more relevant as time goes on (Bill Murray), and rounded up some captivating, try-this-at-home magic tricks.
And here’s what waddled in and stole our hearts this week:
Jimmy Kimmel - YouTube Challenge - I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy
Kimmel is a bonafide YouTube hitmaking machine (he’s had 750 million views so far this year), but we think this gag is his sweet spot. For the past four years, he’s challenged parents to trick kids about their treats, and doggonit, their priceless reactions get us EVERY TIME. Like “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets,” his Halloween YouTube challenge is an enormous fave: the four installments add up to over 120 million views. Sweeeeeet.
John Lewis - Christmas Advert 2014 - #MontyThePenguin
The blood on Halloween may not even be dry, but ho, ho, ho, we’re lumbering on to Christmas. British retailer John Lewis brought their A-game to this beautiful little Christmas advert about the friendship between a boy and a CGI penguin (a timeless tale, really). John Lewis first had a viral Christmas hit in 2011 with this gem, and this year, they’ve got Monty the Penguin all queued up for a book (“Monty’s Christmas”), an app, and an in-store experience. This truly is the #magicofChristmas.
JubileeProject - Comfortable: 50 People 1 Question
Whether it’s the Dove Sketches or Meghan Trainor crooning “All About That Bass,” there are a lot of examples of empowering body image videos on YouTube (check out a sample here). Nonprofit Jubilee Project had 3 million views this week asking 50 people what they’d change about their body and highlighting how drastically body image changes from childhood to adulthood. Its simple, magical message is something we can get behind.
-- Claire Stapleton
Halloween is one of YouTube’s favorite holidays, and this year on the Spotlight channel, we celebrated with some of our hallow’ed traditions: cool DIY costumes and scaring the heck out of people. This week was also doubly special as we celebrated the birthdays of two of YouTube’s greatest raisons d’etre: the Internet and Katy Perry.
Street Harassment Video - 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman
This video, commissioned by an advocacy group called Hollaback, started with a simple concept: follow a young woman for a day, capturing all the catcalls, “hey baby’s,” and harassing remarks that come her way (more than 100 after 10 hours, as it turned out). But it had a complicated response – sparking controversy, conversation, and a lot of close reading. Editorializing aside, the buzz made for a blockbuster view count (over 18 million in 48 hours).
PewDiePie - MEET MY FAMILY!
There are two types of people in this world: people who know about PewDiePie and people who don’t. And never the twain shall meet. For that latter group, here’s the deal: the Swedish gamer is the current sine qua non of YouTube, holding the top slot for number of subscribers (his channel has had just shy of 3.5 BILLION views so far this year). But even if you’re not a member of the #BroArmy, you can get down with this charming chat sesh with Pewds’s mom, sister, and a pair of pugs. Shall we raise our hands in brofist (editor’s note: a Brofist is a friendly greeting or farewell and the main symbol used by PewDiePie to his bros)?
Ten Second Songs - Michael Jackson - Thriller
Impersonator impresario Anthony Vincent has a reliable formula: cover songs in 20 different styles, ten seconds a pop. (Improbably, he can pull off everyone from Kurt Cobain to Frank Sinatra, the Spice Girls, and DMX ). He hit it big with a “Dark Horse” cover in March, and has had over 35M views since then. This week he threw on some facepaint and covered "Thriller" to rapturous Internet praise. We think this YouTube commenter put it best: “dude. subbed for eternity.”
Abby Holcowitz - Kelly Clarkson “Shake It Off” Taylor Swift Cover
With the world in the vice-like grip of Swift mania, we were surprised to realize that the most-viewed Taylor Swift video on YouTube this week doesn’t exactly feature Ms. Swift herself. Fan-shot footage of country-pop singer Kelly Clarkson putting a stripped-down, soulful spin on the ubiquitous hit at a recent concert got the coveted Swift stamp of approval. And if you – like us – can’t get enough of celebrities covering celebrities, feast your ears on this playlist.
-- Claire Stapleton
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s meme? This week’s vid crop was so bountiful as to make us forget that over here at YouTube Trends HQ, winter is coming. On the Spotlight channel, we tackled some of our favorite subjects: tattoos, feelings, and famous pets.
And here’s what else brought sunshine to our pallid, computer-nerd complexions:
Sister Cristina - Like a Virgin
Who could forget the Voice of Italy's singing nun, one of this year’s most formidable memes? Well Sister Cristina is back with her first real single, and we’ve got to admit that our first reaction was: scusi? Yup, the pious songbird has chosen to cover the ... less-than-pious Madonna classic. The video, which has the nun galavanting around Venice and cavorting with lions in full habit and crucifix, is nothing if not an intriguing watch, and for that … we are blessed.
