Image credit: Youtube
YouTube’s Culture & Trends team unveils the top ten most popular videos and creators of the year from 17 regions around the world.
Billions of viewers around the world turned to YouTube for videos in 2021. Whether the live stream of NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover landing on Marsrecord-breaking day one streaming numbers on BTS’s Butter, or videos on topics like food, dental and Magic in a new style thanks to YouTube Shorts, TikTok’s abbreviated competitor. YouTube is celebrating the year with a look back at the videos, creators and artists you helped propel to mainstream success.
Go here to see your local trends or click the drop-down menu to choose from 17 different regions. The following results are for the United States. Click below to skip to the following:
Top Trending Videos
Creators on YouTube in 2021 have turned some of their most popular content into longer phenomena. Whether it’s sequels in response to public demand or turning one-off wins into full streaks. Together, the ten videos have been viewed over 485 million times for a total of around 70 million hours, with the channels holding over 238 million subscribers.
Dream made speedrunning a spectator sport with its increasingly innovative attempts to defeat Minecraft’s Ender Dragon; Mark Rober went from taking out package thieves with his homemade glitter bomb to catching scammers over the phone; and Dude Perfect used their format of humorous stereotypes to highlight the types of people you’re likely to meet on game night.
A new survival challenge from MrBeast, Weeknd’s highly memorable performance at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, a steamy take on one of the most talked about games of the year, a scripted lesson in morality, a moving musical audition and a fight against zombies. Oh, and the social distancing inauguration of a new US President and Vice President.
Madeline Buxton, Head of Culture and Trends US and Canada, YouTube
1. MrBeast – I spent 50 hours buried alive
2. Dream – Minecraft Speedrunner VS 5 Hunters
3. Mark Robert- Glitterbomb Trap catches phone scammer (who is arrested)
4. NFL- The Weeknd’s Complete Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show
5. Coryx Kenshin- Friday Night Funkin’ Keeps Getting Better and Better (Part 2)
6. Dhar Man- Kids laugh at boy with AUTISM, instantly regret it
7. America’s Got Talent – Golden Buzzer: Original Nightbirde Song Makes Simon Cowell Emotional – America’s Got Talent 2021
8. Inaugural Biden Committee – The inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris | January 20, 2021
9. Forge Labs – I Spent 100 Days In A Zombie Apocalypse In Minecraft… Here’s What Happened
10. Perfect Guy – Game night stereotypes
Best Video Clips
These chart-topping artists reflected on the culture and tapped into the language of the internet, with songs that inspired dance challenges, memes and more.
1. Pooh Shiesty- Back in the Blood (feat. Lil Durk)
2. The weekend – save your tears
3. Lil Nas X- Montero (Call Me By Your Name)
4. Polo G- RAPSTAR
5. DJ Khaled – EVERY CHANCE I GET ft. Lil Baby, Lil Durk
6. MO3 & OG Bobby Billions – Outside (Better Days)
7. Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic – Leave the door open
8. Cardi B- At the top
9. Olivia Rodrigue- Driving license
10. Stem wave – street racer
Top Creators
As with trending videos, MrBeast unsurprisingly tops the list of creators, followed by creators such as Dream, TommyInnit, and Technoblade, whose social gaming videos foster a sense of community.
Escape creators
Number one Kallmekris turned character-driven sketches into must-watch viewing, Casual Geographic reinvented the nature documentary, and Beluga used Discord’s interface to riff on internet culture in 2021.
Best Short Film Creators
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