Comments for YouTube Videos of the Year - Most Memorable Weren't the Most Viewed

YouTube Videos of the Year - Most Memorable Weren't the Most Viewed

2007-12-28T20:50:13Z

Like everyone else YouTube has an end of the year list, but there's something a little strange about all the media coverage today on the "top YouTube videos of 2007." These aren't the most viewed videos of the year. They are YouTube's selection of the "most memorable."

The most popular videos on YouTube this year were a bunch of major label music videos - not the user generated content the site would like to be known for. Ultimately there's plenty of room for both, but let's get our story straight.

]]> The most viewed video on YouTube this year was Avril Lavigne's Girlfriend, an examination of predatory female adolescent heterosexuality. Embedding is turned off for Girlfriend, but below (in a single playlist) are all of the videos on YouTube's Most Memorable List that can be embedded, followed by the videos that were most viewed this year. You can also check out ReadWriteWeb's commentary in August of the Top 10 YouTube Videos of All Time.

Both lists are fun to watch - even if the mega-classic Shoes was somehow not included on either. (I mean, "these lists SUCK.") I suppose to be fair, Shoes was a 2006er - as was Dick in a Box, but do any of the videos below come close to the awesomeness of either of those videos?

Comment from listen_to_blogs on 2007-12-28

2007-12-28T22:57:25Z

"The most popular videos on YouTube this year were a bunch of major label music videos "

==> Youtube is probably making a lot of dough from the music labels.

Comment from listen_to_blogs on 2007-12-28

2007-12-28T22:57:46Z

"The most popular videos on YouTube this year were a bunch of major label music videos "

==> Youtube is probably making a lot of dough from the music labels.

Comment from Search◊ Engines Web on 2007-12-28

2007-12-29T06:59:14Z

The most popular videos on YouTube this year were a bunch of major label music videos

This is obviously a result to the expensive promotion that the labels can afford.

Techcrunch had a controversial post about a YouTube promoter specialist who guaranteed 100k views.

You can imagine how much aggressive effort is now put into marketing those vidoes - just like there are firms that market via Digg by paying their members to Digg a story.

Social media is changing from the democratic, humble alternative resource it used to be.

Sort of like Search engines are now with professional PPC and SEO firms that work aggressively for money'ed large companies

Comment from Small Business Marketing on 2007-12-29

2007-12-29T12:13:21Z

Welcome to the commercialization of social network marketing on the web. Show me the money and you have my vote.

Comment from ITrush on 2007-12-29

2007-12-29T14:04:10Z

I'm sure a lot of their viewers are music lover and they're using it to make a lot of money!

Nhick
http://www.itrush.com

Comment from Lou Cabron on 2007-12-29

2007-12-29T20:48:09Z

I think you're overlooking the fact that every popular video on YouTube has several different copies and sometimes even better follow-ups.

This article argues that the real trend in 2007 was viral re-mixes of the original viral videos!

Comment from Frank Sinton on 2007-12-30

2007-12-30T10:14:02Z

Yes, this list was fun to watch.

> "these lists SUCK."

In 2008, curated video playlists in targeted interests will become extremely important, as will recommendation engines.