Rob Cantor - Shia LaBeouf Live
Every now and again the Internet produces something very special and important. Rob Cantor, aka the guy who duped us all with his "29 Impressions," was behind this week’s meme miracle, and it’s called “'Shia LaBeouf’ Live.” Come for a mini-musical about a cannibalistic version of the actor, stay for the L.A. Gay Men’s Chorus, the 3-D papercraft Shia LaBeouf heads, and a truly surprising twist ending. We give this one a standing ovation.
Dachshund’s Creek
Halloween season always reignites our passion for marveling at small animals in costumes. So picture our delight at coming across this video from filmmaker Michael Immerman, a re-imagining of the '90s teen melodrama "Dawson’s Creek" ... but with dachshunds. Need we say more?
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon - Bradley Cooper and Jimmy Can’t Stop Laughing
They say that laughter is the universal language. So it’s no surprise that this footage of late night kahuna Fallon and Hollywood juggernaut Cooper in the midst of a giggle attack was a hit this week. So popular was this video of two silly geese that Fallon released a second uncut version that is basically just four more minutes of them yukking it up. Not exactly the high comedy hit of the year, but it’s definitely worth its weight in hehe's.
--Claire Stapleton
Welcome back to YouTube Trends HQ, your unofficial sherpas through the mountains of online video. This week on the Spotlight channel, we went back to shop class, devoted a day to nature’s underdogs, and celebrated people revealing their true selves.
And when we weren’t putting the final touches on our Apparently Kid costumes, we were unearthing the following valedictorians of the viral video landscape:
“Audacious Adi” #1
Audacious is right. It isn’t just the sick moves from 11-year-old Adi Malcolm or that this was her first YouTube video, but what really grabbed us is the following from her About page: “I have NEVER taken a dance class in my life……….I learned from watching (YouTube) videos!!” Shut the front door! All we know is this is no dubstep dilettante.
The Empire Strikes Back Uncut: Full Movie (Official)
The greatest of the six “Star Wars” films so far (we won’t be convinced otherwise) is so beloved by its legion of fans that more than 1,500 of them submitted 15-second reimagined scenes, in the hopes of being featured in a shot-by-shot remake of the film. More than 480 submissions made the cut, but we feel like the real lucky ones, since we get to set aside the two-plus hours to watch it.
Perth Train Party Video 2014!!!
You’re on the train, minding your own business, staring intently at your phone, when some guy in a tuxedo stands up and makes an announcement. Just another mass transit experience, right? It would be if you were in Perth, Australia, on Saturday, August 23. That’s when Peter Sharp decided to spread a little happiness, dance party style. Almost two months later, hundreds of thousands more people are that much happier. Good on ya, Peter.
Glen Campbell - I’m Not Gonna Miss You
Country legend Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011. Instead of packing it in, the singer embarked on a farewell tour in 2012. The poignant music video for “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” his final song recorded in 2013, spans his five decades-long career and also features home videos. Here’s to you, Mr. Campbell. Now there isn’t a dry eye at Trends HQ.
-- Marc Hertz
This week on the Spotlight channel, we fully bugged out over hyperlapses and drone cinema and non-committedly declared 10 cover songs that are (maybe kinda sorta) better than the original.
And here’s what else filled our viral horn of plenty:
CompassionChoices - The Brittany Maynard Fund
29-year-old Brittany Maynard is planning to die next month. This incredibly affecting piece, which documents why she chose the controversial (and not widely available) medically assisted suicide end of life option, made for one of the most viewed and talked about videos of the week.
BBC - God Only Knows
The BBC’s formula for this hit of the week seemed to go as follows: pick a beloved pop classic, take 20-some odd music celebrities–each one more eye-poppingly major than the last–back them up with an 80-piece orchestra, then toss in some whimsical special effects. The result: you’ve got yourself a timeless tribute to ... well, we’re still not exactly sure. But, yeah. Boom.
Anna-Maria Hefele - Polyphonic Overtone Singing
File this one under things you didn’t think were humanly possible. In this viral clip, a young German musician demonstrates overtone singing, a voice technique where one person sings two notes simultaneously. It’s a fairly technical video, but just skin-tingling enough to strike a chord. And strike a chord it did: more than 5 million views in a week is really something to SING about.
Dancing with the Stars - Alfonso & Witney Do The Carlton
With YouTube’s own “It Girl” Bethany Mota in this year’s "Dancing with the Stars" competition, we’ve got to confess we’re Team #MOTOUGH. But that didn’t hold us back from absolutely relishing this exuberant bit of entertainment which sees "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" star Alfonso Ribeiro resurrecting his Carlton dance to the smooth sounds of “It’s Not Unusual.” You won this round, bro.
-- Claire Stapleton
This week at YouTube Trends, we traveled from the heights of Meme Mountain into the depths of Viral Valley. And here are the wonders we saw ….
