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It used to be that the great ads of the year were released during the Big Game. One day a year, we were treated to funny, touching, and memorable ads during the game that we rewatched online afterward (remember The Force or the Old Spice man?).

Today, brands have stepped up their game on YouTube and are creating videos that people seek out and choose to watch, every day. So what were the top ads of 2014? Well, we took a look at the ads that debuted on YouTube in 2014, and evaluated them against metrics including audience engagement metrics (watch time, likes, shares), video views, and audience retention metrics (how much of a video people watched) to come up with our leaderboard of the top ads of 2014 on YouTube.

Thanks to the creativity of this year’s videos, people are spending more time watching videos from brands than ever before. In fact, we watched more than 1 billion minutes of the top 10 ads this year alone. And while the top ads are nearly 50 percent longer this year compared to last—averaging around 3 minutes each—we stayed tuned longer, spending around 50 percent more time watching them.

Here are the ads that grabbed our attention in 2014:

1. Nike Football: Winner Stays. ft. Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Rooney, Ibrahimović, Iniesta & more
2. Nike Football: The Last Game ft. Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Rooney, Zlatan, Iniesta & more
3. Budweiser Super Bowl XLVIII Commercial -- "Puppy Love"
4. Always #LikeAGirl
5. Devil Baby Attack
6. Duracell: Trust Your Power - NFL's Derrick Coleman, Seattle Seahawks
7. Galaxy Note 4 -- Then And Now
8. P&G Thank You, Mom | Pick Them Back Up | Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
9. Global Be(er) Responsible Day | “Friends Are Waiting” | Budweiser
10. Heineken | Routine Interruptions | The Payphone with Fred Armisen

To celebrate this year’s top ads around the world, we teamed up with Kurt Hugo Schneider to remix them into an original video to the tunes of YouTube creators Scott Bradlee, Taylor Davis, Mike Relm, and Michael Thurber. You can watch it here:



You can also catch up on all the top ads individually by checking out our playlists for the Top Trailers, Top Brand/Creator Collaborations, and Top Sports Ads of 2014. For more on the top ads lists for the year, visit Think with Google.

Alyson Yaffe, YouTube Marketing, recently watched “Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens Official Teaser Trailer #1 (2015) - J.J. Abrams Movie HD.”

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: female 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. Stay tuned next week for Google's annual look at the people, places and events that captured the world's attention.

Kevin Allocca, Head of Culture & Trends, and the YouTube Rewind team recently watched “YouTube Rewind: Turn Down for 2014.”

To celebrate creativity and innovation in music on YouTube, we’re once again hosting the YouTube Music Awards, in partnership with Kia Motors and executive producer VICE Media - but in a very different way.



This March, YouTube will celebrate and award the artists to watch in 2015 as determined by our fans. For one special day, music will be the headline act on YouTube. We’ll take this moment to celebrate the biggest and emerging artists through new and unique music video collaborations with top directors and creators. And fans will be involved in every step along the way, guiding and creating these videos.

The YouTube Music Awards are our latest initiative in making YouTube the best place for artists and fans to connect. People have turned YouTube into the biggest music service in the world, thanks to music videos, remixes, covers and so much more across every genre imaginable. The Awards come on the heels of our new music experience including YouTube Music Key beta that gives fans more ways to enjoy music, while also giving artists more ways to be discovered and earn more revenue.

The 2013 YouTube Music Awards was one of the most watched music awards events ever with more than 54 million total views and counting, and we can’t wait to make this next event even bigger.

To kick off the celebration now, we have big stars and emerging musicians releasing new videos, all of which you can find at our new channel youtube.com/musicawards. Over the next week, you’ll see new videos from GD X TAEYANG and Megan Nicole, in conjunction with some of the biggest names in music video filmmaking like Colin Tilley. You can stay tuned by subscribing to youtube.com/musicawards, where we’ll have some surprises this December, and much more news to announce in January.

The YouTube Music Awards team recently watched “GD X TAEYANG - Good Boy (YouTube Music Awards).”

You didn’t just watch "All About That Bass" 200+ million times on YouTube. You watched Meghan Trainor perform it live for the first time ever and later with Jimmy Fallon and The Roots. You used the song in tens of thousands of your videos, like covering it with an upright bass. Your views helped put the song at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for weeks. And that’s all just for one song.

You've watched, shared, remixed, invented, parodied and whatevered your favorite songs, making YouTube the ultimate place for artists and fans to connect. To celebrate all that music and unlock new ways to enjoy, we’re making it easier to find new music on YouTube and rock out to old favorites. Plus, we’re starting the launch of a new subscription service that lets you watch and listen to music without ads, in the background or offline.

A new home just for music

Starting today, you’ll see a new home just for music on your YouTube app for Android, iOS and on YouTube.com that shows your favorite music videos, recommended music playlists based on what you’re into and playlists of trending music across YouTube. You can find a playlist to perfectly fit your mood, whether that’s a morning motivators playlist or Boyce Avenue YouTube Mix. Check out the newest songs from channels you subscribe to, like FKA twigs or Childish Gambino. Or quickly find the songs you’ve played over and over and over again.
Full albums in high quality audio that are easy on your bandwidth

If a song exists in this world, you can probably find it on YouTube. But until today you couldn’t easily find and play full albums. In the coming days, you'll be able to see an artist’s discography on YouTube, and play a full album with both their official music videos and high-quality songs our music partners added to YouTube.
Introducing YouTube Music Key beta

You’ve asked us for ways to listen to music without ads, to keep playing music videos even if you lock the screen or start using another app, and to play music even if you’re not connected to the Internet. That’s why today we're introducing YouTube Music Key beta, a monthly subscription service starting with the promotional price of $7.99/month (discounted from $9.99/month) that will give you all that—ads-free music, background play and offline viewing. It will also include a subscription to Google Play Music, with 30+ million songs, expert-curated playlists, and in the coming days, the ability to watch many YouTube official music videos right from the app. And if you're already a Google Play Music subscriber, you'll also get access to YouTube Music Key beta.

