TOGETHER WITH

It's Wednesday and yet another viral TikTok sound has evolved into a full-length single. Behold: “Planet of the Bass.”

MUSICAL APPETIZERS

YouTube’s latest feed turns full-length songs into short-form Samples

YouTube is making the most of its users’ modern music habits. These days, the platform says, most people find new songs through their family and friends. That’s no surprise—but the second most popular discovery method is a pretty big deal for YouTube:

Aside from personal recommendations, most people find new songs by scrolling through short-form content.

YouTube’s response to that trend: a personalized, music-only recommendation feed called Samples. According to YouTube Director of Product Management Brandon Bilinski, the Samples tab offers “a focused music discovery experience” centered around 30-second cuts from music videos and live performances in the YouTube Music library. Viewers interested in a specific Sample (which Bilinski describes as an “appetizer to the full meal”) can watch the full-length video, add the song to their YouTube Music collection, start a new playlist with it, use it to create a Short, see the album page, or share it to friends.

Musicians have options, too.

According to Bilinski, artists who don’t want their songs displayed in the Sample feed can opt out—but as YouTube explained to “a lot of artists and labels,” the new tab could prove to be a valuable audience-building tool. Artists willing to participate in that process won’t have to wait long to get the ball rolling.

YouTube began launching Samples on a global basis yesterday, and plans to use the resulting data to “explore how this type of short-form discovery can inform other parts of the YouTube Music app.”

🔆 SPONSORED 🔆

What does 360° talent representation mean to creators? Here are the answers to 3 FAQs from top Viral Nation stars:

As a creator, having the right support system can revolutionize your career. That’s why ​​Viral Nation Talent​​ offers 360° creator representation—and why their team and talent are dedicated to helping creators find the right representation for their goals.

Check out these insights on finding representation from three Viral Nation stars:

1. What should creators look for in an agent? 🔎 
Gabe Dannenbring (aka TikTok’s favorite teacher): “Someone who is honest. An influencer needs to understand that agents can’t guarantee how much money you will make.”

2. When did you realize it was time to ​find professional representation​? ⏰ 
Nick Pro, Parkour Content Creator and Film Buff: “When I was getting inquiries from brands multiple times a week or day…I also got to a point where I was losing a lot of money from not knowing how much to value a brand partnership.”

3. What was your top priority when choosing an agency? 🤔 
Lindsay Nikole, Edgy Zoologist and Rising YouTube Star: “One must-have was the ability to execute brand deals and sponsorships—knowing my channel(s)'s worth…and responding to everything in a timely manner.”

Hit the button below to learn how Viral Nation Talent can supercharge your growth:

​​Take your content to new heights →

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• A dozen top YouTubers—including Sam and Colby, UnspeakablePlays, and PrestonGamez—have teamed up with FilmRise to repackage their content as TV shows. (Tubefilter)
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• YouTube is enacting a new “policy framework” designed to counter medical misinformation related to disease prevention, dubious treatments, and conspiracy theories. (Tubefilter)
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• According to Nielsen’s latest study, linear television (aka cable and broadcast TV) viewership “represented less than half of total TV usage” for the first time in July 2023. (Gizmodo)
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• New reports claim that Twitter intentionally delayed users’ access to rival websites by slowing down loading times. (TechCrunch)

DATA • U.S. TOP 50 📈

From fake aliens to plastic spiders, there’s nothing Shorts viewers love more than a solid prank

Fans of Joe Albanese know one thing for certain: the viral Shorts creator never lets a good prank pass him by. When opportunity calls, Albanese answers—especially if that opportunity involves annoying his little sister. Over the past five years, the short-form star has crossed off pretty much every prank in the book.

He’s dropped a brick on his sister’s see-saw, vacuum-sealed her into a trash bag, and abducted her while dressed as a giant green alien.

The list goes on and on (and on and on). Luckily, viewers don’t seem to mind Albanese’s ongoing penchant for pranks. In fact, the creator’s mischievous attitude has earned him a hefty 6 million subscribers on YouTube—plus another 44 million followers on TikTok.

It’s not hard to see why so many viewers tune into Albanese’s videos: even when they aren’t pranking each other, the creator and his sister make an undeniably hilarious duo. The siblings routinely bond over high-energy dance battles, complicated coordination challenges, and (of course) the joy of tormenting their mother.

That mix of familial affection and comedic drama made an especially strong impact on viewers during the second week of August:

• In just seven days, Albanese’s YouTube channel snagged 140.1 million weekly views.

• That number adds up to nearly three times as much traffic as the creator’s previous weekly total.

• The result: Albanese’s massively popular videos skyrocketed his channel to #37 in the U.S. Top 50.

Want more info about rising stars? Check out Gospel Stats to get the inside scoop on everything from trending creators to top branded videos.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Moist Cr1TiKaL just ended his Twitch contract to broaden his horizons

Charlie White is branching out. After years of building up an audience on Twitch—a platform he’s been active on since it was still Justin.tv—the creator (aka Moist Cr1TiKaL) has announced the termination of his exclusive streaming agreement. Now, White says he plans to diversify his content in order to better support his Moist Esports business and expand into new broadcast formats.

Despite White’s alarmingly-named announcement video (entitled “Goodbye Twitch”), the creator isn’t swearing off his home platform just yet. Instead, he plans to continue streaming to his 5 million Twitch followers while simultaneously reaching viewers on YouTube and other platforms. That new approach could bring a wide variety of live content to White’s YouTube channel, including Moist Wrestling League matches and an eventual Dungeons & Dragons series inspired by Critical Role.

The creator's updated content slate is a clear win for his millions of YouTube subscribers—but it’s also a good sign for the platform itself. After signing lucrative contracts with streamers like Ludwig Ahgren, YouTube’s ability to draw out White without an exclusivity agreement is a sign that it’s become a real competitor in the streaming world.

WATCH THIS 📺

Billie Eilish’s Barbie anthem packed a punch at Lollapalooza

It’s been just under a month since Barbie hit theaters, but the power of “What Was I Made For?” is still resonating with viewers. The official music video for Billie Eilish’s poignant song (which appeared on the Barbie soundtrack) has already generated more than 33 million views on YouTube.

A peek at the artist’s Lollapalooza performance demonstrates the song’s emotional impact. Eilish’s live rendition of “What Was I Made For?” prompted tears from audience members, many of whom seemed to know the lyrics by heart. As one YouTube commenter (@allissatome8687) noted, “I was there… and i still cant believe it. the song had been out for only two weeks and 140,000 people knew every word.”

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