MaxPreps - Middle School Team Pulls Off “Ugly Kardashian” Trick Play
OK, so we may not be the most sophisticated sports aficionados but we’re all for scrappy plays, scrawny underdogs, and the like. One of the week’s most buzzworthy memes had all that and more, with a middle school team pulling off a fake-out inspired by the iconic pee-wee misfit film "Little Giants." We’re not totally sure what’s going on or why it’s called the “Ugly Kardashian,” but the action-packed one-minute clip cleared 3 million views in as many days. #Sports!
Maroon 5 - Animals
Even though Pharrell dropped an incredibly trippy (and Murakami-produced) video on Tuesday, the week’s big musical kahuna was a controversial Maroon 5 video. A dark and bloody horror short, the band used the song’s carnal lyrics ("Baby, I'm preying on you tonight / Hunt you down eat you alive") to narrate the story of a butcher (Levine) obsessed with a sexy patron (Levine’s real life Victoria’s Secret model wife). It’s racked up an eye-popping 9M views in the three days it’s been up, but not everyone’s a fan: several sexual assault groups have blasted the “dangerous” video for glorifying stalker behavior.
General Electric - Enhance Your Lighting
G.E. had a bright idea: hire comedy duo Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim to direct the ad for their latest light bulb. The result, starring Jeff Goldblum as an egotistical celebrity named Terry Quattro, is as deliciously bizarro as we dreamed. With over a million views since it went up on Monday, the ad is a viral video in its own right. This *slow clap* goes out to the G.E. marketing department.
The David Letterman Show - Aretha Franklin: “Rolling in the Deep/Ain’t No Mountain”
David Letterman may be signing off late night soon, but he had a big YouTube hit this week with Aretha Franklin’s roof-raising performance. We have just one thing to say about the Queen of Soul’s epic cover of fellow diva Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”; R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
-- Claire Stapleton
Here at YouTube Trends HQ, we live every day like it’s a live taping of The Streamys. This week on the Spotlight channel, we spent a lot of time in quiet contemplation of the strangeness of humans with these daredevil stunts, extreme selfies, and unexpected world records (raw onion-eating, parallel parking, and so on).
And here’s what else lit up our eye/brain system:
Beyoncé - “Young Forever/Halo”
Recently, being a fan of the greatest couple in the history of humanity has felt like a rollercoaster ride through a tunnel of mysteries. (Not easy, OK?) But watching this resplendent concert footage makes it all worth it. Was it the imagery of a stadium lit up by warm glow of a million iPhones? The home movie of baby Blue Ivy toddling around in a little Bumbo chair? The celestial opening chords of “Halo”? We don’t know, but we needed a box of Kleenex after watching this. Beyoncé: we can feel your halo, girl.
HeForShe - Emma Watson HeForShe Speech at the United Nations
The last time we thought about Emma Watson, we were probably shouting “‘ermione Granger!” in our best (worst) Cockney drawl. Now 24 years old and the U.N. Women Global Goodwill Ambassador, she gave a stunning, stirring speech this week to launch a new gender campaign called #HeForShe. Her honest treatise on feminism also dropped some seriously useful nuggets of wisdom: “In my nervousness for this speech and in my moments of doubt I've told myself firmly: if not me, who? If not now, when? If you have similar doubts when opportunities are presented to you, I hope those words might be helpful.” Dare we suggest that the humble starlet has a magic touch?
Unbox Therapy - iPhone 6 Bend Test
With iPhone 6 fever at an epic high over the past month, it’s perhaps not surprising the biggest hoss on the range this week was this Unbox Therapy video in which, as advertised, a guy bends an iPhone with his bare hands. If you read the title, you got the gist, but that didn’t stop this clip from getting a whopping 35 million hits (making it the biggest hit of the month). Boi-oi-oi-oing!
KLM - Lost & Found Service
Dutch Airlines KLM racked up almost 5 million views this week on a video that profiles a beagle named Sherlock who trots around the airport finding (and returning?) lost property to unsuspecting travelers. While we were sure this was a gripping piece of cinema verité, it turned out to be a marketing stunt (that little hound is nothing more than an actor). While we're still confused by the brand strategy that sold this through, we can agree that cuteness in all forms is worth celebrating.
-- Claire Stapleton
Ah, autumn. The air’s as crisp as an apple, and the vids are as fresh as a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils (or something like that). On the Spotlight channel, we studied the mysteries of body language and hopped atop a wallaby in celebration of the Aussie invasion.
And here’s what else slaked our thirst for video refreshment:
Elite Daily - Homeless Millennial Survives By Picking Up Women Every Night
This piece of docu-journalism about a homeless kid and his decidedly millennial approach to making ends meet set the Internet aflame this week. Thought-provoking, strange, and totally dark, the video’s had 3.5 million views since it was published on Monday and is a breakout hit for the “Voice of Generation Y” blog (it’s their first video to crack a million views).