Thanks to your music videos, remixes, covers, and more, you’ve made YouTube the biggest music service on the planet. To turn YouTube into your perfect music service, we’re launching YouTube Music Key as a beta with our biggest music fans first, and then we’ll bring YouTube Music Key to the whole world together. So, if you see an invite in your app or email, try it out for six months for free.


If you’re interested in getting more info on the beta, you can let us know at youtube.com/musickey.

The YouTube Music team recently watched “Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - YouTube Mix.”

Since we launched The YouTube 15 on SiriusXM’s Hits 1 radio with host Jenna Marbles, millions of you have tuned in to hear your favorite established artists like Ariana Grande and new stars like George Ezra. The YouTube 15 even brought Jimmy Fallon and will.i.am’s Ew! to the radio (which eventually hit the Billboard Hot 100).

Now we’re picking up the tempo with our second show powered by your YouTube views and programmed by SiriusXM: the YouTube EDM 15 on BPM, SiriusXM’s dance and remix channel.
This weekly show will highlight breakout electronic dance tracks and remixes from emerging DJs and artists around the world, and it’ll all kick off on Friday, November 21. Rising EDM DJ duo The Chainsmokers will host the show, with other notable guest DJs dropping in during the weeks to come.

The YouTube EDM 15 will air each week Fridays at 5 p.m. PT and again Saturday at 9 a.m. PT, Sunday at 5 a.m. PT, Monday at 7 p.m. PT, and Tuesday at 9 a.m. PT on SiriusXM’s BPM/channel 51, the SiriusXM app or online at siriusxm.com.

Michael Kauffman, YouTube Creator Marketing, recently watched “Victory.”

Gaming on YouTube is all about sharing. Sharing your favorite funny moments from Far Cry 4. Avoiding as many Aliens as you can. Even sharing your old video games.

That’s why starting today you can share gameplay directly to YouTube on PlayStation 4 like a bawss, and watch all the YouTube you love with a new app starting to roll out today in the PlayStation Store. Just hit the Share button on the DualShock 4 controller to turn your power move into your next great video on YouTube.


You can also find and watch videos uploaded to YouTube by your PlayStation Network friends in the “What’s New” section of the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation mobile app.

To enjoy all the glory of your games, the new YouTube app for PlayStation 4 lets you watch videos in up to 1080p and listen in 5.1 channel audio. The app also has our latest design for YouTube on TV that makes browsing faster and smoother.

Still rocking the PlayStation 3? We’ve got'cha covered there, as well as on the hundreds of millions of devices where you can watch YouTube. Game on.

Richard O’Grady, software engineer, recently watched “Robyn - Dancing On My Own.”

Since the launch of the YouTube Spaces in London, Los Angeles and Tokyo, thousands of videos have been created in these collaborative facilities that have informed, entertained and inspired legions of fans.

In November, the fourth YouTube Space will open in the heart of Manhattan at Chelsea Market, with the goal of providing YouTube creators even more resources, tools and guidance to unleash innovation and encourage experimentation.

At YouTube Space NY, creators can:

• Learn: From training programs and workshops to master classes, there are plenty of opportunities to get hands-on experience from industry experts.
• Connect: Attend events, collaborate with fellow creators, brainstorm ideas over a coffee, and share tips and tricks to get the most out of YouTube.
• Create: This is your space to make your videos and there are resources to help you from start to finish, including areas for creative collaboration; loaner production equipment such as cameras, lights, boom microphones, and more; permanent and rotating sets; three enclosed sound stages; and state-of-the-art post-production facilities.

By removing the barriers to production, we hope to inspire you all to try out new creative concepts and show formats, as well as deliver even more of the great videos and series your fans love.

YouTube Space New York will also include a Google BrandLab, a place that hosts workshops for brands and agencies to experiment with the latest digital tools.

Find more creator resources at youtube.com/creators and learn more about the YouTube Spaces in Los Angeles, Tokyo and London at youtube.com/space.

Adam Relis, Head of YouTube Space NY, recently watched "Sisters Episode 3: Perfect Pitch {The Kloons}."

Did you wake up today with a craving for three days and nights of electronic dance music madness, live from deep within the forests of the Chattahoochee Hills? Yeah, us too. That’s why starting today at 4 p.m. PT you can watch TomorrowWorld all weekend long at youtube.com/tomorrowworld.


Performing among eight designed stages over three days, TomorrowWorld has assembled a nearly-300 strong lineup of artists including A-Trak, GRiZ, Tiësto, Nicky Romero, NERVO, Laidback Luke, Diplo, Skrillex, Steve Aoki, Borgore, Carnage, Cash Cash, Felix Cartal, Keys 'N Krates, Martin Garrix, Mat Zo, Yves V, Regi, The Chainsmokers, Tommy Trash, Zeds Dead, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, and more.

