Thursday, 8 September 2016
Wednesday, 10 August 2016
Friday, 22 July 2016
What YouTube Can Tell Us About Pokemon Go
After just a few weeks, it’s clear “Pokemon Go” is big. But just how big is it? We asked the YouTube data, and can confirm that “Pokemon Go” is a unique video game phenomenon like no other.
We compared the launch week of Pokemon Go’s with the launch week of other blockbusters from 2016. We found that the launch of “Pokemon Go” received twice as much watchtime as “Overwatch,” and three times as much as “Tom Clancy’s The Division.” Overall, since launch, “Pokemon Go” has racked up millions of hours of watchtime and consistently been one of the top 3 games on YouTube (trailing only “Minecraft” and “Grand Theft Auto V”).
One interesting video related to “Pokemon Go” on YouTube is the 2014 Google Maps April Fools’ Day prank, which received a sharp uptick in views and watchtime since the game launched. Other hit videos include PewDiePie’s “Is Pokemon Go Going Too Far” with nearly 10 million views, Feranfloo’s Spanish “Capturando Pokemons En La Vida Real” with 9.2 million views, and a whole slew of musical tributes.
Early on in “Pokemon Go,” all players must swear allegiance to one of three teams - Team Mystic, Team Valor, or Team Instinct. We wanted to use YouTube to see if we could determine which team was the most popular. We found that, in terms of search queries, Valor jumped out to an early lead but was soon overtaken by Mystic. They’re currently running neck-and-neck, both ahead of Team Instinct.
It’s hard to believe “Pokemon Go” has only been out for a few weeks, and it will be some time before we have a full sense of it’s impact on gaming and culture. But if there’s one thing we can already say for certain it’s that, based on YouTube searches, the Pokemon theme song is back. And that’s the way we like it.
-- Jeff Rubin
We compared the launch week of Pokemon Go’s with the launch week of other blockbusters from 2016. We found that the launch of “Pokemon Go” received twice as much watchtime as “Overwatch,” and three times as much as “Tom Clancy’s The Division.” Overall, since launch, “Pokemon Go” has racked up millions of hours of watchtime and consistently been one of the top 3 games on YouTube (trailing only “Minecraft” and “Grand Theft Auto V”).
One interesting video related to “Pokemon Go” on YouTube is the 2014 Google Maps April Fools’ Day prank, which received a sharp uptick in views and watchtime since the game launched. Other hit videos include PewDiePie’s “Is Pokemon Go Going Too Far” with nearly 10 million views, Feranfloo’s Spanish “Capturando Pokemons En La Vida Real” with 9.2 million views, and a whole slew of musical tributes.
Early on in “Pokemon Go,” all players must swear allegiance to one of three teams - Team Mystic, Team Valor, or Team Instinct. We wanted to use YouTube to see if we could determine which team was the most popular. We found that, in terms of search queries, Valor jumped out to an early lead but was soon overtaken by Mystic. They’re currently running neck-and-neck, both ahead of Team Instinct.
It’s hard to believe “Pokemon Go” has only been out for a few weeks, and it will be some time before we have a full sense of it’s impact on gaming and culture. But if there’s one thing we can already say for certain it’s that, based on YouTube searches, the Pokemon theme song is back. And that’s the way we like it.
-- Jeff Rubin
Wednesday, 13 July 2016
Friday, 8 July 2016
How Musician Maggie Rogers Landed a Viral Hit on YouTube
In the past two weeks, Maggie Rogers’ "Alaska" has been one of the fastest-growing songs on the internet: in just 20 days, it amassed millions of streams across the web. But one month ago, she was completing her undergraduate courses at NYU, like so many other aspiring student-musicians.
The story begins with a video posted to i am Other, Pharrell Williams’ YouTube channel. Two months ago, Pharrell hosted a masterclass at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, and student Maggie Rogers’ work-in-process track, “Alaska,” was featured in the final segment of a 30-minute clip.
While the masterclass itself received media attention, Pharrell’s segment with Maggie Rogers, 18 minutes into the video, went undiscovered. Noticing a special moment where Pharrell describes Maggie’s song as “nothing I've ever heard before,” Reddit user “TheLatchKey” posted it to the hip-hop community of the site with the title “Such a genuine reaction from Pharrell to an amazing song (skip to 18:15),” which linked to Maggie Rogers’ specific segment of the video.
The renewed focus on Pharrell’s stunned reaction to Maggie’s “Alaska” led to an avalanche of attention: the video reached the front page of Reddit, received tens of thousands of shares on Facebook and Twitter, and received write-ups on Digg, Jezebel, Elle, Mic, and USA Today.
Building on the buzz, Maggie released the fully mastered “Alaska” two weeks after her initial encounter with viral fame, which was rapidly picked up by outlets such as The LA Times, Vulture, Slate, and Spin. The song has since inspired countless covers, remixes, and even a how-to tutorial on YouTube.
In one month, and rather unexpectedly, the YouTube video has put Maggie in the spotlight. The whirlwind of attention has music publications like Pitchfork asking “Now What?”
Quite a feat for a student who, only weeks prior, was taking notes from one of today’s greatest producers.
The story begins with a video posted to i am Other, Pharrell Williams’ YouTube channel. Two months ago, Pharrell hosted a masterclass at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, and student Maggie Rogers’ work-in-process track, “Alaska,” was featured in the final segment of a 30-minute clip.