Race the Tube - Sprint
Superhuman feats are no stranger to YouTube. While there’s generally a strong chance that the human’s going to clinch the challenge (since it was, um, uploaded to YouTube), the suspense never ceases to get our hearts pumpin’. This week, a crazy runner took on London’s tube with a camera strapped to his head, and the result’ll will leave you breathless (or at least motivate a gym visit).
Sesame Street - Lupita N’yongo Loves Her Skin
Eternal kids fave "Sesame Street" sees grown-up numbers on their YouTube channel: their videos had gotten over 250 million views so far this year. They made a splash earlier this week with “Star S’Mores” (a lovable "Star Wars" parody), but it was Lupita N’yongo’s riff on skin with Elmo that captured our hearts. Check out more cute celebrity "Sesame" appearances (featuring the likes of Jon Hamm, Anna Kendrick, and Peter Dinklage) in this playlist.
Prankdialz - Pretending to be Humans of New York
Photographer Brandon Stanton has one of the most buzzed-about photography projects of recent memory with Humans of New York. The cultish HONY following was ripe for some good-natured ribbing, and this week, it came in the form of this prankster who hit the streets of Manhattan. But we’d never throw shade on the actual guy behind HONY: here’s his awesome story.
-- Claire Stapleton
In case you missed it (and, really, how is that possible?), this week on Spotlight we discovered what we’ve been doing wrong all this time (a lot, apparently), explored our eating limits with a sumo wrestler diet, and took time to appreciate beauty in all its forms.
Now, let’s jump on board the trending train:
Will Reid - Toilet Roll Changing - Teenage Instructional Video
While we covered what you’ve been doing wrong, this video delves into the topic of what some kids aren’t doing at all. Having met with limited success when talking directly to his teenagers, this father decided to try and reach them through social media. And with nearly 3 million views, it seems there are plenty of others willing to learn how to replace the toilet roll. We await the update on whether his kids James and Beth have learned the initial lesson in this instructional series.
Kelly Gunderson - God’s Gift
Occasionally, the most compelling videos are the simplest ones. Kelly Gunderson lies next to her 87-year-old mother, a woman suffering with Alzheimer’s, and captures a rare moment of clarity she’ll likely never forget. Their joy is palpable and we can’t help but smile at Kelly’s victory, one made even bigger with more than 4 million views thus far.
sciu89 - Run Walter, RUN!!
Our world has changed. Whether it’s a fireman saving a kitten, flying with Superman or going behind the closed doors of the dishwasher, we can now experience life in ways we never could before the arrival of GoPro. And that includes the sheer exuberance of Walter the dog being unleashed so he can run to the ocean. Hold on tight!
EGoZa AS - Суровый Челябинский Дисней.
And speaking of changing our video-watching landscape, what would we do without the Russian dash cams (meteor crash, anyone)? This one captured a particularly surreal scene that we’re still trying to wrap our heads around. We certainly don’t condone violence here at Trends Central and are instead hoping this was all just one big ruse.
-- Marc Hertz
We’re capping off a long, languid summer with another week of perky viral vids. On Spotlight, we gasped at gravity-defying leaps of faith, LOL’d at the Internet IRL and wept softly at Saved by the Bell’s 25th anniversary (‘cause we’re that old).
And here are some other trending gems:
Jimmy Kimmel Live - Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Jimmy Kimmel in "Friends"
Kimmel’s late-night shenanigans regularly make for monster YouTube hits: who can forget “Epic Twerk Fail,” “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets,” or even “(I Wanna Channing) All Over Your Tatum”? This week, he staged a mini-“Friends” reunion that brought smiles to our faces and a chuff to our hearts. And proving that “Friends” nostalgia unites all of humanity: in just over 24 hours on YouTube, it cleared a whopping 6 million views.
Fstoppers Fans - The Taser Photoshoot Original
A few weeks back, we highlighted “How the Sun Sees You” and this week, another photography project-cum-social experiment was a big hit. Photographer Patrick Hall captured some willing victims being shocked with 300,000 volts of electricity (by a loved one, no less) and the result is something we couldn’t quite look away from. It picked up over 3 million views since Monday.
The Second City Network - Is This The New iPhone 6?
Let’s be frank: we’re gluttons for a little tech industry skewering. With iPhone 6 rumor mania hitting a fever pitch, Chicago improv group Second City posted this ingenious sketch. In this week’s unofficial YouTube comedy contest, we’re gonna go ahead and declare this the wiener. Ba-dum-ching!
PsihAL - Спасение жителя Ольхона/Saving of a fat gopher
This week’s home movie miracle is a cautionary tale about the perils of obesity. A Russian couple swoops in to rescue a rodent so rotund that he’s stuck in his hole. Will the gluttonous gopher live to see another day? Suspense, redemption, and the true value of friendship: this thing has it all.