In 2013, the first edition of TomorrowWorld welcomed 140,000 visitors from 75+ countries to the Chattahoochee Hills, Ga., and millions of you watched live on YouTube. This year, T-Mobile sets the music free, unleashing live sets, interviews, special features, and the all-important backstage gossip, all in glorious HD at youtube.com/tomorrowworld.

Brian Anderson, Music Programs Manager, recently watched "Underground Resistance - Boiler Room.”

Over the past four years, YouTube has gone through a dramatic transformation. We’ve seen the fidelity of our videos evolve from the grainy footage of webcams to the crystal clear beauty of 4K. We’ve seen teenagers who began by vlogging in their bedrooms emerge as media heavyweights, with passionate followings and shows that draw more fans than similar shows on cable TV. And we’ve seen partner revenue continue to grow at a healthy pace, giving our creators the chance to do what they love by finding their fanbase on YouTube. Today, more than 1 billion viewers visit YouTube every month to follow their favorite shows and channels and our daily watchtime continues to grow at 50 percent annually.

Throughout that time, we’ve made a number of key decisions to accelerate this transformation. We first made a series of investments in channels to jumpstart our creator ecosystem. Eighty-six of those channels are now among the top 1 percent of YouTube’s most popular, but the real sign of success was the massive global fan base our creators built.

Then, to ensure our creators had the production support they needed, we created the YouTube Spaces in L.A., Tokyo, London and soon New York. The Spaces offer creators free access to the latest and greatest equipment, sets and support to facilitate creativity and content innovation.

This year, we’ve expanded our support to full-scale marketing and advertising campaigns, helping turn successful creators with large fan bases like Bethany Mota and Epic Rap Battles of History into household names, broadening their appeal to new audiences. These campaigns started in the U.S. but we’re now extending them to places like the U.K., France, Germany and Brazil to ensure that creators around the world can continue to serve as beacons for the creator community at large.

Now, we feel the time is right to make another important investment in our creators. That’s why we’ve decided to fund new content from some of our top creators, helping them not only fulfill their creative ambitions but also deliver new material to their millions of fans on YouTube.

As any creator will tell you, making compelling new content isn’t easy, and we expect to learn a lot through this process. We’ll experiment with new formats and ideas. We’ll get our hands dirty. We’ll make some mistakes. Together, we’ll (hopefully) create some fantastic new content on YouTube. But one thing is certain: there’s no one we’d rather go on this adventure with than our creators.

It’s been an incredible few years for YouTube. And with YouTube stars jumping from their bedrooms to billboards in Times Square, we think there’s never been a better time to be a creator. 

Alex Carloss, Head of YouTube Originals, recently watched, “Kutiman - Thru You Too - GIVE IT UP.”

Ten of his 13 album releases have reached #1 on the Top Country Album charts. He’s married to the gorgeous and talented Faith Hill. And he’s never seen without a cowboy hat. Who else could we talking about but the immensely talented Tim McGraw?

Tonight, Tuesday, September 16, the star is performing live from the Hammerstein Ballroom as part of the American Express Unstaged series, in partnership with VEVO and YouTube. Starting live at 6 p.m. PT, you can watch this exclusive performance directed by Bennett Miller, from the comfort of the American Express YouTube channel.

To get amped before the show starts, watch and share the trailer; get your sing-along on to "Meanwhile Back At Mama’s"; learn to line dance; and catch up on special Unstaged moments from the past like Sugarland and Kenny Chesney.

Now tip your hat, put on your boots, and join us for a night of country to remember.

Nicola Young, Music Programs Manager, recently watched "Heartist - Skeletons”

Today's guest post is from Ann Shoket, Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen magazine.

The first-ever YouTube issue of Seventeen magazine hits stands today and celebrates the new generation of stars we love. But we obsess over YouTube stars for different reasons than we like traditional Hollywood stars. Those celebs seem so perfect—we can only dream about living their glamorous lives. But on YouTube, we root for the people who are sort of unpolished, a little weird even. We connect with them because they show us their authentic selves, because they are accessible to us.



There’s a moment of total freedom when a girl is alone in her room watching her favorite YouTubers and all the expectations of who she should be and the judgments of people around her just melt away. In that moment she is most powerfully, herself.

The connection is just as deep for the stars. Our cover girl Bethany Mota, the first-ever YouTube personality to grace the cover of a national women’s magazine, told us how the community on YouTube was an escape from bullying and the loneliness she was feeling. Shane Dawson says that he used to be shy, but on YouTube, he felt free to show his wild side.

 

It’s liberating to surround yourself with people who just get you. The power of finding your tribe on YouTube is creating a space where it’s okay to be 100 percent you!

Ann Shoket, Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen, recently watched Jimmy Fallon, Meghan Trainor & The Roots Sing "All About That Bass" (w/ Classroom Instruments).

(Cross-posted on the Google for Education blog.)

This September, as millions of young people head back to the classroom, we’re opening our digital doors to a brand new type of school--and you’re all invited.



The School of YouTube will see many of your favorite YouTube stars learn or teach something new. From figure-skating to salsa dancing, baking a cake to landing a plane, you’ll be able to watch a whole range of weird and wonderful lessons during the week of September 8 to 12.

We all know that YouTube is already like a huge virtual school--a place where people come to learn, to teach, to hang out and make friends--so it makes perfect sense to celebrate this for one week. And the best thing about this school is that you’ll be able to make a real difference to young people who desperately need your help.

The stars of the School of YouTube will be asking for donations to help some of the millions of people around the world who don’t have the opportunity to go to school or get an education. These kids may be struggling to survive on city streets, in slums or in refugee camps. Or they may be in a situation like 10-year-old Daniel from Ghana, who has very little time to get an education because he has to work long shifts in a dangerous gold mine so that his family can afford to eat.

