YouTube turns 20: From 'Lazy Sunday' to 'Hot Ones'

Live Events
The video is short -- just 19 seconds -- and not particularly compelling. A viewer would be forgiven for clicking away before it ends.The grainy footage, uploaded on April 23, 2005, of a man standing in front of the elephant enclosure at the San Diego Zoo -- "All right, so here we are in front of the elephants" -- does not look like the sort of thing that would touch off a video revolution.And yet, two decades after that inauspicious start, YouTube is now a cornerstone of the media ecosystem. It's where people go for music videos and four-hour-long hotel reviews. It is a platform for rising stars and conspiracy theorists. It's a repository for vintage commercials and 10 hours of ambient noise. It has disrupted traditional television and given rise to a world of video creators who make content catering to every imaginable niche interest.For every YouTube video you have watched, there are hundreds of millions you will never see.Here's a look back at some of the biggest moments in YouTube history.The first video uploaded on YouTube is titled "Me at the zoo," and it shows one of the platform's founders, Jawed Karim, admiring the elephants at the San Diego Zoo. Karim founded YouTube in February 2005 with Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, but left the venture in 2006.The "Saturday Night Live" music video "Lazy Sunday" was perhaps the first YouTube video to go viral. The video, featuring the cast members Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg rapping about cupcakes and movie snacks, was immediately uploaded by fans after it aired December 17, 2005. The spread of bootleg clips prompted NBC Universal to ask YouTube to remove the clip and other NBC footage for copyright reasons in February 2006.YouTube swiftly became a home for viral hits, which in 2006 included "Flea Market Montgomery," "Charlie the Unicorn" and "Evolution of Dance."Viacom, Microsoft and Yahoo expressed interest in buying YouTube, attracted by its growing audience. In October 2006, Google announced that it was acquiring the platform for $1.65 billion."Chocolate Rain," "Charlie Bit My Finger," "Shoes" and "Leave Britney Alone" were among the YouTube videos that caused a stir in 2007.So did home videos of a little Canadian kid with a big voice, who was building a small legion of fans. Crucially, they also attracted the interest of the R&B singer and songwriter Usher, and an aspiring music manager, Scooter Braun. Braun signed the kid, Justin Bieber, and Bieber Fever ensued.David DeVore Sr. posted a video of his 7-year-old son, David, after a tooth extraction to share with family, but the video of the loopy and screaming child, "David After Dentist," shot around the internet.The younger David said in an interview on Tamron Hall's talk show in January that learning he was famous "came to me in pieces.""I was 7 when it first happened, and a week later we were in New York for the first time," he said.Eating crabs. Tapping fingernails. Whispering the names of items on a grocery receipt. For some, these sounds trigger a brain-tingling sensation now recognized as Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR, a term coined in 2010.YouTube was already filled with terrible songs by amateurs when a music video for "Friday," by 13-year-old Rebecca Black, caught the attention of the public and was eviscerated by armchair critics online.Black is still making music and working as a DJ. This spring and summer, she is a guest on Katy Perry's tour and on the Solid Pink Disco tour headlined by drag artist Trixie Mattel."Kony 2012" did not fit into an existing mold for viral content. It was 30 minutes long, created by a nonprofit group, Invisible Children, and was about a Central African warlord, Joseph Kony.And yet, the video had 100 million views only a week after it was released, with help from celebrity supporters including Bieber, Kim Kardashian and Oprah Winfrey."Kony 2012" ultimately had a mixed legacy, and Kony's location remains unknown. A hearing on the war crimes and crimes against humanity charges against him is scheduled for Sept. 9 at the International Criminal Court at The Hague.Psy, a South Korean singer and rapper, released a music video for his song "Gangnam Style" in July 2012, and by the end of that year it had become the first video on the internet to reach 1 billion views. In 2022, Psy told The New York Times that the song's success haunted him."The songs are written by the same person, the dance moves are by the same person and they're performed by the same person. Everything's the same, but what was so special about that one song?" Psy said. "I still don't know, to this day."The musician T-Pain was for years best known, and often criticized, for hits that leaned heavily on Auto-Tune. That changed when he appeared on NPR's Tiny Desk concert series, singing beautifully without digital effects in a performance that silenced his online critics.The Tiny Desk series, which began in 2008, continues to produce pop culture moments. In the past year, popular Tiny Desk performances have included Doechii and Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso.A popular YouTube genre is unboxing, which features people taking cellphones, makeup, vacuum cleaners and other products out of their packaging and describing them in clinical detail.One of the most successful creators of unboxing videos is Marques Brownlee. He has unboxed items including an original, sealed iPhone, a PlayStation 5 and AirPods Max headphones. After years of reviewing technology for a growing audience, he graduated from college and became a full-time YouTube creator in May 2015. Today, he has 19.9 million subscribers and is a respected voice on consumer technology.The world domination of "Baby Shark" began quietly, when a video of the song was posted on YouTube in November 2015 by SmartStudy, a Seoul-based company that produced children's videos under the Pinkfong brand.Pinkfong remixed the song, adding a new beat, and dropped the inescapable version of "Baby Shark" in June 2016. In November 2020, it became the most viewed YouTube video ever. At 15.8 billion views, it still is.Music videos dominate YouTube's most-watched lists, but none have topped "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi, featuring Daddy Yankee. The video was filmed in Puerto Rico, where both artists are from, and is the most watched music video on YouTube. It is also one of the most watched videos ever, with more than 8.7 billion views.Like all social media platforms, YouTube has been in a constant struggle to determine what content it will allow. In 2018, it joined several other companies in removing most posts and videos from the right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his website, Infowars.Other prominent voices who have been restricted on the platform include President Donald Trump and Andrew Tate, an influencer known for his misogynistic views and ostentatious displays of wealth. (YouTube reversed its suspension of Trump's account in March 2023.)Countless video call gaffes were lost to history during the coronavirus pandemic. One that was preserved featured a Texas lawyer, Rod Ponton, who could not figure out how to turn off a Zoom filter that made him look like a gray cat with sad eyes when he joined a virtual hearing in civil forfeiture case. "I'm here live," Ponton told the court. "I'm not a cat."Ponton has since embraced his brush with internet fame. "It did let everybody have a moment of humor and a moment of sanity during the dark days of the pandemic," he told the Times this year. "I'm glad it happened, even at my expense."Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, created a YouTube account when he was in middle school, in 2012. He eventually found success with a video format that involved giving money to people in need, and he has for years been one of the most popular creators on the platform. His most popular video is "$456,000 Squid Game In Real Life!" from November 2021.Podcasts, once an audio-only medium, are now frequently recorded on video and posted on YouTube.In the final quarter of 2023, 16 of the top 30 podcasts were available as filmed videos, according to a Times analysis of data published by Edison Research. In the same period two years earlier, seven of the top 30 podcasts were available as filmed videos."Hot Ones," the interview show in which guests sample increasingly spicy hot sauces on chicken (or vegan) wings, had several hit episodes by the time Conan O'Brien, a fixture of traditional television, made an appearance.His unhinged performance -- he appears to come unglued as he swigs sauce straight from the bottle -- had "Conan O'Brien" trending online for days. "Many of my friends went online and thought I died," he said.Chicken-based interview shows are now a recognized stop on the celebrity PR circuit, with "Chicken Shop Date," hosted by Amelia Dimoldenberg, producing its own set of viral moments.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

