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YouTube and NBC News present Democratic primary debate in South Carolina
December 16, 2015
From presidential candidates
launching their campaigns
, to YouTube creators
discussing issues that matter to their communities
, to
light-hearted moments
along the campaign trail, you’ve already been following the 2016 U.S. election from multiple angles on YouTube.
Now you can watch the candidates debate on YouTube, too.
Next month, we’ll join together with NBC News to present the final DNC sanctioned Democratic presidential debate before the first caucus and primary votes are cast—with the action live streamed on YouTube. The NBC News-YouTube Democratic Candidates Debate, hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and moderated by Lester Holt, will take place on Sunday, January 17, 2016, in Charleston, S.C., airing on NBC from 9-11 p.m. ET and streamed live on the
NBC News YouTube channel
.
With so many YouTube fans following this election closely, of course there will be an opportunity for you to get involved. Along with Google Trends data, the debate will feature questions from the YouTube community. Look out for more information on how you can engage in the coming weeks.
Since 2005 you’ve made YouTube a home for global politics, and today you watch more than 5 million hours of news on YouTube every day. Over the course of 2016, you’ll be able to find all of the major election moments unfold on YouTube—tune in to the
NBC News YouTube channel
January 17 to kick off the election year.
Posted by Brandon Feldman, YouTube News, and Steve Grove, Google News Lab
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What makes us Human?
September 11, 2015
Over the past three years, filmmaker and artist Yann Arthus-Bertrand travelled to 60 countries, interviewing more than 2,000 people in dozens of languages, in an attempt to answer the question: What is it that makes us human? The result is
HUMAN
, a documentary film that weaves together a rich collection of stories from freedom fighters in Ukraine, farmers in Mali, death row inmates in the United States, and more—on topics that unite us all: love, justice, family, and the future of our planet.
Now we’re partnering with Arthus-Bertrand, the Goodplanet Foundation and Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, to bring HUMAN to you on Google Play, YouTube and the Google Cultural Institute so we can share this project with the widest audience throughout the world.
Watch an extended version of the film on YouTube and Google Play
We’re making HUMAN available on YouTube starting September 12, and later on Google Play. This “director’s cut”of three 90-minute films will be available in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. On YouTube, you can also watch extra footage including interviews with figures like United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, animal rights activist Jane Goodall and actress Cameron Diaz, all of whom participated in the film.
Explore HUMAN with the Google Cultural Institute
Over at the
Google Cultural Institute
, you can learn about the origin of the film and listen to anecdotes from the people who brought it to life. You can also meet the characters in and around the movie in their daily lives, with six exhibits of behind the scenes photos and videos that let you explore how HUMAN was made over three years. This includes a collection highlighting how the director shot the aerial views that are a signature of Arthus-Bertrand’s filmmaking.
Exhibitions on Google the Cultural Institute platform
Learn more about this project at
g.co/humanthemovie
or on the
HUMAN Behind The Scenes mobile app
, available on Google Play. With HUMAN, we want to help citizens around the world connect together. So we’d like to hear your answer to the question of what makes us human. Add your voice to the conversation with #WhatMakesUsHUMAN.
Posted by Raphael Goumain, Head of Consumer Marketing, France
YouTube A to Z: #HappyBirthdayYouTube
May 29, 2015
Every adventure starts somewhere, and YouTube’s began on Saturday, April 23, 2005, when "Me at the Zoo" became the first video uploaded to a new site no one had ever heard of. Captured at California's San Diego Zoo, the clip is a 19-second description of
what exactly makes elephants so cool
. Its brief runtime and casual setup suggest little of the online video craziness that would follow over the subsequent decade.
But it turns out “Me at the Zoo” proved to be a simple distillation of the premise of the new platform, where anyone could just turn on a camera and broadcast themselves with ease. Who could have predicted that, in that same environment,
new
genres
, new forms of
expression
, and new paths to
stardom
would evolve? That engaging and unique personalities borne of this place could be
more influential
than Hollywood's biggest names? Or that
more than a billion people
from all corners of the globe would come together in that space to experience what the world creates, broadcasts, and shares?
Yeah. We were
surprised
, too.
For our 10th birthday this month, we've gone
from A to Z
celebrating the
adorable
,
empowering
,
awesome
,
weird and wonderful
moments that represent the many sides of YouTube. But, of course, if we're really going to capture 10 years of YouTube, we're going to need to do it in … a video:
Thanks for a wild and inspiring 10 years. Now, you've got
300
hours
of video to capture and share in the next minute
. So get back to it!
**Bonus Points: How well do you know YouTube, A to Z? Play the YouTube trivia game to find out at
YouTube.com/10
.
Posted by the YouTube Team
Our first building block in tech for tykes: YouTube Kids
February 23, 2015
When we were kids, if we wanted to learn more about gorillas or how to make friendship bracelets, our parents pointed us to an encyclopedia, or took us to the library. When we wanted to watch cartoons, we eagerly awaited Saturday morning. Today’s kids have it even better—they have all of these options, plus a world of knowledge and information at their fingertips via the Internet. That opens up wonderful opportunities, but also can cause some worry for those of us who are parents.