Maggie Rogers in a masterclass hosted by Pharrell
While the masterclass itself received media attention, Pharrell’s segment with Maggie Rogers, 18 minutes into the video, went undiscovered. Noticing a special moment where Pharrell describes Maggie’s song as “nothing I've ever heard before,” Reddit user “TheLatchKey” posted it to the hip-hop community of the site with the title “Such a genuine reaction from Pharrell to an amazing song (skip to 18:15),” which linked to Maggie Rogers’ specific segment of the video.
Building on the buzz, Maggie released the fully mastered “Alaska” two weeks after her initial encounter with viral fame, which was rapidly picked up by outlets such as The LA Times, Vulture, Slate, and Spin. The song has since inspired countless covers, remixes, and even a how-to tutorial on YouTube.
In one month, and rather unexpectedly, the YouTube video has put Maggie in the spotlight. The whirlwind of attention has music publications like Pitchfork asking “Now What?”
Quite a feat for a student who, only weeks prior, was taking notes from one of today’s greatest producers.
Wednesday, 22 June 2016
YouTube Celebrates Black Music Month
June is Black Music Month, which began in 1979 as a campaign to recognize the cultural and economic impact of black musicians. President Obama recently continued the tradition by proclaiming June 2016 as African-American Music Appreciation Month, a title that began during his tenure.
To honor Black Music Month at YouTube, we looked at total views in 2016 (Jan 1 - May 31) and identified the most popular black musicians by decade. These artists continue to stand the test of time and underscore the contributions of black musicians to culture.
1920s: Louis Armstrong - 46,468,385 views in 2016 (through May 31st)
Louis Armstrong’s career spanned decades, and on YouTube he remains one of the most popular artists from the first half of the 20th century. His 1967 recording of “What A Wonderful World” is his most popular track, viewed over 130,000 times per day in 2016.
1930s: Billie Holiday - 20,273,058 views in 2016 (through May 31st)
Billie Holiday’s legacy continues on YouTube: her music had 1.2 million views on April 7, 2015, when her fans celebrated what would have been her centennial.
Among Ray Charles’ top 10 songs on YouTube, the seventh most popular track is from the later years of his discography: “Seven Spanish Angels,” a duet with Willie Nelson that reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles in 1984. This year, it has had nearly 5 million views.
To honor Black Music Month at YouTube, we looked at total views in 2016 (Jan 1 - May 31) and identified the most popular black musicians by decade. These artists continue to stand the test of time and underscore the contributions of black musicians to culture.
1920s: Louis Armstrong - 46,468,385 views in 2016 (through May 31st)
Louis Armstrong - “When The Saints Go Marching In”
Louis Armstrong’s career spanned decades, and on YouTube he remains one of the most popular artists from the first half of the 20th century. His 1967 recording of “What A Wonderful World” is his most popular track, viewed over 130,000 times per day in 2016.
1930s: Billie Holiday - 20,273,058 views in 2016 (through May 31st)
Billie Holiday - “Strange Fruit”
Billie Holiday’s legacy continues on YouTube: her music had 1.2 million views on April 7, 2015, when her fans celebrated what would have been her centennial.
1940s: Nat King Cole - 49,536,611 views in 2016 (through May 31st)
Nat King Cole - “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66”
Within Nat King Cole’s YouTube catalogue, L-O-V-E is the most popular track. Every year since 2012, it’s one of 18 tracks to double in views on Valentine’s Day, as YouTube users endearingly share and link to the video.
1950s: Ray Charles - 68,571,028 views in 2016 (through May 31st)
Ray Charles - “Seven Spanish Angels”
Among Ray Charles’ top 10 songs on YouTube, the seventh most popular track is from the later years of his discography: “Seven Spanish Angels,” a duet with Willie Nelson that reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles in 1984. This year, it has had nearly 5 million views.
“Sexual Healing” is Marvin Gaye's most popular track, with over 80 million views in 2016. 25 percent of these views are from a 2013 remix of the song by Norwegian DJ Kygo.
1970s: Bob Marley & The Wailers - 313,646,935 views in 2016 (through May 31st)
Bob Marley - “Buffalo Soldier”
Bob Marley and The Wailers are the third most-viewed artist on this list, with nearly 300 million views this year. One of their single-day highest views (7.3 million views) occurred on February 7, 2015, which marked Bob Marley’s 70th birthday.
Michael Jackson has remained so popular in 2016 that he charts at #26 on YouTube Music Top 100 Artists list for the week of June 3, with approximately 47 million views.
1990s: Dr. Dre - 286,582,767 views in 2016 (through May 31st)
Dr. Dre - “Still D.R.E. (ft. Snoop Dogg)”
Dr. Dre’s popularity grew significantly on YouTube in 2015, following the release of the film “Straight Outta Compton.” His most popular track on YouTube, “The Next Episode,” has had over 116 million views in 2016.
Rihanna has released eight studio albums, and her earlier work from the 2000s remains highly popular on YouTube. Among her top 20 tracks on YouTube in 2016, seven are from pre-2010 albums: “Umbrella,” “Rude Boy,” “Take A Bow,” “Don’t Stop the Music,” “Rehab,” “Unfaithful,” and “Disturbia.”
Thursday, 5 May 2016
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