TOGETHER WITH

It’s Thursday and Chik-fil-A launching its own streaming service definitely wasn’t on our 2024 bingo card. But hey—everything goes with fries, right?

Today’s News

BROKEN RECORDS

YouTube just became the first-ever streaming platform to exceed 10% of total living room TV usage

The data: Nielsen’s latest data is good news for YouTube. After spending billions to break into the television industry, the Alphabet-owned company has become the first streaming platform to exceed 10% of total living room TV usage—ever.

• That milestone came in July, when YouTube hit 10.4% after reaching 9.7% of total TV viewership in March and 9.9% in June. Its closest competitor, Netflix, claimed 8.4% of total July TV viewership (per Nielsen).
  
  

• Those stats are only the beginning. Streaming as a whole (including YouTube, Netflix, Amazon‘s Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Tubi, Roku, Peacock, Max, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and a few unnamed smaller streamers) hit 41.4% of total living room TV viewership in July—the largest share for any viewing format in Nielsen data history.

• Cable TV, on the other hand, came in at just 26.7%, while broadcast snagged a grand total of 20.3%.

The context: Live sports had a lot to do with the streaming industry’s summer triumph. Nielsen’s July data showed that Olympics coverage pushed Peacock to its second-best share of TV watch time ever (1.5%), up 33% from the previous month. At the same time, YouTube has begun rolling out new Sunday Ticket features to woo fans ahead of the NFL season.

• That package (which reportedly costs YouTube $2.5 billion per year) will likely make up a hefty portion of the platform’s TV viewership share in the future, but rival streamers do have one clear advantage: original series. 

• Love Island USA was a key component in Peacock’s month-over-month growth, while Max’s House of the Dragon proved to be the No. 1 show across all streaming services in July with 4.7 billion minutes watched on TVs.

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HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• A live shopping conference called SoCom will kick off on October 17 at the Audrey Irmas Pavillion in L.A.’s Koreatown neighborhood. (Tubefilter)
  
  

• Twitch has announced its plan to increase “new Tier 1 sub and gift sub prices on the mobile app in over 40 countries.” (Engadget)
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• YouTube’s latest support feature is an AI “hacked channel assistant” that helps “eligible creators” regain control after being hacked. (Engadget)
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• Pinterest’s newly-launched Fall 2024 Trend Report offers users a detailed outline of everything from up-and-coming home decor to the next big thing in fashion. (Today)

GAME ON

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to bring his 636 million Instagram followers to YouTube

The launch: Instagram’s most-followed individual is shooting his shot on YouTube. Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has launched UR Cristiano, a channel offering everything from original programs (including This or That, which explores Ronaldo’s “favorite sports and idols”) to couple videos and father-son challenges.

The result of all that newly-dropped content: UR Cristiano attracted more than 19 million subscribers in just 24 hours—and judging by Ronaldo’s 636 million Instagram followers, more are likely to flood in over the next week.

The statement:

The context: Ronaldo’s YouTube debut is a smart move—especially if the 39-year-old athlete is looking to break into media. Sports stars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Bryson DeChambeau have snagged tens of millions of views by throwing their weight behind online trends, while the Olympic Games have ignited a fresh wave of athletic fervor across YouTube.

Some notable creators are already rooting for Ronaldo to climb the charts alongside Top 50 channels like AG Soccer Team. Streamer-slash-superfan iShowSpeed has asserted his belief that Ronaldo can surpass MrBeast to become YouTube’s most-subscribed creator (a process he hopes to help along by guest starring on the athlete’s channel). The soccer legend has already made some serious progress.

CAN’T STOP THE BEAT

60% of TikTok’s top 10 summer hits are indie songs

The winners: From reviving oldies to fostering emerging talent, TikTok’s kingmaking abilities have reshaped the music charts over the last few months—especially when it comes to indie artists.

In total, 60% of TikTok’s Top 10 hits of the summer were independently distributed. Here’s how those results shook out:

• #1: “Gata Only” by FloyyMenor and Cris MJ (distributed by UnitedMasters)

• #3: Tommy Richman’s “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” (PULSE Records/ISO Supremacy)

• #5: “Alibi” by Sevdaliza with Pabllo Vittar and Yseult (Twisted Elegance)

• #7: “ESTE” by El Alfa and Nfasis (El Jefe Records)

• #8: Lay Bankz’ “Tell Ur Girlfriend” (Artist Partner Group)

• #9 “Si No Quieres No” by Luis R Conriquez and Neton Vega (Kartel Music)

The context: Two of the indie hits on TikTok’s list (“Alibi” and “ESTE”) were released by the artists’ own self-founded labels—but the majority come from distributors that fit into what Music Business Worldwide calls “the middle class” of music-making. Those labels are neither self-founded nor among the Big Four (aka EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group), meaning they don’t have pre-existing conflicts with TikTok, can produce quicker turnaround times, and often embrace the platform as the premiere method of advertising.

When combined, those factors add up to some impressive stats. “Gata Only,” for instance, attracted 1.03 billion streams in the 30 days before August 19. Given that TikTok reportedly pays out between 2 and 4 cents per 1,000 streams, that kind of reach can result in major financial gains for independent artists.

WATCH THIS 📺

Colin & Samir just got brutally honest about esports

The interview: It’s been a tough few years for esports. From layoffs to unpredictable profits, companies like 100 Thieves have weathered some hefty challenges—and their founding members are starting to feel the effects of all that uncertainty.

In a two-hour interview, creator economy experts Colin and Samir sat down with 100 Thieves vets Courage and Nadeshot to discuss everything from creator burnout to their plans for an executive shakeup.

Check out the foursome’s full chat here.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, James Hale, and Josh Cohen. Drew Baldwin helped edit, too. It's a team effort.