So
over the past year
, teams across Google—including many passionate parents—have been looking at how families are using our products, and how we can make it easier for children and parents to explore and play together. We decided to start with YouTube.
For years, families have come to YouTube, watching countless hours of videos on a variety of topics. And today, we’re launching YouTube Kids, a new family-friendly app that makes it easy for kids to explore a vast selection of videos on any topic.
In the new YouTube Kids app, available on Android and iOS in the U.S., videos are narrowed to focus on content that is appropriate for the whole family. You might explore DIY arts and crafts, learn how to find the circumference of a circle, or watch favorites from Mother Goose Club to Minecraft, as well as new series from National Geographic Kids and Reading Rainbow. And there are more train videos than even you can count.
We’ve designed the app to be easier for kids to use, with a brighter and bigger interface that’s perfect for small thumbs and pudgy fingers. For parents, we’ve built in options that let you decide how your family uses the app, including the ability to set viewing limits with a timer.
Head over to
YouTube’s blog
to learn more. This is just our first step—we’ll keep tinkering and hope to have more great products for your family soon.
Posted by Pavni Diwanji, VP of Engineering, and Shimrit Ben-Yair, Product Manager, both moms of two
Shooting stars and puppy ads: How the world watched the big game
February 2, 2015
From a “
super brawl
” to a giant lion, yesterday’s big game was filled with many notable moments. That’s true on YouTube and Google too—people watched more game-day ads and teaser videos on YouTube than ever before, YouTube hosted its first-ever halftime show, and a throwback PSA became a top trending search term. Here’s a look at the top trending searches, videos and more across Google and YouTube:
Battle of the brands
As the battle for football supremacy was taking place on the field, a very different one was raging across the country: Which ad would reign supreme? Whether via smartphone, tablet or laptop, people spent nearly 4 million hours watching game-day ads and teaser videos on YouTube—up from 2.2 million hours from this time last year.
This year’s most popular ads came from a wide range of advertisers—newcomers and veterans alike. But one thing’s for certain—
puppies
,
pranks
, and
Kim Kardashian
continue to “break the Internet.” Here are some of the ads that scored big on YouTube so far:
Tom Brady and Missy Elliott dominate on search
While people turned to YouTube to watch the ads, people turned to Google to search for everything from “how old is Tom Brady” to “buffalo chicken dip recipes” to “Katy Perry Halftime performance.” Before kickoff, people asked Google “Why did John Travolta call Idina ‘Adele'?”—a throwback to John Travolta’s infamous mispronunciation of National Anthem performer Idina Menzel's name at the 2014 Oscars. Searchers were also interested in Menzel’s performance, asking “How long will it take Idina to sing the National Anthem?”
Tom Brady, Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson were the top three searched players before, during and after the game. Thanks to some standout in-game performances, by the end they were sharing the spotlight with Rob Gronkowski and Chris Matthews (replacing Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor). And MVP Tom Brady wasn’t just a winner on the field—he captured the title of “Most Searched Quarterback” in every state except for the Seahawks’ home Washington.
Of course, for many people the halftime show is the highlight of the night, and Katy Perry’s performance delivered. She came in on a lion, danced with sharks and went out on a star—one that was, for some, reminiscent of NBC’s old “The More You Know” PSAs. The phrase "the more you know" spiked 190x in search for the 10 minutes after Katy’s starry flight. And although Missy Elliott was a late addition to the halftime lineup, she was a popular topic in search. Top questions related to Missy Elliott included “When was Missy Elliott popular?” and “How does Katy Perry know Missy Elliott?”
A very YouTube halftime show
For the first time ever, this year YouTube hosted a halftime show produced by Collective Digital Studio, with the help of more than 25 YouTube creators including
Epic Meal Time
's Harley Morenstein as host,
Rhett & Link
,
Toby Turner
,
Freddie Wong
and
Tyler Ward
. From
Kurt Hugo Schneider
’s "Epic Patty Cake Song" to the “Elephant’s Toothpaste” science experiment with
Science Bob
, the show delivered a one-of-a-kind experience for YouTube fans.
With the last touchdown scored, we’re taking votes for your favorite ad, so visit our
AdBlitz channel
to cast your ballot before voting ends on February 9 at 11:59pm ET.
Whether you’re a loyal 12th man or a Boston fan for life, chances are you turned to YouTube and Google to watch your favorite ads, answer your questions or witness a new generation of halftime entertainment. We’re happy we could be a part of your game.
Posted by Riki Nakasuji, Sports & Gaming Sponsorships Manager, YouTube
YouTube Creators interview President Obama following the State of the Union
January 15, 2015
Every year since 2010
, President Obama has turned to YouTube and Google after his State of the Union speech to answer questions that are top of mind for the American people. Asked through YouTube video submissions or live via Google+ Hangouts, these questions always bring an interesting perspective to the issues the president addresses in his speech. This year we’re doing something we’ve never done before: bringing a handful of YouTube creators directly to the White House to talk with the president in person in a live broadcast on Thursday, January 22.