-- Claire Stapleton
It was a week like a bucket of ice water to the face. On Spotlight, we made a timeline of the news out of Ferguson, Missouri, logged the most-viewed #icebucketchallenge videos, and toasted the Swedish invasion (with lingonberry juice, naturally).
Here’s what else we watched rapturously:
Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
This week, we were blessed with two late-breaking entries for the “song of the summer” crown from two diametrically opposed pop stars: Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj. On Monday, Taylor dropped her surprise video–an ode to shaking off your haters featuring a lot of awkward shimmying and perfectly art-directed outfits–and in stunning proof that the girl’s still got it, the video has racked up 26M views and counting. Listen to all the other song of the summer contenders here.
Grady Riley - Ice Bucket Challenge Fail
When alien anthropologists study life on Earth, what will they make of the great celebrity wet T-shirt contest of 2014? We’ve counted over 300 million total views of ice bucket challenge videos, but what’s more, the A.L.S. Foundation announced yesterday that they’ve gotten over $41 million in donations thanks to the super-viral campaign.. While everyone from Oprah and Bill Gates to Kermit and Bieber has taken the plunge, the big trend this week was ice bucket FAIL videos, of which this was the most-watched.
Kruszon1984 - ДТП мотоциклист
The title’s in Russian, but the insanity of this video is universally clear: a dash cam captures a man making an incredible recovery from a motorcycle accident. Though the jury’s out on whether it’s real or not, the suspense is infectious, and in three days, it’s had more than 7 million views. How do you say “holy smokes” in Russian?
Mashable - Simply Genius Shower Thoughts With Nick Offerman
If you’ve ever trolled Reddit, you’ll know that there’s a lot of random wisdom lurking within. Mashable has brought one of the most profound subreddits, ShowerThoughts, to life with this great little video starring Nick Offerman. More, please.
-- Claire Stapleton
The sun is shining, the birds (or in our case here at YT Trends HQ, pigeons) are chirping (or squawking greedily), and another set of sweet summer vids is swinging around the bend.
This week on the Spotlight channel, we saluted President Obama’s greatest viral hits on his birthday, got into gaming & the LGBT community, and chronicled the hottest lyric vids of the year.
And here are four other things the YouTube community was buzzing about:
WNEP-TV - “Apparently This Kid Is Awesome, Steals the Show During Interview”
No “apparently” about it, this little dude won the Internet this week. While being interviewed by a local news channel, Noah Ritter–heretofore to be known as “Apparently Kid”–delivered a rambling response in what we can only describe as an old-timey newscaster style. It’s cute, it’s idiosyncratic, it’s an instant YouTube classic (and it clocked in at more than 8 million views in three days). In an appearance on "The Today Show" on Wednesday, Ritter made a shocking confession: he knows neither the definition nor the spelling of the word “apparently.”
Ed Sheeran - Don’t
Speaking of lovable gingers, it’s the year of Ed Sheeran (or “Shyearan,” if you will). But don’t let the 2014 “Best New Artist” Grammy nod fool you: he’s been around forever in Internet-years. He launched his YouTube channel on August 8, 2006 (eight years ago to the day!), and had hundreds of millions of views before he rocketed to major global name recognition with his Taylor Swift collabo. With the release of a sophomore album co-produced by Pharrell and Rick Rubin, it’s a big moment for the unlikely heartthrob: he’s had almost 200 million views on his YouTube channel so far in ‘14, and has a pile more coming with the launch this week of a dance-tastic video for “Don’t.”
Farmer Derek Klingenberg - Serenading the Cattle With My Trombone
In the words of the incomparable C+C Music Factory, let the music moooooooove you. In this clip, a farmhand from Peabody, Kansas, summons a herd of cattle with a trombone cover of Lorde’s “Royals.” Skip to minute one to see them gather on the hilltop, then full-on gallop toward the sounds of the indie hit. After a little digging, it turns out said cowhand is no stranger to the camera: he’s got a long history of hamming it up on YouTube with farmyard parodies like “What Does the Farmer Say?”
Munchies - How to Make the Fluffiest Pancakes
We send you into the weekend with a finger-licking “how to.” Cooking on YouTube is growing fast: food channel subscriptions have grown almost 300 percent over the past year, and views of recipe content are up 60 percent. One of the most popular cooking videos of the week comes from Vice’s Munchies channel, which features famous chefs making their favorite dishes. We liked the juxtaposition of an intimidating-looking gentleman (chef Matty Matheson), and the coziest cuisine of all: fluffy pancakes. TGIF!
