logo
'I went viral on YouTube 20 years ago – I'd flop if I posted it now'

'I went viral on YouTube 20 years ago – I'd flop if I posted it now'

Metro26-04-2025
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The first video ever uploaded to YouTube is a three-part saga. At least, according to its creator.
'Intro', 'the cool thing' and the 'end' are the three chapters on the video, 'Me at the zoo', uploaded on April 23, 2005.
Jawed Karim, one of the site's founders, chats to the camera as elephants flop around in hay behind him.
'Here we are in front of the, uh, elephants,' Karim says. 'They have really, really, really long' – he takes a suspenseful pause – 'trunks.'
A little over 20 years later, YouTube now boasts an estimated 14 billion videos. That's one and a half clips for every person on the planet.
Among those videos is one uploaded in 2006 of four guys doing an elaborate dance routine on motorised treadmills. It was a music video for the song, Here It Goes Again, by the American rock band OK Go.
The video on YouTube, which has 67million views, is not the original clip the band uploaded. That was taken down by the band's record label, EMI, when it had just over 70million views, the band told Metro.
Damian Kulash, 49, lead singer of OK Go, shot the video at his sister's house. One Grammy, three albums and nearly 20 years later, tens of millions have seen the four members get sweaty in wide ties and thick cardigans.
'Unquestionably, the last 20 years would have gone very differently for me – that video opened a whole new universe of creative possibilities,' Damian tells Metro between rehearsals for OK Go's And the Adjacent Possible tour.
'Or rather, it threw down the gauntlet with the greatest, most terrifying gift a creative person can be given: a truly boundless canvas.'
The video helped OK Go become so famous for inventive, colourfully elaborate videos that the band's choreography has a separate Wikipedia page.
'We've made dozens more of those weird, elaborate videos, and racked up over a billion views for art projects that simply couldn't have existed in – or at least wouldn't have fit the model of – any prior era,' Damian adds.
'My favourite YouTube comment this week is on our video for Love, a single-shot, over-the-top spectacle of kaleidoscopes and infinity rooms made by 29 robots controlling 65 mirrors: 'Whatever. Whole thing was done with mirrors.''
How OK Go posted Here It Goes Again on YouTube in the era of slick, MTV-ready music videos played a big part in the band's success, he adds.
'One of the founders, Chad Hurley, personally emailed us to ask us to give [YouTube] a try,' he says, describing what posting a three-minute-long video did for the band as 'tectonic'.
'In a blink, it pulled the rug out from under the massive industry of legacy media and democratised the distribution of information to a degree the world has never seen before.
'I don't think anyone could have predicted all the ways the world would adapt and change, and those changes are so all-encompassing that I feel a little silly talking about what it meant for my band, personally.'
YouTube, Damian adds, also provided the then-startup band OK Go with a way to reach fans in a way that TV channels (and before the days of Instagram Live Q&As) never could.
'One day we were a hard-touring indie rock band reliant on a record label, the radio industry, and being in a new city every night to connect with humans out there in the world,' the guitarist says.
'Then next, we had a direct line to millions of fans.'
Tay Zonday could say the same. 17 years ago, he posted a no-thrills video of himself singing an original song, Chocolate Rain.
With his deep bass voice and earnest delivery, Tay quickly became known as the 'Chocolate Rain Guy' as the clip tallied 140million views.
The open mic singer was suddenly making guest spots on Good Morning America, having his song dubbed 'the most listened-to song in the world' and winning the YouTube Music Award.
All while studying for a PhD in American studies at the University of Minnesota.
'My viral YouTube video changed my life,' Tay, whose real name is Adam Bahner, tells Metro. 'People connected with me because Chocolate Rain embodied novelty.'
This was in 2007, the now 42-year-old voice actor stresses, when homemade videos in 240p like Chocolate Rain drew crowds of clicks.
But the platform isn't what it was when Tay first joined. He questions whether Chocolate Rain would have been met with the same success it did back then if it were uploaded today.
This is partly down to the YouTube algorithm, which decides what videos to suggest to a viewer. The recommendation system directly drives about 70% of views on the platform, researchers say.
Some YouTubers say they approach the platform as if it were a science – from opening or closing their mouths in a video thumbnail to rarely taking a break from uploading – to please the algorithm.
'Today, loyalty determines content success. The most loyal audience that clicks and watches the most wins,' Tay says.
'Keeping people in loyal content bubbles is like feeding everyone sugar. YouTube makes perfect pastries, but should not have the power to decide the world's diet.'
'YouTube has beautiful moments, but it's Icarus flying too close to the business sun,' he adds. 'It must make changes that will be bad for business and good for humanity.'
Damian similarly wonders how successful the band would have been if they had signed up for YouTube account in 2025.
'It's funny that we're only in our 40s, but we're already being treated as the grandfathers of a cultural form,' he says.
'But internet generations are fast, and I'm flattered by the recognition we've gotten from today's superstars.'
As YouTube and the people who upload, watch, share, remix and meme videos continue to change, Damian doubts the band will change with it.
OK Go projects can take nearly a year to create, making modern live streamers, next-day delivery shopping haulers and vloggers seem like 'speedy little creatures'.
OK Go will never be as speedy as today's generation of YouTubers – and Damian's perfectly okay with that.
'The 20th century is the sea, and it's filled with gorgeous, venerable cultural creatures like painters, rock bands, journalists, movie directors, and the like,' he says. More Trending
'The 21st century is the land, now crawling with speedy little creatures like influencers and live streamers.
'OK Go is one of the delightfully weird creatures that crawled out of the sea in the first place, an amphibian that straddles both worlds and survives in a peculiar environmental niche we found in that transition between land and sea.
'We get to sink into our art projects with the effort and intentionality of the old world sea creatures, but it's the new ecosystem of the land animals that carries them off into culture.'
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Boris Johnson's ostrich-like response to Adolescence was inevitable
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Only 1 in 3 can work out which hat contains the cat in baffling brainteaser
Only 1 in 3 can work out which hat contains the cat in baffling brainteaser

