'Zenga Zenga' Auto-Tune Spreads Across Middle East

February 28, 2011


Regional Popularity
In the United States, autotune has met politics plenty of times -- see: State of the Union and Rent Is Too Damn High -- but now the phenomenon has spread to the Middle East where a video from Israel of Libyan leader Muammar el-Qaddafi has been drawing lots of attention.

Both the original and an edit without the dancing women are among Most Viewed videos in Israel -- where it originated -- and as of Sunday evening, it was also one of YouTube's overall top spiking searches, as the video continued to draw global attention.

According to viewing data, the video was definitely popular in some countries before others, indicating viral spread throughout the region. For example, prior to Sunday, when the video picked up over 500,000 views, the video spiked in Jordan and Egypt before it rose sharpest in Israel. The video has also drawn tens of thousands of views in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and now the United States.



The autotune phenomenon began with a musical trend started by Cher's "Believe" and, famously, T-Pain, but quickly became a new parodists' tool of choice with online videomakers as it allows the user to turn any spoken piece of audio into a funny slice of pop culture.

Here in the United States, the Gregory Brothers saw big success spoofing current events, strange news, and politicians in 2010, but it seems "Auto-tuning the news" has now officially become an even more global phenomenon.

4 in the Afternoon: Born This Guy

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Born This Way Inception Guy Front View Boys Joey the Junior Reporter
  1. Lady Gaga's newest video just hit YouTube. How big will it go? As seen on Vulture.
  2. One of the Top Trending Videos from this weekend and today is this short sketch parodying Oscar-nominee Inception.
  3. Last week, the "rear view girls" scored a viral hit by attaching a camera to the back of their pants. Now, some YouTube comedians have turned the tables with this parody. As seen on Urlesque.
  4. Another Trending Video from the weekend was this series of Blackhawks locker room interviews conducted by Joey the Junior Reporter.

Charlie Sheen Reaction: Rants, Animation, & Song

Actor Charlie Sheen has dominated celebrity headlines of late, culminating with producers' decision to halt production on CBS' "Two and a Half Men" and series of rants/interviews drawing public attention.

The first part of Sheen's interview with Alex Jones of InfoWars has been viewed over 200,000 times since it was posted on Friday. Today, Sheen's interview on "Good Morning America" is now also drawing attention.

A search for "Charlie Sheen" videos on YouTube will deliver over 1,400 results from just the past week. While you'll find a celebrity and news reports around the actor, you'll also find some interesting reactions from the YouTube community.

Some are more elaborate, like this take NMAWorldEdition, the popular CGI animators from Taiwan that have built a global following:



Slate also produced an Xtranormal video using a transcript of Sheen's comments.

Other videos are from YouTube users directly weighing in on the recent outbursts in various forms. Here's a playlists with eight clips from the past few days (some strong language):

Inside YouTube Search

Every morning, we comb through YouTube's search data to investigate top spiking search terms and the videos they lead to:
  • inside job trailer - After its win at last night's Academy Awards, the trailer for this documentary was a top spiking search.

  • ray j last wish - The video may have come out in December, but this song is rising in searches today.

  • melissa leo - After last night's awards, Melissa Leo saw a boost in searches following the expletive she dropped in her acceptance.

4 in the Morning: Candy Marshmallow Launch

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Shuttle Launch from Above Candy Challenge Motorist Rams Cyclists Marshmallow People
  1. One of the weekend's Most Shared videos is this footage of Thursday's shuttle launch captured from aboard a nearby airplane.
  2. One of the weekend's top Trending Videos is this home movie of some children who might be drawing the attention of some Cirque du Soleil scouts.
  3. Shocking video from Friday's Critical Mass cycling event in Brazil in which a driver appears to accelerate into a crowd of participants at high speed. According to reports, no one was killed. As seen on Reddit. Discretion advised.
  4. Bizarre? Hilarious? Surreal? Confusing? However you feel about Jason Steele's shorts, they've been seen nearly 150 million times. The latest animation from the "Charlie the Unicorn" creator is quickly drawing views and has been a top spiking search.