Getting an education is by far the most powerful route out of poverty for these children and that’s where the School of YouTube comes in.

Money raised from donations will go to the U.K. charity Comic Relief, to help give kids an education across some of the world’s poorest countries. And even just £10 or $17 can pay for a Zambian orphan to go to school for two months where they also get a healthy meal--often the only one they’ll eat all day.

So hands up, who’s ready for a lesson at the School of YouTube? If you laugh a little or learn a little, please give a little.

Kevin Cahill, Comic Relief CEO, recently watched video “2 Girls, 2 Lives.”

An Epic Rap Battle of History looks even more epic on the big screen, but finding the battle you want on your TV can take longer than it took Wallace to layeth the smackdown on Washington because of all the clicking around you have to do. That’s why you’ll soon be able to find videos you want more easily with the updated YouTube app for TV designed for the big screen, which will also bring you all the videos and playlists from channels. This update already started with Xbox One, and we’ll roll out the updated app to other streaming devices in the following weeks.



Find it all more easily with the guide
The channels you subscribe to and videos you care about will be a click away with a guide on the left side that’s just like the guide you see on YouTube on your computer, phone, and tablet.

When you sign in, you can jump to all the latest videos from your subscriptions and recommendations in the What to Watch section, or pop on a playlist you've saved such as Blogilates’ Cardio AB Attack and turn your TV into a workout buddy.

See all the videos and playlists from channels
Your favorite creators are making new playlists every day, and with the updated YouTube app for TV you’ll be able to see all of them. With new channel pages, you’ll see everything they’ve curated for you, helping you find even more to watch from your favorite creators.


Tyler Breisch, software engineer, recently watched “'No Diggity' - The Hangover Brigade Covers Blackstreet.”

You connect with your favorite and new musicians on YouTube in so many ways. You sing along with the crowd, get them into the Billboard Hot 100 and even watch them hear their songs on the radio for the first time. Now there’s a new one: the YouTube 15 on SiriusXM.



Beginning today at 6 p.m. ET, you can listen to an hour-long weekly show on SiriusXM’s Hits 1 channel featuring songs from emerging and established artists based on what’s trending on YouTube. The SiriusXM Hits 1 team will select songs to play from established artists based on the biggest YouTube view counts over recent weeks, and songs from emerging artists who are seeing the biggest percentage growth in views. To make the show even more awesome, SiriusXM tapped Jenna Marbles—a.k.a. the hostess with the mostess—to talk you through the week’s song selection.

Why SiriusXM? Along with YouTube, many artists reach fans and get discovered by having their music played on the radio. SiriusXM shares our love of connecting artists and fans around great new music from today’s biggest names like Ariana Grande and Iggy Azalea and emerging stars like Shawn Mendes. So, just like a collab from your favorite artists, we teamed up.

The YouTube 15 will air Fridays at 6 and 9 p.m. ET, Saturday at 2 p.m. ET and Sunday at 8 a.m. ET, and on-demand via SiriusXM.com. If you’re not a SiriusXM subscriber, you can also find the featured songs in playlists on SiriusXM’s YouTube channel.

AJ Frank, New Business Development, recently watched “#LEH - Superwoman & Humble The Poet (Official Video)."

You subscribe to PharrellVEVO and iAMOTHER on YouTube. You’ve watched Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” a bazillion times. You don’t think you could get any closer to him as a fan.

Challenge accepted.

Tonight Pharrell Williams is performing live from the Apollo Theater as part of the American Express Unstaged series, in partnership with VEVO and YouTube. You can watch the performance--directed by Spike Lee--live at 6 p.m. PT on the American Express YouTube channel.

 

What on Earth will you do with yourself in the three hours between now and then? We’ve got you covered. Check out the trailer; add a few more views of Pharrell’s euphoric anthem “Happy” to the 273 million it’s already collected; dance around with the many fan tributes from all over the world; and, catch up on special Unstaged moments from the past like Kings of Leon, Sugarland, and Usher.

Nicola Young, Music Programs Manager, recently watched "I The Mighty - Speak To Me.”

From the Sochi Olympics to the recent NFL draft, this year has seen a growing, global conversation about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the world of sports. Many LGBT athletes are sharing their stories on YouTube, and the support they’re getting from teammates and fans has helped others find the courage to do the same.

Sports bring together people from all backgrounds and experiences through a shared passion, and YouTube shares that spirit of connecting diverse communities to make a difference. In celebration of the upcoming World Cup in Brazil and LGBT Pride month, we’re honoring the LGBT athletes, their supporters, as well as the YouTube Creators who stand up for diversity in sports and elsewhere—all of whom help create an equal and inclusive playing field for everyone. Inspired by #ProudToLove last year, we’re calling this effort #ProudToPlay.



We applaud the courage and openness of athletes at all levels who have come out and admire their teammates, friends, families, and supporters who are all proving that it doesn’t matter who you are or who you love—what matters is that you put forward your best effort. We stand with our community in the belief that youth everywhere should all have the same opportunities to grow up and pursue their dreams and passions, on or off the field.

Join the conversation by uploading a video talking about what being #ProudToPlay means to you. Over the course of Pride month, we’ll share a collection of videos about the LGBT community and sports on the YouTube Spotlight Channel.

Happy Pride and enjoy the beautiful game this summer!