Daily Mirror

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Only 1 in 3 can work out which hat contains the cat in baffling brainteaser

A mind-boggling brainteaser which requires a sharp-mind and critical thinking skills has left the majority of Brits scratching their heads - but can you work it out? Discover whether you have the mind of a modern-day genius with this impossibly challenging brainteaser that most people fail. Solving puzzles and riddles might seem like nothing more than a boredom buster, but they're actually a great form of mental exercise. In fact, some studies have even found that solving brainteasers like this one can improve your concentration levels and attention span, by positively impacting the central nervous system. ‌ So while it won't turn you into a rocket scientist or get you into Oxford University, it's still worth attempting. However, this particular brainteaser isn't for the average Joe - and you'll need a sky-high IQ to crack it. So, let's dive straight in... ‌ ‌ The image above shows three red hats, each containing a black cat. As previously reported, this puzzle first made its appearance on the YouTube channel 'Mend Your Decisions', and comes with three statements - along with the following advice: "Exactly one of the statements is true. Exactly one hat contains a cat." Hat 1: The cat is in this hat. Hat 2: The cat is not in this hat. Hat 3: The cat is not in hat 1. Feeling a little lost already? That's understandable, as only one in three Brits will actually be able to solve this. So, which of the hats contains the cat? The possible answers are: ‌ Hat 1. Hat 2. Hat 3. None of them. Not enough information. You must initially consider the possibility of the cat being in all the hats. Following that, you need to determine which of the earlier statements is accurate and which two are incorrect. Once you're done, you can check your answer at the bottom of the article. ‌ If that baffling brainteaser was no match for a smarty pants like yourself, check out this even harder puzzle created by the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). You'll need to be as smart as a spy to crack this one, and only have 20 seconds to do so. So, put your 007 thinking cap on and work out the hidden word amongst the below. Once you're done, you can check your answer here. Madison Saturn Do Nitrogen Exodus ‌ ANSWER: By process of elimination, let's say the cat is in hat 1. This implies that the first two statements are true, while the third is false - which means the cat can't be in hat one. Moving onto the second hat, if this is where the animal is then the first two statements are false, but the third is true by process of elimination. This implies that only one statement is accurate: the cat is in the second hat, which indeed turns out to be the solution.