34 minutes ago

• Time of India

Samay Raina's India's Got Latent returns to YouTube; Months after controversy: Fans call it 'Best comeback ever'

After a turbulent four-month hiatus, comedian Samay Raina's popular YouTube talent show India's Got Latent has quietly staged a digital comeback—this time through a new clips channel. The return comes months after a major controversy involving fellow YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia forced the original channel to pull down all content and sparked legal action. The Controversy that took the show offline Earlier in 2025, India's Got Latent found itself at the center of a public and legal firestorm after Ranveer Allahbadia allegedly made an inappropriate comment to a contestant. The backlash was swift and severe and the FIRs were reportedly filed not only against Ranveer but also co-panelists Samay Raina, Apoorva Mukhija, and Ashish Chanchlani . The fallout prompted Samay to take down all episodes from his official channel. He further released a statement expressing emotional exhaustion and regret. 'Everything that is happening has been too much for me to handle,' he wrote. 'My only objective was to make people laugh and have a good time.' A Quiet Comeback With Loyal Support Now, the show's revival on a separate platform—India's Got Latent Clips—has taken the internet by surprise. Including public and previously members-only content, over 500 videos are reuploaded. Fans are celebrating the return. The comment sections are overflowing with enthusiasm, with messages like 'Finallyyyyyyyy… comeback ho hi gaya Latent ka' and 'Best comeback everrr.' While the revival lacks the pomp of a full-scale relaunch, it indicates that the show's core community has remained firmly in place. What's Next for Samay Raina? Even as India's Got Latent finds its way back into the YouTube algorithm, host Samay Raina is far from idle. The comedian is currently on an international stand-up tour that spans Europe, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The tour kicked off on June 5 and will wrap up in Sydney on July 20. Samay Raina Speaks Out, DELETES All India's Got Latent Videos From YouTube: 'Too Much To Handle'

