It's getting towards that time of year again and today a roundup of the year, summing up what was hot on Google's incredibly popular YouTube video site, was published. At the top of YouTube's trending videos list for 2013 sits a video called 'The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)' by a Norwegian called Ylvis. The top ten also contained more viral blockbusters such as a Harlem Shake video (by the Norwegian Army), a Miley Cyrus parody and YOLO.
The official YouTube blog called the trending list "unpredictable" and mentioned that the trending videos "get bigger each year". For instance that video about The Fox racked up over 275 million hits. Also apparently a knock on effect was felt by other industries; there was a surge in demand for foxy Halloween costumes this year and a children's book about what the fox says will be launched as a spinoff. If you visit YouTube today you might also notice there's a little fox sat at the top, just to the right of the YouTube logo (mouseover to make it dance).
For your convenience YouTube staff have assembled playlists of these top trending videos of 2013 for you. Here is the overall top trending video list, here is the top music video playlist. However for even more convenience YouTube has made a Rewind 2013 video to give you a quick overview of the year's highlights with some of the trending video stars making an extra appearance. That video is embedded below.
Here's the full list of global top trending videos for you to click:
1. Ylvis - "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" by tvnorge
2. "Harlem Shake (original army edition)" by kennethaakonsen
3. "How Animals Eat Their Food" | MisterEpicMann by MisterEpicMann
4. "Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball (Chatroulette Version)" by SteveKardynal
5. "baby&me / the new evian film" by EvianBabies
6. Volvo Trucks - "The Epic Split feat. Van Damme" by VolvoTrucks
7. "YOLO (feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar)" by thelonelyisland
8. "Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise" by CarrieNYC
9. "THE NFL : A Bad Lip Reading" by BadLipReading
10. "Mozart vs Skrillex. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2" by ERB
The UK's top 10 was a little different to the above. The number one spot in the UK was taken by 'How animals eat their food' (#3 above), second spot went to an emotional wedding speech/song by one of the McFly guys, and third spot in the UK went to a Britain's Got Talent act called 'Attraction' – doing their thing.
I must admit not to having watched any of the above videos until now, but having had a quick click through this one was the most entertaining, in a cringeworthy way; Jean-Claude Van Damme carrying out his famous split between two reversing Volvo Trucks, filmed in Spain.
What was your favourite YouTube video of 2013?
