SAN BRUNO, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 12/27/07 -- YouTube, the leading online video community
that allows people to discover, watch and share originally created videos,
today announced the 2007 YouTube Year End Video Roundup. Every day hundreds
of millions of videos are viewed on YouTube and hundreds of thousands of
videos are uploaded. Through a formula that includes view counts, most
shared, most discussed, top rated and general popularity, it is possible to
see which YouTube videos people were thinking and talking about most.
"This year, YouTube and its users were at the forefront of politics, music,
entertainment and more," said Jamie Byrne, Head of Product Marketing for
YouTube. "Every day new videos are created, uploaded, discovered and
popularized through the site and the videos in our year end roundup are
just some of the ones that made their way into conversations both at work
and at home."
Each of the following YouTube videos became a cultural phenomenon this
year:
Battle at Kruger – This National Geographic-worthy footage was shot and
uploaded to YouTube by a regular guy on safari with his family. The
unbelievable confrontation between a herd of water buffalo, a pride of
lions and a couple of crocodiles -- along with the surprise ending -- kept
people at edge of their seats. Clearly this video captured the world's
attention; it's been viewed more then 20 million times on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM
Chocolate Rain Original Song by Tay Zonday – Tay Zonday's "Chocolate Rain"
was the underdog smash hit of the summer of 2007. The song, with its
unconventional lyrics and delivery, struck a chord with the YouTube
community and sparked imitations from everyday people and celebrities
alike. Even Green Day's Tre Cool got in the mix! It was clear that Tay and
his tune had pop culture a-buzz when he appeared as a guest on both the
"Jimmy Kimmel Show" and VH1's "Best Week Ever." Now Tay's popping up in
Internet commercials like the one for Dr. Pepper's new Cherry Chocolate
beverage and his breath-away-from-the-mic move has become a meme of our
time.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwTZ2xpQwpA
LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE! – Chris Crocker became an instant YouTube star when,
on September 10, he uploaded his "Leave Britney Alone" video. Crocker's
raw, melodramatic emotion captured the attention of YouTube users
everywhere and whether people despised, sympathized, or were confused by
him, nobody could look away. Today, "Leave Britney Alone" is the #4 Most
Responded video of all time; even actor Seth Green created a spoof of it.
Crocker has gone on to make several television appearances and has even
signed a development deal to star in his own TV show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc
Me singing "what goes around" Justin Timberlake – Esmee Denters rose to
fame singing songs from her bedroom in Osterbeke, Netherlands. Her
beautiful voice captivated everyone who heard it and she became one of the
top musicians on YouTube. Then, in May, she shocked fans when she uploaded
a video of her singing a Justin Timberlake song and the pop star appeared
at the end playing the piano. Denters has since signed on as the first
artist on Timberlake's record label and is working on her debut album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69Grnh7Qin8
NORA the Piano Playing Cat – Nora the cat proves that paws work just as
well as fingers when it comes to banging the ivories. (And she should! One
of her "masters" is a musician/composer/teacher.) This adorable video has
more than 7 million views and is the #3 Most Watched Pets & Animals clip on
the site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ860P4iTaM
Obama Girl – This catchy video showcases an attractive young woman who
feels quite, erm, strongly about a certain Presidential candidate. Created
by the political satire group Barely Political, the video not only notched
more than four million views, it also caught the attention of bloggers,
mainstream media and even those running for office.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKsoXHYICqU
Otters holding hands – What is cuter than otters? Otters holding hands, of
course! This YouTube video rocketed to fame on the strength of its sheer
adorableness, making it the #2 Most Watched Pets & Animals video of all
time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno
PARIS IN JAIL: The Music Video – Topical humor + girl in a bikini + Paris
Hilton = instant video hit! Uploaded on the heels of Paris Hilton's jail
sentence, this reggae-lite music video pokes fun at the heiress in a
delightfully cheeky way.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k66epna2Sss
Soulja Boy Tellem - How to Crank That - INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO! – There hasn't
been a dance craze like the Soulja Boy since the Macarena. Soulja Boy
Tellem, a breakout rap artist, made a video in his parents' garage
featuring a dance he created for one of his songs. Interest in the dance
exploded, so he created a follow up instructional video on how to do it.
Now everyone from college football teams to cartoon characters are
"cranking that" like Soulja.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLGLum5SyKQ
UFO Haiti – Echoing Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds," this video purports
to have captured footage of alien spaceships flying over Haiti. The
authenticity of the video was debated for weeks before the creator came
forward and admitted that it was staged. Still, it's a well-made clip that
does, for a heartbeat, make people wonder what's going on...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up5jmbSjWkw
About YouTube
Founded in February 2005, YouTube is the leading video community on the
Internet and the premier destination to watch and share original videos
worldwide through a Web experience. YouTube allows people to easily upload
and share video clips on www.YouTube.com and across the Internet through
websites, blogs, and e-mail. YouTube has quickly become the leading
destination on the Internet for video entertainment. YouTube is a
subsidiary of Google, Inc.
Add to DiggBookmark with del.icio.usAdd to Newsvine
.gif)
