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99 Ways YouTube Has Redefined 'Viral'

— March 7, 2009 — Pop Culture
YouTube has successfully established itself as the go-to place for user-submitted viral video content. It's a place where 14-year-old boys, 93-year-old grandmas and the Pope all have the same opportunity to capture coveted video plays and viral traffic.

The YouTube innovations you'll see below are every bit as diverse as the videos on YouTube itself. There are viral videos, of course, from poor Miss South Carolina to Judson Laipply's "Evolution of Dance" performances. There are also YouTube celebrities, from a baby balladeer to the eponymous chef of "Depression Cooking with Clara."

Click through the giant cluster below to relive the best moments in YouTube viral history.
5.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
92
Explosive Commentary Video
Explosive Commentary Video
YouTube 'Comment Fight!' Clip Chastises Frivolous Word Fights
<
91
Web-Enabled Catholicism
Web-Enabled Catholicism
Pope Benedict Launches YouTube Channel
<
90
YouTube Usage Analytics for Marketers
YouTube Usage Analytics for Marketers
YouTube Insight
<
89
YouTube Live Video
YouTube Live Video
Coming Later This Year
<
88
YouTube Dance Superstars
YouTube Dance Superstars
Judson Laipply Rocks Over 1M Views in Evolution of Dance Part 2
<
87
Video Bookvertising
Video Bookvertising
Selling Books Using Youtube Helps Self-Publishers Get Discovered
<
86
Geriatric YouTube Stars
Geriatric YouTube Stars
OAP Internet Stars
<
85
YouTube Censorship
YouTube Censorship
Terrorists and Guns Axed on Site
<
84
Interactive Election Day Documentaries
Interactive Election Day Documentaries
“Video Your Vote” for PBS and YouTube
<
83
Movie Reviews By Seniors on YouTube
Movie Reviews By Seniors on YouTube
Reel Geezers
<
82
YouTube Rick Rolling its Own Users
YouTube Rick Rolling its Own Users
<
81
YouTube For Hoax Debunking
YouTube For Hoax Debunking
Is Big Brother Watching? Hidden Camera In Digital TV Converter
<
80
Musicians & Celebs Get Political
Musicians & Celebs Get Political
Obama "Yes We Can" on YouTube
<
79
Celebs On YouTube
Celebs On YouTube
Paul McCartney's Video Fuels Nodding Trend
<
78
Celebs On YouTube
Celebs On YouTube
Jim Carrey Protests For Prisoner Release
<
77
YouTube Mockery
YouTube Mockery
‘The Renewed Mind' Features The Ultimate in Cheese
<
76
Sarah Palin Music Tributes
Sarah Palin Music Tributes
'Song for Sarah' is a Russian YouTube Hit
<
75
Free Botox For YouTube Posts
Free Botox For YouTube Posts
Innovative Surgery Promotions
<
74
YouTube's Biggest Endorsement Money Can't Buy
YouTube's Biggest Endorsement Money Can't Buy
Oprah Channel
<
73
Un-PC YouTube Channels
Un-PC YouTube Channels
'Pythonline' is Monty Python Digital Playground
<
72
YouTube for Scientists
YouTube for Scientists
SciVee Video Sharing
<
71
Church on Youtube
Church on Youtube
Community Churches Get Digital
<
70
Youtube Enabled Cameras
Youtube Enabled Cameras
The Casio Youtube Capture
<
69
Online Divorce Feuds
Online Divorce Feuds
Air Your Dirty Laundry On YouTube
<
68
Halloween YouTube Contest
Halloween YouTube Contest
Miss Horrorfest 2007
<
67
Uninhibited Adult Hissy Fits
Uninhibited Adult Hissy Fits
YouTube Offers Woman Fame After Public Airport Freak-Out
<
66
YouTube Spin-Offs
YouTube Spin-Offs
Lonely Girl 15 in “LG 15: The Resistance”
<
65
Mashups of YouTube Virals
Mashups of YouTube Virals
Mixers Fuse Multiple YouTube Hits to Cash In
<
64
The Viral Effect of Laughing Gas
The Viral Effect of Laughing Gas
Is ‘David After Dentist' the Next Big YouTube Hit?