-- Claire Stapleton
Sometimes we come in on Mondays, fire up our Viral Video Machine,™ and think: will the week yield any fresh memes? But an hour will go by and ... boom, a trailer breaks. A music vid pops. And then, there it is: something we never saw coming, yet suddenly can’t imagine life without. A LOL is born.
This week on the Spotlight channel, we spotlighted Unlocking the Truth, a Brooklyn-based metal band who just signed a major record deal (and yeah, they’re 12). We also rounded up the Best Interviews Ever and got into the song of the summer game with these cheeky “Problem” covers.
And here’s what else we spotted trawling the streets of Meme City USA:
Rebecca Ehalt - Dog passes out from overwhelming joy
If you read the title, you’ve got the gist. But that didn’t stop the cellphone-shot clip from getting a whopping 30 million hits this week. That vaults the excitable schnauzer into the top 20 most-viewed videos of the year to date (and if you took out the music videos, it’d be straight up the most-viewed video of the year--we’ll give you a second to ponder the enormity of that). Look, it’s not a Caravaggio, but there is something about the universal delight in watching a cute animal do a cute thing that is, in its own way, a work of art.
Maddie & Tae - Girl in a Country Song
“Well shakin’ my moneymaker ain’t never made me a diiiime …” The twangy breakout hit from a brand-new country duo was our not-so-guilty pleasure of the week. Maddie Marlow and Tae Dye took the “bro country” script, flipped it, and reversed it, with a witty video that makes a point about sexism in country music (watch your back, Blake Shelton). M & T, consider yourselves cordially invited to our next tailgate/backyard BBQ/dueling fiddles competition.
Wanda Stead - Iceberg collapse
Shiver me literal timbers. For Wanda Stead and her husband, a casual boat ride through the Bay of Exploits in Newfoundland, Canada, turned calamitous when they witnessed--and captured--a massive collapse of an arch-shaped iceberg. The short clip packs a wallop about what’s happening on the planet: warmer winters in Antarctica mean ice sheets are colliding with the ocean floor more often, and bringing big ramifications for the entire ecosystem. Yeah, Wanda, we’d scream too.
Alex Miller - Sadie doesn’t want her brother to grow up
Another UGC miracle this week shows a 5-year-old having a heady meltdown over the meaning of life, death, and time--you know, kid stuff! The little brother gives a brilliant performance: his perfectly timed smile makes for a stunning dénouement. Such a wise little buddha! In the words of commenter Michael Warbux: “You know the best part about this video? EVERYTHING!” Couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
-- Claire Stapleton
Our mission here at YT Trends HQ is to keep you abreast of all that is viral in the world of video, a mission we take quite seriously. If we have to spend hours (yes, hours) each day combing the site to unearth hidden video gems, then so be it. We wouldn't have it any other way.
On the Spotlight channel this week, we explored the sensation that is meme rap and took the plunge with some epic water slides. Now, let's dive in to some other highlights from the week that was:
Tripp and Tyler - "Things You Can't Do When You're Not a Toddler"
Toddlers have it easy. They can say and do just about anything and get away with it because they're tiny and cute. But when a grown man acts that way, then people apparently have a problem with it. This is the idea that comedy duo Tripp and Tyler (whom you may know from their classic perspective on conference calls in real life) explore in their hilarious take on arrested development. It's possible that someone at YT Trends HQ is a parent to twin toddlers and found that this hit a little too close to home, but we would never admit to that (especially if a certain wife reads this - ahem).
Star Wars - "Star Wars: Force for Change - An Update from J.J. Abrams"
During a week when plot details for the upcoming "Star Wars Episode VII" were apparently revealed (do NOT click on that link if you want to see the movie as it's intended - consider yourself warned), director J.J. Abrams made his own reveal. We don't want to spoil the surprise, but let's just say one lucky fan and a few friends and family could see something before anyone else does on December 18, 2015, and it's all for a good cause. We've already said too much.
Last Week Tonight - "Prison"
Comedian John Oliver and his critically acclaimed show make a second appearance on this blog, with his incisive commentary on the United States prison system. And it's clear we aren't the only ones noticing. With more than 2 million views, this becomes the 16th video from the show to garner at least 1 million views on YouTube. And his former employer, "The Daily Show"? Three videos north of 1 million views, including one with a certain British comedian. Well played, Mr. Oliver. Well played indeed.
Devinsupertramp - "Assassin's Creed Unity Meets Parkour In Real Life - 4K!"
We may not play "Assassin's Creed" with any sort of proficiency, but we know a sweet video when we see it. With the "Unity" trailer having already garnered nearly 9 million views and the game set to drop in late October, Devin Graham (aka devinsupertramp) feeds off that anticipation and takes his own amped-up spin on the video game, pairing it with parkour. Where did parkour start, you might ask? None other than France, where the game is set and where the video was shot, on the streets, walls and roofs of Paris. And, it must be said, unless you're a trained professional, don't try these stunts at home, or anywhere else, for that matter.