All Emmerdale spoiler videos for next week as legend ‘saves the day'
All Emmerdale spoiler videos for next week as legend ‘saves the day'

Metro

time6 hours ago

  • Metro

All Emmerdale spoiler videos for next week as legend ‘saves the day'

Drama is unfolding next week in Emmerdale, as these new spoiler clips show trouble involving Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley), Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) and John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth). With Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) putting pressure on her to sell Butlers Farm, the last thing Moira needs is for son Kyle (Huey Quinn) to put himself in danger. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happens – and the aftermath could change Moira's future entirely. Elsewhere, Joe's determination to make Kim Tate (Claire King) proud and secure the land that surrounds Home Farm causes Cain to clash with Sam Dingle (James Hooton). Also, John makes a major discovery about Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley), and wastes no time in telling another resident about it amid his attempt to get rid of his brother. Here's a look at what's ahead next week in Emmerdale. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Entering the barn, Kyle finds two masked teenagers and one of them is Dylan (Fred Kettle), April's (Amelia Flanagan) mate. Kyle arms himself with a pitchfork but in a panic, he stabs Dylan in the leg. Moira then arrives brandishing a shotgun, leaving the lads terrified. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video At Wishing Well, frustrated over his brother's loyalty to Joe, Cain leaves Sam with an ultimatum – he needs to pick a side. Will he pick the Dingles, or the Tates? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Outside the Village Hall, John spots Ross (Michael Parr). More Trending He heads over and eventually reveals that he's discovered some incriminating information about Robert. Given Ross' dislike towards Robert at the moment, he is intrigued – but what exactly has John learnt? And how will it impact Robert, who is very close to the truth about John? View More » If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Emmerdale legend in danger as Joe Tate sets out to destroy her MORE: Emmerdale fans blow holes in Owen and John 'suicide' twist MORE: Robert attacked in Emmerdale early ITVX release – and not by John

All Coronation Street video spoilers for next week as return is confirmed
All Coronation Street video spoilers for next week as return is confirmed

Metro

time6 hours ago

  • Metro

All Coronation Street video spoilers for next week as return is confirmed

Coronation Street lines up more drama for various characters next week, as teased in our new videos, with big decisions made and discoveries aplenty. Abi Webster (Sally Carman-Duttine) fears there is no way back for her marriage to Kevin (Michael Le Vell) in the wake of a discovery and thus gives into temptation with Carl (Jonathan Howard). Meanwhile, Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) is left seriously spooked when he works out who newcomer Noah's new girlfriend is and it will spell trouble for Theo Silverton (James Cartwright). Elsewhere, Carla Connor (Alison King) sets out to get answers about Lisa Swain's (Vicky Myers) ex Becky and thus she pays a visit to the prison. For a first look at all this, check out our new video clips below, which will hopefully tide you over until your next visit to the cobbles on Monday. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Abi is livid after learning that Kevin has been lying to her about his cancer. She confides in Carl, who assures her that he didn't know. Resolving to end things with Kev for good, Abi kisses Carl. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video More Trending Todd overhears Noah on the phone to Danielle and it doesn't take him long to work out that they're an item. The discovery leaves him conflicted, unsure of what to do with this information. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Carla visits Logan Radcliffe in prison, hoping to get more information on Becky. Logan toys with her, prompting Carla to ask him what – or should we say 'how much' – he's after in exchange for what he knows. View More » Coronation Street airs these scenes w/c Monday July 28 from 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. MORE: Exit story confirmed for Coronation Street character months after debut MORE: All 24 EastEnders pictures for next week as crime is 'set to be exposed' MORE: All 31 Coronation Street pictures for next week as major characters search for answers

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store