4 in the Afternoon: Jobs and Conflicts

February 25, 2011

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Get a Job Adele on Ellen Old Men Dueling Libyan Protests
  1. RayWilliamJohnson's most recent video tops today's Most Shared list.
  2. Adele's recent performance on Ellen is spreading across the interwebs today.
  3. One of today's top Trending Videos is of old men arguing with a surprising (and futuristic) twist.
  4. Violence continues on the streets of Tripoli as protesters clash with government forces.

Oscars 2011: Most Viewed Trailers

The 2011 Academy Awards are nearly upon us, and we went through the YouTube data to try to find out which trailers drew the most views from their debut up until Oscars weekend.

Perhaps not surprisingly, family-friendly Toy Story 3 tops this list, but Black Swan's high placement among the 10 might not be as predictable.



(May take a moment to load.)

* The view counts above are estimates based on the combined totals of each film's most-watched trailers.

4 in the Morning: Beard Chronicles

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Year of the Beard Oscar Winning Boston Movie Bulls on Parade Chronicles of Rick Roll
  1. We've seen other beard videos before, but none quite as creative as this "photo-a-day" montage that's among our top Trending Videos.
  2. A pitch-perfect satire of Boston-set films produced by Boston-based improv crew Improv Asylum. As seen on High Definite.
  3. The George Mason University band performs a Rage Against the Machine arrangement (excitedly). As seen on Daily Wh.at.
  4. Some of YouTube's most famous viral stars collide in this unlikely movie trailer. As seen on BuzzFeed.

Cee Lo Green and Parody of the Moment

February 24, 2011

The song has been around for months -- and so have some parodies -- but an argument could be made that Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" (the radio version of an originally more profane chorus) has just been hitting the big time. After last week's Grammy Awards, searches for "Cee Lo" on YouTube spiked to the highest that they've ever been, and remain at a level much higher than before.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that YouTube is seeing an parody influx of both versions of the song. The parody of the day that's hitting our Most Shared list is this take from the George Washington University Law School, of all places. Be warned, however: lots of profanity in that one and some of the others.

Here's a playlist with 10 clean ones -- of varying quality -- from just the past month:



(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

4 in the Afternoon: Tow Truck Camel

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Woman Wrecks Towing Office Big HS Dunk Happiness Truck Camel Crisis
  1. Viewer discretion advised. One of today's top Trending Videos is this footage of a woman destroying a towing company office. A local reporter for Michigan's WXMI happened to be at the location and caught it on tape.
  2. Jordan Green, a top basketball recruit in Texas, leaps over a defender to continue what has definitely been a week of big dunks. As seen on Prep Rally.
  3. Coca-Cola's latest "happiness machine" spot was shot in Rio De Janeiro and has racked up over 200,000 views in the past two days.
  4. Another Trending Video is this bystander clip purportedly from the taping of a "Daily Show" field report in Madison, WI involving an uncooperative camel.

Popular Abroad: Berry Confrontation

The clip below -- which been seen over 400,000 times and commented on over 3,000 times -- has been trending this week in Scandinavian and Baltic Countries, where it's drawn a big audience. While it was posted this week, it is said to have been shot in 2009. According to the description, it involves an Estonian man and Finnish police officers squaring off over the sale of some berries at an outdoor market.

While it may seem like a simple "standoff" clip, the uploader suggests altercation is symbolic of a labor issue in the region, where customs officers in Finland have reportedly been cracking down on the import of Estonian berries and mushrooms, which are produced at much lower cost and passed off as Finnish.

(Contains strong language.)

Inside YouTube Search

Every morning, we comb through YouTube's search data to investigate top spiking search terms and the videos they lead to:
  • carmelo anthony knicks - Carmelo Anthony is among the day's rising searches after his debut with with NY Knicks last night.

  • big bang tonight - South Korean pop group Big Bang is teasing their comeback album/special, set to debut tomorrow.

  • love language - Searches for these shorts are still up this morning.

4 in the Morning: Double Whip

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
iPad2 Review Miracle Whip Snow Slide T-Dub Double Up
  1. This "review" of the iPad2 has been among the Most Shared videos in Eastern Europe and has caught on in the United States as well.
  2. Only a "Jersey Shore" cast member could push a miracle whip commercial onto our Most Shared list.
  3. There is snow construction and there is Snow Construction. This family's front-yard sculpture is not messing around. As seen on Urlesque.
  4. Enjoyed last weekend's dunk contest? Here's a pretty impressive amateur one among our Trending Videos.