Raymond Braun, YouTube Marketing Manager, and Lauren Pachaly, Consumer Marketing Manager, recently watched "Robbie Rogers returns to the beautiful game with a wonderful homecoming | MLS Insider, Episode 1."

Nothing ruins the experience of watching a YouTube video like Magic of Rahat more than seeing the dreaded buffering wheel, which is why we're always working to make videos play smoothly in the best quality possible. And when you can't see what you want, when you want, it’s important you know why.

Starting today, if you’re in the U.S., you can use the Google Video Quality Report to see the level of video quality your Internet service provider can play YouTube. If you’re regularly seeing videos buffer, this report can give you a better idea of why, as well as tips to make YouTube play better. You can also see the video quality other ISPs in your area are delivering, based on these levels:

• HD Verified: If your provider can consistently deliver HD video, a resolution of at least 720p, without buffering or interruptions--it’s HD Verified.
• Standard Definition: If you can watch videos at a resolution of at least 360p, your provider is delivering Standard Definition.
• Lower Definition: If videos load slowly or frequently buffer, even at resolutions lower than 360p, your provider is delivering Lower Definition performance.

Want to see our methodology? Check out the geeky details, and learn how videos get from us to you with this video.

7 ways to improve your video quality

Making sure you can watch YouTube in HD from anywhere, anytime is a shared effort among us, your Internet service provider and even you. So, to make sure you're getting the best video quality possible, check out these seven tips you can use right now:



And for those of you not living in the U.S. or Canada where the report is also available, we’ll be bringing it to more of your countries in the coming months.

Jay Akkad, Product Manager, YouTube, recently watched “Tiny Hamsters Eating Tiny Burritos - Episode 1.”

Trololo! YouTube turned 9 this May. And what multitudes are contained in that vast near-decade of video?

To call out just a few highlights in YouTube history, there are more than 120,000 videos inspired by “Let it Go” (based on videos posted with that title), half a million by “Gangnam Style,” and a stunning 1.5 million videos by “Harlem Shake” (that’s a lot of motorcycle helmets). These inspired riffs got us thinking about those magical moments when songs become bona fide trends—and people all over the world start remixing, covering, parodying, dancing, and lip-dubbing.

So to celebrate this year, we pay homage to the music you've made on YouTube. We got a bunch of your favorite performers together to cover some of the most memorable musical moments in YouTube’s history. The result is a mashup called YouTube Birthday Karaoke Night, featuring familiar faces like The Gregory Brothers, Chester See, Cimorelli and more (see if you can spot all 18).


Now raise your Cups ... ’cause Here it Goes Again. Call us Maybe?

Claire Stapleton, YouTube Culture & Trends, recently watched (and crooned along to) the playlist Nine Classic Hits Celebrating YouTube’s Ninth Birthday.

Nine-time Grammy Award winner John Legend. Dubstep violinist Lindsey Stirling. The most popular dancers on YouTube, Les Twins. On their own, these artists have topped charts, gone platinum and generated more than a billion combined views on YouTube. Tomorrow night, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. will host these artists and more to perform on its iconic stage.

Tune-in tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET at youtube.com/TheKennedyCenter for “YouTube OnStage Live from the Kennedy Center,” a celebration of art, technology, and culture that unites stars who are building global fan bases worldwide on YouTube.


Whether it’s the vintage cover artists Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox, or the Playing for Change movement that helps connect the world through music, all the performers featured in the event have found a global platform and audience for their creativity on YouTube.

Visit the Kennedy Center’s YouTube channel for the full rundown of the night, artists’ videos, and a replay of the event after it airs live. And if you’re in D.C., head down to the Kennedy Center for free tickets tomorrow evening.

Ali Rivera, West Coast Head Artist Label Relations, recently watched "Dude, what? This ramen sucked."

Just because you can’t make it to the desert this weekend doesn't mean you have to miss out; you can catch Coachella LIVE on YouTube presented by T-Mobile. For the fourth year in a row, the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival will stream live from Indio, Calif. on Coachella's official YouTube channel.


Starting this Friday at 3:30 p.m. PT, you can watch performances from more than 70 acts, including Lorde, Pharrell, The Replacements, Arcade Fire and Beck. And with three-hour late night blocks from EDM superstars like Skrillex, Martin Garrix, Zedd, Dillon Francis, Duck Sauce and more, your party can keep going well into the night. Plus, Jason Bentley, DJ, music director and host of KCRW’s internationally acclaimed “Morning Becomes Eclectic” will host, bringing you artist access and exclusive interviews throughout.

And, this year, we have a special surprise to bring you even closer to Coachella: Chvrches, Zedd and other artists will jump into fans' Google+ Hangouts live from backstage. Check the schedule on the Coachella YouTube channel for artist meet-and-greets. Start a Hangout with friends, and when the time comes, it may bring you face-to-face backstage and directly into the Coachella webcast!

It all begins tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. PT, so stay tuned to Coachella’s YouTube channel for the latest schedule and meet-and-greet updates!

Brian Anderson and Craig McFadden, YouTube Music, recently watched "Little Dragon performing 'Ritual Union' Live at KCRW."

Next time you’re playing Titanfall and nail that jump-run-jetpack move, there’s a new way to show it off to your friends. With the new updated YouTube app for Xbox One, you can now upload gameplay from your Game DVR to your YouTube channel in just two clicks.



YouTube now also supports Xbox One Snap Mode (so you can move it to one side of your screen, where it will continue to run while you do something else on the main part of your screen) 'cause ain’t nobody got time to switch between screens while in the middle of a game. Watch a how-to video while stuck on a board, play an awesome music playlist while you finish a level, or catch up with the guys from TeamCrafted while browsing on your Xbox One.