<
63
Olympic VOD
Olympic VOD
Beijing Games YouTube Channel
<
62
Viral YouTube Spoof
Viral YouTube Spoof
The Evolution of Dance With Optimus Prime
<
61
Presidents on YouTube
Presidents on YouTube
Obama's Weekly Address Online
<
60
YouTube Classes
YouTube Classes
College Vlogging Lessons
<
59
YouTube's First Hit Sitcom
YouTube's First Hit Sitcom
Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager
<
58
Spooks on YouTube
Spooks on YouTube
Haunted Swing Proof of Ghosts
<
57
Spoiled Superbowl Ads
Spoiled Superbowl Ads
Youtube Ruins Ford's Fun...
<
56
Viral Baby Balladeers
Viral Baby Balladeers
2-Year-Old Covers “Hey Jude” by the Beatles, Has 6.5MM YouTube V
<
55
Trekkie Feud
Trekkie Feud
YouTube Gives Shatner a Shot At George Takei
<
54
Recruiting Viral YouTube Stars
Recruiting Viral YouTube Stars
Bonds Commercial Stars Freestyler
<
53
DIY YouTube HD
DIY YouTube HD
Four Screens, One Video
<
52
YouTube Recruiting (Part 2)
YouTube Recruiting (Part 2)
Cistercian Monks Get Universal Music Deal
<
51
YouTube on Your Home Television
YouTube on Your Home Television
Netgear Internet TV Player (CES 2009)
<
50
Songs From YouTube Samples
Songs From YouTube Samples
Kutiman's Viral ‘ThruYOU' YouTube Remixes
<
49
Virtual Fashion Shows
Virtual Fashion Shows
Zulema Griffin's YouTube Runway
<
48
YouTubers Interpret Chemical Brothers
YouTubers Interpret Chemical Brothers
The Salmon Dance
<
47
Celebrity Youtube Channels
Celebrity Youtube Channels
Madonna Vacuums to Appeal to Fans
<
46
Viral YouTube Ad
Viral YouTube Ad
How Adidas Earned its Stripes
<
45
Student Tasered On Camera
Student Tasered On Camera
YouTube Hero Coins the Phrase, 'Don't Tase Me Bro!'
<
44
Amateur Movie Reproduction
Amateur Movie Reproduction
BYU Students Remake Zoolander on YouTube
<
43
Upload YouTube Vids On Your Phone
Upload YouTube Vids On Your Phone
LG Viewty Touchscreen
<
42
Interactive YouTube Videos
Interactive YouTube Videos
'Interactive Magician' Does Magic Tricks With You
<
41
Queen Elizabeth II on YouTube
Queen Elizabeth II on YouTube
Christmas Message on the Royal Channel
<
40
Royalty on YouTube 2
Royalty on YouTube 2
Queen Rania of Jordan
<
39
Viral Headwear Parodies
Viral Headwear Parodies
Aretha's Hat Dubbed “Bow of Change,” Inspires YouTube To
<
38
YouTube as a Fighting Ground for Rappers (Part 2)
YouTube as a Fighting Ground for Rappers (Part 2)
Soulja Boy Trashes Ice-T
<
37
China's next YouTube
China's next YouTube
Youku.com
<
36
Autistic Activist on YouTube
Autistic Activist on YouTube
Amanda Baggs
<
35
College Via YouTube
College Via YouTube
UC Berkeley Video Courses
<
34
Miss S. Carolina Impersonators
Miss S. Carolina Impersonators
YouTube Spoofs
<
33
Extreme Stunt YouTube Ads
Extreme Stunt YouTube Ads
Kobe Bryant Jumps Over Aston Martin for Nike
<
32
Live Puking Becomes Viral
Live Puking Becomes Viral
TV Hostess Loses Control; YouTube Enables Embarrassment
<
31
Lipsynching Models
Lipsynching Models
Dolce & Gabbana Inspired by YouTube
<
30
DIY Home Dance Videos
DIY Home Dance Videos
Beyonce 'Single Ladies' YouTube Hits Make Great Credit Crunch Gifts
<
29
Political YouTube Pranks
Political YouTube Pranks
Nancy Pelosi's Rick Roll + Senate and House Launch Own Channels
<
28
Country's Cooler Online
Country's Cooler Online
Brad Paisley On YouTube
<
27
YouTube Video Games
YouTube Video Games
'Street Fighter' Takes Online Gaming to a New Viral Dimension
<
26
MC Hammer to Outdance YouTube?