First Post

35 minutes ago

• First Post

Karisma Kapoor's ex-husband Sunjay Kapur remembered by his sibling Mandhira, here's everything you need to know about his sisters

The post also got a reaction from the businessman's first wife Nandita Mahtani. Kapur passed away on June 12 after he suffered a heart attack read more Karisma Kapoor's ex-husband and businessman Sunjay Kapoor passed away in England while playing Polo on Thursday due to a heart attack at the age of 53 in England. As per new reports, Sunjay swallowed a bee by mistake during a game of polo, which led to a heart attack. The businessman's sister Mandhira shared a long note along with their childhood pictures. The post also got a reaction from the businessman's first wife Nandita Mahtani. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mandhira wrote- 'My brother and I may not have spoken for the last 4 years, a silly sibling squabble escalated to crazy levels due to egos and natural bullishness, however, that will never take back what we were and what we had.' She added, 'I miss my dear brother and to think I will never see him again in this life is a hard truth, I know he is now with Dad and one day we will all be together once more but it is not enough. Thank you to everyone for all of your condolences, sincere wishes and kind words.' Nandita replied to the story with a heart, and so did his other sibling Superna Motwane. Anaita Shroff Adajania said, 'Big Hug,' followed by a heart. Another user said, 'So deeply sorry for your loss and I reached out to an estranged friend after reading this.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Who are the businessman's sisters Mandhira is an entrepreneur and also has a YouTube page whose link she has shared on her Instagram bio. Superna Motwane on the other hand is a Former Editor, ELLE India, former Editor-in-Chief /Publisher L'Officiel, India, L'Officiel Hommes. Dr Farah Husain, a senior anaesthesiologist and intensivist in New Delhi shared that a bee sting can be life-threatening. The bee sting Reports have said the businessman had a net–worth of Rs 10,300 crore. Sunjay and Karisma Kapoor tied the knot in 2003 and filed for divorce 13 years later. The couple has two children- Kiaan and Samaira. His youngest son, Azarias (with his third wife Priya Sachdev), is just 6.

Time of India

an hour ago

• Time of India

India's Got Latent to return soon? New update on YouTube sparks hope among fans

After facing backlash for a controversial comment about parents on India's Got Latent , comedian Samay Raina removed all his videos from his YouTube channel. Now, he is reportedly set to return, much to the excitement of his eager fans. The hope comes as the channel which was made private is now seen on YouTube. Following the backlash, segments from the show have resurfaced online—but not on the original channel. Instead, they are now appearing on a newly active page titled India's Got Latent Clips . Following the controversy involving Ranveer Allahbadia, the YouTube channel, which hosted 522 videos including exclusive material, has set all its content to private, according to social media reports. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Seniors Are Snapping Up This TV Box, We Explain! Techno Mag Learn More Undo Fans of Samay took to Reddit to express their excitement about his comeback on YouTube. One user added it up perfectly, saying, 'Sab Samay ka khel hai.' Another shared their observations, mentioning, 'I watched a few clips, they have beeped out most of the abuses, it seems, before making them public.' A third user said, 'Now that it has arrived, the Samay Raina channel will also return, right?' What was the controversy? During the episode, Ranveer asked a contestant a controversial question which received laughter from the panel, including host Samay Raina, but left many viewers outraged. Critics condemned the remark as offensive and inappropriate, triggering a wave of online criticism. Live Events The controversy quickly became a trending topic on X, with users both criticizing Ranveer's comments and sharing memes mocking the situation. Some users sarcastically compared his behavior to his usual motivational persona on his BeerBiceps platform. Others called for stricter regulations on online content, arguing that unrestricted humor is becoming problematic.