Let’s admit it: Most teens hardly watch television anymore. Nowadays, we seem to prefer to watch content either from Netflix or from our favorite creators on YouTube.
Some people criticize this change in viewing habits, but the five artists below prove that YouTube has content every bit as good as traditional outlets:
5. MatPat
Almost every gamer has seen at least one video of Matthew Patrick, or MatPat’s, series “Game Theory,” where he takes questions that players ask about a video game and turns them into full-blown discussions about science and ethics. His channel has over 9 million subscribers, and his videos never cease to astonish viewers with their comprehensive analysis of even the smallest details in a game, such as faults in the storyline or even personality traits of certain characters.
4. PewDiePie
As the most-subscribed-to channel with 61 million subscribers, Swedish YouTuber Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg’s content draws many eyes. His videos range from hour-long episodes of gameplay to short videos in which he sarcastically reviews the latest internet trends. PewDiePie has also shared many personal experiences on his channel, especially after he shifted from making only gameplay videos to other types of content. For example, in one of his videos, “Old vs. New PewDiePie,” he reveals how he would make daily videos in the past to satisfy his viewers, but, consequently, he would damage his own happiness and well-being in the process. While there has been controversy on PewDiePie’s channel before about his alleged involvement with Nazis, he has denied these claims and has apologized to offended viewers. Nevertheless, the way PewDiePie honestly reveals this struggle to his audience sets him apart from many other creators on YouTube.
3. iiSuperwomanii
In the past eight years, Lilly Singh, a.k.a. iiSuperwomanii, has received over 2 billion views and 13 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, where she makes short sketches that comically illustrate her daily struggles and her experiences as an Indian girl raised in Canada, something that many teenagers can relate to. On top of these short films, iiSuperwomanii has also collaborated on her own red lipstick, “BAWSE,” partnered with Smashbox Beauty Cosmetics.
2. Daniel Howell and AmazingPhil
YouTubers Daniel Howell and AmazingPhil, or Phil Lester, have always been the British dynamic duo of YouTube. As roommates and best friends, the two YouTubers each have their individual channels and a collective gaming channel called DanAndPhilGAMES, all which have several million subscribers. The two have been affectionately dubbed “Dan and Phil” by their fans, known as the “Phandom,” and both of their channels feature sarcastically on-point vlogs, challenge videos and DIY projects.
1. Nigahiga
Japanese-American YouTuber Ryan Higa, who goes by the channel name Nigahiga, has been the king of creative content since 2006. On his channel with over 20 million subscribers, viewers can find hilarious commercial and song parodies as well as fake movie trailers. Nigahiga’s videos are known for their their clever jokes and puns, and, unlike many other YouTubers, he posts more irregularly, preferring quality over quantity, which makes him number one on this list.