YouTube creators
Bethany Mota
,
GloZell Green
and
Hank Green
will interview President Obama about the top concerns facing them and their audiences. Over the next few days, the creators will ask you to share the questions you have for the president, some of which may be asked during the interview. In years past, people across the United States have used this interview to ask important questions about jobs, immigration and even
Valentine’s Day
. Use #YouTubeAsksObama on social media to suggest issues that are important to you or any questions that are on your mind.
Finally, don’t forget to tune in on January 20 at 9 p.m. EST to watch the
State of the Union address
, as well as the
Republican response
, live on YouTube.
Posted by Steve Grove, Director, News Lab
“The Interview” now available on Google Play and YouTube Movies
December 24, 2014
Last Wednesday Sony began contacting a number of companies, including Google, to ask if we’d be able to make their movie, "The Interview," available online. We'd had a similar thought and were eager to help—though given everything that’s happened, the security implications were very much at the front of our minds.
Of course it was tempting to hope that something else would happen to ensure this movie saw the light of day. But after discussing all the issues, Sony and Google agreed that we could not sit on the sidelines and allow a handful of people to determine the limits of free speech in another country (however silly the content might be).
So starting at 10 a.m. PST in the U.S., you can rent or buy "The Interview" on
Google Play
and
YouTube Movies
. It will also be available to
Xbox Video customers
and via www.seetheinterview.com.
Update
3:44p.m. PST
: "The Interview" is now also available in Canada.
Posted by David Drummond, SVP Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer
#YouTubeRewind 2014: Celebrating what you created, watched and shared
December 9, 2014
2014 was chock full of YouTube moments that vaulted into pop culture. We got pranked by a
spider dog
in Poland, learned what it’s like to walk the street for
10 hours as a woman
in NYC, and watched total strangers share a
first kiss
. We
laughed
, we
cried
, and yes, we sang along to “
Let It Go
” roughly a bajillion times.
In celebration of the people, memes and moments that made up an epic year, more than 100 YouTube creators gathered together for
our annual Rewind video
: a giant, global mashup looking back at the best of 2014 on YouTube. With creators from Japan, Germany, Israel, Mexico, France and beyond, it’s the biggest and most international Rewind video yet.
And here are the top trending videos for 2014, based on views, shares, comments, likes and more. This year, the list represents the amazing variety of creativity brought to YouTube each day, which can include social commentaries, pranks, advertisements, and thrilling moments from traditional media and big names on YouTube. Collectively these 10 videos have hundreds of millions of views from creators, with more than 21 million cumulative subscribers.
1.
Mutant Giant Spider Dog (SA Wardega)
by
SA Wardega
2.
Nike Football: Winner Stays. ft. Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Rooney, Ibrahimović, Iniesta & more
by
Nike Football
3.
FIRST KISS
by
Tatia PIlieva
4.
The Voice IT | Serie 2 | Blind 2 | Suor Cristina Scuccia - #TEAMJ-AX
by
TheVoiceOf Italy
5.
iPhone 6 Plus Bend Test
by
Unbox Therapy
6.
Bars & Melody - Simon Cowell's Golden Buzzer act | Britain's Got Talent 2014
by
Britain's Got Talent
7.
Budweiser Super Bowl XLVIII Commercial -- "Puppy Love"
by
Budweiser
8.
Devil Baby Attack
by
DevilsDueNYC
9.
Goku vs Superman. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 3.
by
ERB
10.
10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman
by
Street HarassmentVideo
When it comes to music, it was a year of powerful female artists, as you can see from our list of top music videos: Women artists took eight of the top 10 spots (Shakira took two!). 2014's top 10 music videos were collectively played billions of times from channels with 55+ million subscribers.
1.
Katy Perry - Dark Horse (Official) ft. Juicy J
2.
Enrique Iglesias - Bailando (Español) ft. Descemer Bueno, Gente De Zona
3.
Shakira - Can't Remember to Forget You ft. Rihanna
4.
Shakira - La La La (Brazil 2014) ft. Carlinhos Brown
5.
Jason Derulo - "Wiggle" feat. Snoop Dogg (Official HD Music Video)
6.
Iggy Azalea - Fancy (Explicit) ft. Charli XCX
7.
Sia - Chandelier (Official Video)
8.
Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
9.
Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass
10.
Nicki Minaj - Anaconda
...and check out even more
top music videos
.
Check out our
YouTube Rewind channel
for more top videos of the year from around the world, and our YouTube Brand channel to see a mashup of the top branded videos of the year and a list of the top ads on YouTube for the year. You can also visit google.com/2014 next week for Google's annual look at the people, places and events that captured the world's attention.
Posted by Kevin Allocca, Head of Culture & Trends
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