--Marc Hertz
What a week. The crop of new viral videos on YouTube was so rich, so bountiful, that our eyes bugged out around Tuesday afternoon and still haven’t returned to their normal socket position.
We forge on. This week on the Spotlight channel, we crowned the King of Parkour and paid our respects to the first non-human princess of pop (reality is overrated).
And here are a few other things that caught our meme-hungry eyes:
Weird Al - Word Crimes
Were you a dorky teen who hung on Weird Al’s every schticky pun and parody? Cool, us too. And gods be good, that curly-haired, nasal-voiced icon has endured for decades. He re-emerged this week, releasing a new video every day, including his take on current hits like Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” (“Handy”) and Lorde’s “Royals” (“Foil”). We have a major soft spot for “Tacky,” his Pharrell parody (“It might seem crazy wearing stripes with plaid!”), but the web crowned a clear winner with his Robin Thicke cover, “Word Crimes.” The entertaining ode to proper grammar has 5 million views so far, putting it on the map of his biggest hits of all time. Relive the awkward memories in our ultimate Weird Al playlist.
American Ninja Warrior - Kacy Catanzaro at the 2014 Dallas Finals
We’re not regular “American Ninja Warrior” watchers, yet this video had us rooting for Kacy Catanzaro like she was about to win gold at the Olympics–or even clinch the Copa di Mundi (sic). The 5-foot, 100-pound warrior is the first woman to conquer their insane-looking obstacle course and qualify for something called “Mount Midoriyama.” Come for her spidery, superhuman maneuvers, stay for the incredibly hyperbolic commentary (they declare history in the making approximately four times a minute). You go girl.
Suntory - japanese school girl chase #ninja
In other tiny ninja warrior news, we took an exhilarating journey through the Japanese city of Atami with this butt-kicking pair of schoolgirls. The story starts off with some sort of premise (a smartphone pic gone awry kicks off an epic chase through town), but after three-and-a-half minutes of parkour, acrobatics and ninja moves, you won’t know up from down. Check out some more inspiring women in our Girl Power playlist.
Munchies - The Guy who Survived on Pizza for 25 Years
On a more somber note–this guy. This mini-documentary about Dan Janssen, who’s subsisted on pretty much nothing but pizza for 25 years, plays like an Edward Gorey-esque tale for young picky eaters. In other words: scary stuff. We found ourselves engrossed by his fiancé’s gentle crusade to get him to eat even a single mushroom on his pizza and mournful for the moment when he says, while at a Domino’s, “It feels good to be home.” It just goes to show: sometimes a little kid’s dream is a grown-up nightmare.
-- Claire Stapleton
This week on the Spotlight channel, we laughed with Dave Chappelle, cried at nature’s most horrific creatures, and swooned for the hottest YouTubers alive.
Here’s what else had us glued to our seats (figuratively speaking ... YT Trends HQ is strictly standing desk-only):
Uptomyknees - “The Slap”
If you thought it was a little late for another "First Kiss" parody ... you were dangerously wrong. It’s been almost four months since a video of 20 strangers kissing went viral and inspired over 6K imitators (measured by number of videos with “First Kiss” in the title), but Uptomyknees's twist on the concept was a big hit this week. "The Slap" features 40 strangers slapping each other (one of which, in a satisfying twist, is former child star Haley Joel Osment). It's a little perverse and pretty compelling and racked up 4 million views this week, proving that memes never really die. Lusty for more “First Kiss” parodies? We rounded up the best ones in this Spotlight playlist.
Jonathan Mann - 2000 songs in 2000 days
Big ups to Jonathan Mann–the minstrel who’s been writing a song (and uploading a video about it) every day since January 1, 2009–for hitting 2,000 on Monday. That's a lot of tunes. His latest video is a tribute to his first 1,999 songs, a recording of his 2,000th, and a mini-manifesto on what it means to be creative. Phew. If the Steve Jobs cameo doesn't tug even the tiniest of heartstrings, then we don't know what to do with you. Rock on, Mann.
ClickHole - This Stick Of Butter Is Left Out At Room Temperature; You Won't Believe What Happens Next
Our faces have been stuck in a loose, mirthful expression since The Onion launched Clickhole, a viral content parody site, which brings us headlines like “10 Hilarious Chairs That Think They’re People” and “7 Classic 90s Toys That Weren't Fun Anymore After 9/11." So we were excited to see they started uploading to their YouTube channel this week. They scored their first hit with an inspired three-hour long time-elapse of a stick of butter that you literally have to see to believe.