Around the World: Pump It

February 23, 2011

We know what the U.S. is watching, but here are some of the Most Viewed and Most Shared videos right now in different countries around the world:

POLAND:
Being literal.
JAPAN:
Goal!

NETHERLANDS:
Footage from a fire in Amsterdam Westpoort.
TAIWAN:
We'll leave this one open to you.


See more of what's popular in different locations nationally and around the world with our Trends Dashboard.

4 in the Afternoon: Ups and Downs

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
5 Perks of Having a Girlfriend Caltech Wins Misery Bear Goes to Work Adeu Barcelona
  1. One of today's Most Shared videos is this male perspective on dating and having a significant other. (Wonder who's sharing with who?)
  2. Fans storm the court as Caltech snaps a 26-year conference losing streak Tuesday evening. As seen on Deadspin.
  3. From BBC Comedy comes this black comedy involving a suicidal teddy bear. It's one of the most viewed comedy videos this week in a number of different countries. BuzzFeed.
  4. Upon his departure from Barcelona, Lucas Jatobá used balloons and theater tickets to say thank you to the city that made him so happy. This video has been very popular in its home country, Spain. As seen on newslite.

Young Singer Goes Big After Gaga Tweet

10-year-old Maria Aragon began posting her talents in April of 2008 when her sister shared this version of a Taylor Swift song. Since that day, she's done about 70 covers, which had drawn under 200,000 views combined up until late January.

On February 16th, she posted her latest video, a cover of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," and it's become the #2 most-viewed video of the past week and has drawn over 12 million views.

Gaga herself tweeted the video on the morning of the 17th saying, "Can't stop crying watching this. This is why I make music. She is the future." The video was heavily shared that day -- and became one of our top spiking searches --and has been among each day's Most Shared videos almost every day since.

You can see on the chart below how the video's popularity shot up that day. You'll also notice that it's still averaging over a million views per day.

Inside YouTube Search

Every morning, we comb through YouTube's search data to investigate top spiking search terms and the videos they lead to:
  • love language - Searches are up for the short film "Love Language," which some students recently remade for a school project.

  • foo fighters rope - The Foo Fighters have released a new single and the clip is drawing a rise in search.

  • glee don't you want me - Glee's version of "Don't You Want Me" is seeing a spike after last night's episode.

4 in the Morning: Sweet Dancing Job

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Job FIRST Sweet Child O' Mine Interlude Dance Scale of the Universe
  1. Always enjoyable to hear a young girl who has her priorities in order at such a young age. As seen on BuzzFeed.
  2. This YouTube karaoke singer's Axl Rose imitation is so good that it's made this clip one of our top Trending Videos.
  3. Those kids from Northern Iowa are at it again showing off their "interlude dance" and appearing among our Trending Videos.
  4. Using a basketball and a tennis ball, one man demonstrates our misconceptions about the scale of the earth and the moon. As seen on Bits & Pieces.

4 in the Afternoon: Strip Beatboxing

February 22, 2011

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Coach Strips Animal Beatbox Organizing the Bookcase Password Please
  1. One of Tuesday's Trending videos is this footage of Colorado Eagles assistant coach Greg Pankewicz and his strong reaction to a call.
  2. This winner of the Tropfest Short Film Festival is among the most viewed videos in Australia.
  3. A stop-motion animation turning books on a bookshelf into art. As seen on VVVs.
  4. The ACLU of Maryland interviews officer Robert Collins who claims he was asked to turn in his Facebook password during a background check for the Dept. of Corrections. As seen on Gawker.

NBA's All-Star Weekend: Griffin and Bieber

NBA highlight videos now regularly appear among our Most Shared on YouTube and so it was not surprising to see a rise in YouTube activity around this weekend's All-Star festivities.