Plus, just because you're a fan of YouTube on Xbox One, you can also earn 10 achievements by watching, uploading and sharing videos. Earn achievements like UUDDLRLRBA when you watch more than five hours of gaming videos.



Sarah Ali, Product Manager, recently watched the playlist “Top 10 Xbox One Gameplay Videos.”

Loyal viewers,

The wait ends today. After months of development, we’re excited to reveal our slate of upcoming viral video trends for 2014.

Since 2005, YouTube's staff has worked tirelessly behind the scenes, meticulously crafting the viral videos and Internet memes you've come to know and love. From mainstream hits like Gangnam Style and Harlem Shake to your obscure web forum favorites, our staff of writers, producers and directors has shaped the pop culture moments that matter in our digital lives.

This year's memes will be bigger, bolder and more popular than ever. We promise. Watch our video for more details:


We know you can't wait to be a part of these new trends, so take a look at these behind-the-scenes clips to learn how to immediately create and upload your own:







And this year, we've got a big, special announcement. For the first time, we’re looking to you, the YouTube community, to submit your own viral trend ideas. Share your ideas using #newtrends on Twitter, Google+, or in the comments and our Meme Development experts will choose their favorites and make them official YouTube trends, complete with demo videos on youtube.com/youtube. Find more details here.

Look forward to our best year yet!

Kramer Kinz, Junior Vice-President, Video Meme Development, recently watched "Teens Migrating From Facebook to Slow-Motion Deer Video."

We know how important it is for you to access news on YouTube: Since February 1, there have been over 90,000 videos relating to the Ukraine protests uploaded to YouTube and these have been viewed more than 25 million times from around the world. We’re proud of our partners—from citizen journalists to news organizations to made-for-digital news brands—who work to provide the YouTube community with up-to-date news and information.

One of the many outlets that has been chronicling the events has been VICE News, a newly launched international news channel on YouTube. VICE News keeps you up to date, whether you want to know what’s going on in the Ukraine, watch protests unfold in Venezuela, or are looking for a global daily news update that takes you "Beyond the Headlines" of your morning paper.


VICE News will bring you stories on a range of issues, from the effects of toxic waste in Chicago to the ongoing conflict with Mexico’s Knights Templar drug cartel. You’ll get a frank look at the news of the day from the team that’s gone behind closed borders and embedded themselves inside the Afghan National Army. And you can choose how to stay up to speed, whether you want to follow raw events via live stream, or just get a daily "capsule." Subscribe to the VICE News channel here:






Adam Relis, Content Partnerships Manager, recently watched "Ambushed in South Sudan."

The way you watch YouTube keeps changing, so we’re making a few tweaks to YouTube to keep up with you. Starting today you’ll see some changes to make it easier to find what you want to watch on YouTube and collect playlists to watch again and again.

Like a playlist, watch it from anywhere

Want to quickly find your playlists or save Aloe Blacc’s favorite music videos playlist? Your guide now has all of the playlists that you created, as well as playlists from other channels you liked. If you make a playlist, you’ll also see a new page that makes editing easier. And if you’re looking for new playlists to check out from your favorite channels, check out the new playlist tab on a channel like this one from YouTube Nation.



We moved!

YouTube now has a center-aligned look, fitting neatly on any screen size, and feeling similar to the mobile apps you’re spending almost half your YouTube time with. You can quickly flip between what’s recommended and popular in “What to Watch” like Postmodern Jukebox’s Timber, and the latest from your subscribed channels like iamOTHER in “My Subscriptions,” with both options now front and center. Click the guide icon to the right of the YouTube logo at any time to see your playlists, subscriptions and more.


To learn more, please visit the Help Center.

Yining Zhao, Web Developer, recently watched “18 Great Books You Probably Haven't Read.”

While the Big Game champions may have been determined by the cleats on the field, the advertiser champions were chosen by you on YouTube.

You cast your votes for your favorite game day commercials on YouTube Ad Blitz 2014. After a week of intense competition, we crunched the numbers and are ready to name the victors.

Cheers to Budweiser on being voted the best Super Bowl Commercial on YouTube! "Puppy Love" won your hearts, and the title of YouTube Ad Blitz 2014 Champion.



Rounding out the top five spots on YouTube Ad Blitz 2014:

In second place, Coca-Cola reinforced unity with a multilingual rendition of "America the Beautiful."



Chrysler’s "America's Import" took third with Bob Dylan in a tribute to Detroit.



Fans pushed "Trust Your Power" from Duracell featuring the NFL’s Derrick Coleman to the number four spot.



And last, but certainly not least, Jaguar pulled in as number five with its cinematic "British Villains' Rendezvous."


Not only did these spots receive the most votes on YouTube, but they also attracted more than 101 million views combined.

Tune into the YouTube homepage today to check out the top five spots and get a recap of all Big Game ads on YouTube Ad Blitz.

Kariyushi Casper, Ad Blitz Interactive Project Manager, recently watched "Instant Reaction: Super Bowl XLVIII."

It’s clear you’re starting your Big Game preparation early with YouTube’s Ad Blitz 2014. As of this week, commercial teasers on YouTube have been watched 77 million times--more than twice as much as this time last year.


And when the commercials roll out on Sunday, February 2, you’ll want to watch them again and again. Come game day, tune back into the Ad Blitz channel to view your favorite spots as they go live on TV. As soon as the game is officially over, you’ll have until 11:59 p.m. ET on February 10 to vote for your favorite commercial spots.