FKA twigs - “Two Weeks”
In the lead-up to releasing her debut album in August, breathy up-and-coming R&B singer FKA twigs débuted a single and video on Tuesday with "Two Weeks." The mesmerizing piece was directed by Nabil Elderkin, the mastermind behind Kanye’s “Mercy,” Frank Ocean's "Pyramids," and this month's showstopping World Cup spot for Beats by Dre. The Egyptian goddess motif recalls Katy Perry with a dash of Daenerys Stormborn, but "Dark Horse" this ain't–twigs lords over a crew of tiny, lithe (dare we say twig-like?) dancers and, at one point, coolly shoots water into their mouths from the tip of her finger. Is there anything more luxe than that? Here's one to watch.
--Claire Stapleton
The sun is shining, the temps are rising, and the first summer memes are starting to bloom. This week on the Spotlight Channel, we got to know some “Females Who Code," celebrated "Sloth Week," and asked the age-old q: “Famous Cats: Where Are They Now?”
And here are a few highlights from everything else:
Volinez Spears - “Hi Brit”
Is there anything more beautiful than a superfan's love for his idol? This week we got a stunning spin on a Britney classic from Israeli performance artist Gal Volinez (aka VOLINEZ SPEARS), who edited himself into literally every frame of Brit’s “Work It” video. An instant entry into our (completely unofficial) fan video Hall of Fame, Gal joins Ton Do-Nguyen, a 16-year-old who replicated Beyonce’s "Countdown" video shot for shot in a blue Snuggie. The completely profound result won the ultimate superfan prize: a shout-out from Queen Bey herself.
OK Go - “The Writing on the Wall”
Virtuosos of dad-pop, maestros of the mind-numbing music vid ... OK Go was back in a big way this week. Though their previous works have featured intricate treadmill choreography, dancing dogs, and a Rube Goldberg machine, the video they released this week--a four-minute trompe l’oeil masterpiece--might take the cake. You’ve gotta see it to (dis)believe it. The band and crew spent a month in a Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn warehouse prepping the M.C. Escher-inspired set, and the single-take final result took a cool 50 tries. OK Go ... this Bud’s for you.
AsapSCIENCE - “Should you hover or cover?”
You’ll want to chuck your cutting board immediately after watching the latest AsapSCIENCE. The masters of the whiteboard explainer--their channel has had more than 250M views, pretty amazing when you consider that their stock-in-trade is nerdy educational videos--had a hit this week as they investigated the public restroom. Feeling inquisitive? Check out this “That’s a Good Question” playlist.
Alton Brown - “How to Slice a Mango”
Food Network host Alton Brown only started posting YouTube videos to his channel two months ago, but he’s already clocked in a couple of hits with Grilled Grilled Cheese and Champagne Saber Time. This week, he mixed a straightforward tutorial with a little perverse physical comedy. The result? APPETIZING.
--Claire Stapleton
On the Spotlight Channel, we obsessively follow what’s trending in the gripping world of viral video. In our inaugural weekly roundup, we take a closer look at a few of the past week's hits. See more of what's popping off in this playlist, and subscribe to Spotlight to stay au courant on all things YouTube (and the cultural universe at large).
PSY feat. Snoop Dogg - “The Hangover”
Puff Daddy, Coldplay, and even a posthumous hit from Michael Jackson: it’s been a big year for comebacks. Here at YouTube, it feels like PSY never really left ("Gangnam Style" just crossed a staggering 2 billion views), but he was back in a big way this week with his first new music video in over a year with “The Hangover.” This time he teamed up with Snoop Dogg for a raucous romp through South Korea.
Nike - “The Last Game”
As the world waits for the (soccer) games to begin, World Cup ads pour in, with the likes of Beats by Dre, Adidas, ESPN, and Powerade vying to create the most epic, star-studded spot. The top 10 World Cup 2014 ads have so far been seen more than 300M times. Nike’s second World Cup ad launched this week--a stunningly animated 5-minute short called “The Last Game”--and racked up over 20M views in its first two days on YouTube.
Baracksdubs - “Ellen Singing Birthday”
Fadi Saleh has made a brand out of making Obama sing such stately classics as “Call Me Maybe” and “Timber”--and has picked up more than 100M views in the meantime. This week, he turned his supercutting prowess to Ellen DeGeneres for an instant classic version of the Katy Perry hit “Birthday.” Here’s Ellen’s reaction (in short, she concurs that Fadi has too much time on his hands).
Last Week Tonight - "FIFA and the World Cup"
As far as the late night circuit goes, John Oliver is new in town: “Last Week Tonight” is only two months old. Yet he’s already found a niche--taking on topics like Ukraine, the death penalty, and (rather notably) net neutrality in his signature entertaining style (a hybrid explainer/takedown). His channel already has an impressive 200M views. We (and the rest of the web) eagerly await his next "viral rant."
--Claire Stapleton
Ads, swarms, flips, and dunks: here are 10 of this week's top trending videos from YouTube Trends:
(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)