Videos on the NBA's YouTube channel were viewed over 5 million times on Sunday, the biggest spike in views ever for the league's channel. The biggest star of the weekend was definitely Blake Griffin, who's drawn a huge YouTube following this season with his regular, highlight-ready in-game dunks, a phenomenon we examined at the start of the new year. Griffin took home the crown from the ever-popular dunk contest Saturday night after leaping over a Kia for the winning jam.

Griffin's clips drew the most overall views of any player -- over 2.62 million views total -- though, there was one person whose video could draw more views than even the NBA's most exciting player on All-Star weekend...

The highlight reel of Justin Bieber's Celebrity All-Star game performance drew over 1.12 million views, the most of any NBA All-Star Game video thus far. Both Griffin and Bieber are among the most searched celebrities on YouTube in their respective fields, sports and music. Here's how the five most-viewed All-Star videos stack up as of Tuesday afternoon:



Kid's got a pretty good crossover. (Click graph to view each video.)

Inside YouTube Search

Every morning, we comb through YouTube's search data to investigate top spiking search terms and the videos they lead to:
  • new zealand earthquake - Searches are spiking this morning for footage from the earthquake in New Zealand. You can view CitizenTube's curated collection here.

  • asu fight - There is a rise in searches today for footage of this brawl supposedly in the Alabama State University cafeteria. (Contains profanity.)

  • undertaker and triple h return - The return of The Undertaker last night has led to a rise in searches for these WWE wrestling stars.

  • angry birds cake - One of today's 4@4 AM videos is also a rising search this morning.

Footage: Earthquake in New Zealand

Overnight, footage continued appearing on YouTube from a large earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand late yesterday evening, United States-time. CitizenTube is curating the video here.

Here's one example:

4 in the Morning: Juicy Shots

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Extra Juicy Monmouth Trick Shots Angry Bird Cake Miracle Shot
  1. Among our Trending Videos is this parody version of Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy," the latest rap satire performed by a President Obama impersonator.
  2. Monmouth College quarterback Alex Tanney's new video claims to be better than other incredible trick shot videos we've seen lately. It is among Monday's Most Shared.
  3. A six-year-old gets a birthday surprise with this functioning "Angry Birds" video game cake. As seen on Reddit.
  4. This unlikely buzzer-beater (1:56 mark) propelled Murrieta Valley High School to the next round of the playoffs. As seen on Prep Rally

4 at 4: President's Day

February 21, 2011

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Dunking over a Car Protesters Destroy Green Book All of the Lights Black Mamba
  1. One of Sunday's Trending Videos and a top spiking search throughout the day was the highlight of Blake Griffin's contest-winning dunk over a Kia.
  2. Dramatic footage continued to come in over the weekend from protests in Libya as well as Morocco, Yemen, and Iran. The curated videos can be viewed at CitizenTube.
  3. Kanye West's latest video hit YouTube Friday and has picked up around two million views over the weekend.
  4. Kobe Bryant's latest Nike ad, a star-studded spot by Robert Rodriguez, was one of the weekend's Most Shared videos.

Trendy Rugby Videos: New Zealand vs Australia

February 18, 2011

It's not unusual to see two sports videos appear among our Trending Videos. It is unusual for those two videos to be rugby videos, which was the case this week. Also interesting is the fact that one is a direct parody of the other.

Last week, New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks, released a summer skills video that drew nearly half a million views. This week, the Waratahs of New South Wales, Australia released a mocking "skills video" of their own that's also drawn a big audience. Compare the two below.

All BlacksWaratahs


It's been a big week for sports "trick shots." Learn why here.

4 in the Afternoon: Fireworks

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.
Epic Goal Another Real Life Mario Kart Firework Clash in Tehran
  1. Ross Barron, a 19-year-old with down syndrome, scored his first varsity goal last week for Louisiana's Pineville HS in his final game. As seen on Prep Rally.
  2. You may have seen Remi Gaillard's real life Mario Kart, now YouTube filmmaker Freddie Wong has created his own special-effects-heavy version that's one of Friday's Most Shared videos.
  3. This shirtless-dude version of Katy Perry's "Firework" from Arkansas is one of the Most Shared videos today in Tulsa and Memphis, two big cities that sandwich the state.
  4. This nearly 20-minute video takes you directly inside an alleged confrontation between protesters and police in Tehran. See more at CitizenTube.
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