MC Hammer to Outdance YouTube?
Former Rapper Launches DanceJam.com
<
25
Viral YouTube Spoofs
Viral YouTube Spoofs
WiiFit, Microsoft Touch, iPhone & More
<
24
Seniors On YouTube
Seniors On YouTube
Jewish Grandma's "Feed Me Bubbe" Podcast
<
23
Virtual Cooking Classes
Virtual Cooking Classes
Culinary YouTube
<
22
YouTube Cooking Shows
YouTube Cooking Shows
93-Year-Old Chef Strikes Gold With 'Depression Cooking With Clara'
<
21
Blossoming YouTube Idols
Blossoming YouTube Idols
Talented YouTuber Esmee Denters Signs With Justin Timberlake's Reco
<
20
Spiders on Drugs
Spiders on Drugs
Traditional Broadcast Networks are Dead; YouTube Has Enabled a New Paradigm
<
19
Delight in Stupidity
Delight in Stupidity
Miss South Carolina Fumbles at Miss Teen USA; 1.5 Million Youtubers Enjoy
<
18
Viral YouTube How-To's
Viral YouTube How-To's
Lauren Luke's Makeup Lessons Top YouTube Downloads
<
17
YouTube Star Collaborations
YouTube Star Collaborations
'Hooking Up' Lonely Girl 15, Michael Buckly, Nalts, Mr. Sa
<
16
Train Surfing
Train Surfing
Danish YouTube Daredevil Gets Smashed
<
15
YouTube-Ready Camcorders
YouTube-Ready Camcorders
The JVC Everio Video Camera
<
14
Crude Vauxhall Ad is YouTube Hit
Crude Vauxhall Ad is YouTube Hit
C'Mon Penis Extension
<
13
Video Horoscopes
Video Horoscopes
Your Destiny On YouTube
<
12
YouTube Defenders
YouTube Defenders
Fans Prove Britney Spears Had a Broken Heel
<
11
YouTube Ad Stunts
YouTube Ad Stunts
The Tale of LonelyGirl15 and Her Last Video
<
10
YouTube Hitler Parodies
YouTube Hitler Parodies
Viral Competition to Spoof "Downfall"
<
9
Tennis Champ Mocks Federer
Tennis Champ Mocks Federer
Novak Djokovic On YouTube
<
8
Royal Comedians
Royal Comedians
Queen Rania of Jordan Spoofs Letterman on YouTube Live
<
7
DIY Video Mashup Tools
DIY Video Mashup Tools
YouTubeDoubler.com
<
6
Bullying Made Public
Bullying Made Public
Teenage Girl Getting Beaten Up Goes Viral on YouTube
<
5
Unrestricted on Internet Video
Unrestricted on Internet Video
Saudi Teens Go Wild on YouTube
<
4
14 Year Old YouTube Superstars
14 Year Old YouTube Superstars
Fred is #1 Most Viewed Channel
<
3
Viral Political Celebrities
Viral Political Celebrities
Sarah Palin Trumps Obama & McCain on YouTube
<
2
Top 10 YouTube Music Videos of All Time (Picked from 2000+)
Top 10 YouTube Music Videos of All Time (Picked from 2000+)
<
1
Music Video Politics
Music Video Politics
Madonna's "Get Stupid" on YouTube
<