There’s more fun to be had on the YouTube Ad Blitz channel. Catch up with custom content from talented YouTube stars including SoulPancake, Sawyer Hartman, The Brothers Riedell, Brittani Louise Taylor, 5 Second Films, John Elerick, UCB Comedy, Final Cut King and The Fine Brothers.


Game not going your way on Sunday? Re-enact those foul plays the way they should have gone down by inviting friends to the multi-screen Toss & Catch challenge.

Kariyushi Casper, Interactive Project Manager, Ad Blitz, recently watched “Super Bowl Party Tips."

Love sports highlights on YouTube? Love music? How about a bit of both? You're about to see what happens when one of YouTube's beloved musical channels teams up with one of the biggest names in sports, with $1 million on the table.

Last week, FOX Sports Digital VideoFest challenged a dozen popular YouTube channels to create the next big idea in sports video, in 48 hours from the YouTube Space LA. FOX Sports’ judges selected AVByte for a $1 million development deal, based on their idea of putting your sports to music to create the next big idea in sports video on YouTube. To see how AVByte sets sports news to song, stay tuned to FOX Sports’ YouTube channel at youtube.com/foxsports.

If you’ve never heard of AVByte before, you should join the 400,000+ subscribers who’ve learned that these brothers can turn anything into a musical, from hipster Disney princesses to "Grand Theft Auto" to "Sherlock."

Want to see what all the channels tried to do with new forms of sports shows? Check out this playlist of all their videos, and look for clips of them in a Ford ad this weekend during this Sunday's Big Game.

 

Liam Collins, YouTube Next Lab, recently watched “Seattle Seahawks' 12th Man - Room of Silence.”

Congratulations to Brian Sherrill of ActiveMelody, our featured “On The Rise” partner for this month. You’ll see his channel and videos in the spotlight on the On The Rise homepage and then YouTube Spotlight channel today.

Brian is a music professional that has taken his passion for guitar online to help aspiring musicians. His expertise spans from Rockabilly to SRV and Delta acoustic blues. On YouTube, Brian goes one step further, uploading tutorials to share his experience and knowledge with fellow guitarists. It doesn’t matter which video you choose to watch; you’ll be impressed with Brian’s talent and dedication to sharing his knowledge with his viewers.

 

Here are a few words from Brian:
One afternoon, while sitting on the front porch playing the guitar, it dawned on me that I should share my love for playing blues guitar by creating how-to videos that provide a detailed look at the many nuances that most seasoned guitar players take for granted, and share them on YouTube. I launched my first guitar lesson video on YouTube back in spring of 2009 with a great amount of angst. At present, I release a new, detailed guitar lesson each Friday so come check out the ActiveMelody channel on YouTube if you enjoy learning new things on the guitar. I’m honored to be YouTube’s January On The Rise channel and would like to thank all of my subscribers and those who voted for the opportunity.

If you’ve enjoyed this monthly blog series and are interested in learning more or participating, we encourage you to visit our On The Rise homepage. You can check out all of our past featured partners on the Featured Partners tab.

Christine Wang and Kathryn Sahr, YouTube Partner Team, recently watched “The Query - Breeze.”

It’s a busy week in Washington, but you don’t need to be in the nation’s capital to be a part of it. YouTube will deliver each big moment live.

Tonight at 9 p.m. ET, President Obama’s fifth State of the Union address will stream live on the White House’s YouTube channel, followed by the Republican response by Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers on Speaker Boehner’s channel. Senator Mike Lee will deliver the Tea Party response and Senator Rand Paul will offer remarks as well. Several of our news partners will also share their coverage of the event on YouTube, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, The Young Turks, and NowThis News.


This Friday at 2 p.m. ET, President Obama will participate in the first-ever Presidential Hangout Road Trip. He’ll “travel” the country and hop into Google+ Hangouts with people from across the nation to answer their questions and hear their thoughts about the topics he addressed in tonight’s speech.

If you’d like to join the Hangout, record a 60-second video with your name, location, a bit about yourself and the question you’d like to ask the president. Then post it on YouTube with the hashtag #AskObama2014.

Tune in all week and keep up with the latest news by subscribing to youtube.com/news.

Brandon Feldman, News Content Partnerships, recently watched "Kid President's Letter to a Person on Their First Day Here."

The wait is over, football fans: from today you can get a sneak peek of some of this year’s Big Game ads right here on YouTube. For the first time ever, the YouTube Ad Blitz pregame gallery will feature teaser commercials to watch all in one place.

This year’s Ad Blitz channel will feature:

• Teasers: Get ahead of the game--YouTube is hosting your one-stop shop to view teaser commercials. Last year some of the most iconic ads were released before the game even began--remember the cat hugging lady, purple genie chihuahua and exploding soda bottles?
• Highlights: Kick back before kickoff with FOX Sports playoff analysis for teams on the road to the championship.
• Custom content: Tune in to see custom content from some of your favorite YouTube stars.
• Postgame voting: Challenge your friends to vote for their favorite commercials. Ad Blitz puts the commercials in your hands postgame, letting you view and vote on your favorite ads from your laptop, smartphone or tablet.

It's clear how much you love watching and sharing these commercials on YouTube. In 2013, you watched Big Game ads more than 265M times for over 3.2M hours--that’s the equivalent of watching 800,000 Big Game broadcasts!

So let the 2014 ads game begin!

Leena El-omar, YouTube Sports and Auto Programs, recently watched “FOX Football Daily Recap.”

Bundle up, film fans! In an effort to introduce you to new creative talent, showcase the best of independent cinema and show our support for artists and innovative storytelling, YouTube is partnering with the Sundance Institute at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, which kicks off today.

First, check out the Sundance Film Festival YouTube channel, where you’ll find the 15 short films selected for the 2014 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Program. We want to celebrate the independent creator, so we’re once again collaborating with the Sundance Institute on the YouTube Audience Award. Whether you’re in Park City or Phuket, you can take part in selecting the winner! The short with the highest number of views between January 16 and 24 will receive the inaugural award at the official Sundance Awards ceremony on January 25.

Then, watch the best of the festival daily with “Live @ Sundance.” Hosted by popular YouTube personalities Shira Lazar, Casey Neistat and Jimmy Conrad, the one-hour talk show will air live daily at 11 a.m. MST from January 17-24 on the Sundance Film Festival channel, and will feature filmmaker interviews, the latest festival news, exclusive sneak peeks and more.

If you’re at the festival, keep an eye out for videos from some of our most talented creators, as we showcase a selection of shorts already entertaining audiences on YouTube prior to the official short film screenings. And, if you need a break from the cold, warm up at “YouTube on Main Street,” THE place to convene for must-see panels, happy hours, screenings and even a daily yoga class.

On YouTube, there are no limits to creative freedom. You can experiment and push the boundaries of innovation and experiment with distribution. And because YouTube is a platform that reaches over 1 billion unique users every month, creators have an incredible opportunity to share their creative vision with the world. So, if you are inspired by this year’s short films and want to learn more about creating great content, check out the YouTube Creator Blog for tips on how to showcase your vision to a global community of passionate, engaged fans.

Alandha Scott, YouTube Creator Marketing, recently watched “The Maker.”

One of our favorite things about YouTube is that "Oh Man!" moment when you stumble across that cool new channel you've never heard of, or that awesome video from the other side of the planet you know everyone's going to be talking about tomorrow.

Now there's a new way to connect with all those videos, people and stories. Launching today from DreamWorks Animation, YouTube Nation is a new daily web show on YouTube -- with new episodes every day at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET. Hosted by Jacob Soboroff, the show is made by a team of creators, producers, and video nerds who can’t wait to talk about all that amazingness with you. Check out episode one right here:


YouTube Nation is a channel focused on helping you discover great creators and channels through daily videos and playlists. And we need your help to do it, too! Jacob and the team want to hear from you with your favorite videos, top picks and recommendations on what to feature -- let us know what you’re loving right now.

We come to YouTube to laugh, to learn, and to be inspired, to discover what's new and to dive deeper into what we already know we love. People are making and sharing so many amazing things each day it blows our minds. YouTube Nation is about sharing that feeling with all of you.

Hope you come by and subscribe!

Posted by Kevin Allocca, YouTube Culture & Trends

In our monthly On The Rise program, we identify four partners whose channels drive significant YouTube watch time but haven’t yet reached the 100,000 subscriber mark. With your help, we’re sharing with you four dedicated partners who’d like your help to jump-start their audience development and channel growth. In January, we'e excited to introduce you to partners whose content covers the worlds of music, origami, technology and graphic novels.

Here’s where you come in--you actually have the chance to help push these partners even further on YouTube. Review their videos below, vote for your favorite here by selecting the blue checkmark next to the channel name, and one of these candidates will have the opportunity to be featured across YouTube later this month. In addition to your votes, each channel will be evaluated on criteria such as viewer engagement and channel optimization techniques to decide which partner we’ll feature.

In past months, featured On The Rise partners like wranglerstar and Buzz60 have gained many subscribers and seen their careers take off, in large part due to your support. This month’s poll will be open until January 13, 5 p.m. PT, so don’t forget to vote for your favorite channel. Check back to see which channel will be featured on January 31.

THINKAbouttheINK
If you are ever interested in the fast-paced and exciting world of comic books and graphic novels, THINKAbouttheINK is the channel for you. With discussions about upcoming releases and reviews on the movie versions of classic comics, THINKAbouttheINK has been featured on Bleeding Cool and puts out new videos every week so you never miss a beat.

 

happypuppytruffles
Feeling crafty? This channel will help inspire you with a new origami project every day as well as free origami paper that you can print and use to make everything from origami animals to pop-up cards and gift card envelopes.


activemelody
Brian has been playing the guitar for more than 20 years and shares his passion for music via tutorials on his channel. If you play the guitar or just like listening, go check out his channel for lessons based on the blues, jazz and country.

 

ThatSnazzyiPhoneGuy
Not sure which new smartphone to buy or if the newest laptop is really the best on the market? ThatSnazzyiPhoneGuy features all things technology-related. Quinn gives his thoughts and insights about new products, how they function and look. You can look forward to new videos every month to ensure that you are informed about everything tech.

 

If you’re interested in participating or have suggestions for partners you think should be featured, we encourage you to visit our On The Rise homepage. You can check out all of our past featured partners on the Featured Partners tab, or nominate a YouTube partner to be considered for the program on the Nominate tab. Feel free to submit nominations for your own channel, or for channels you follow that you think deserve more attention, or could be the next YouTube sensation. We’ll continue to feature promising partners who drive YouTube watch time, have fewer than 100,000 subscribers, and produce engaging content on a regular basis.

Kathryn Sahr and Christine Wang, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched “Top 10 NBA Dunks of 2013.”