It’s that time of year when the internet collectively looks back at the events of the past 365 days and compiles commemorative lists in order to make sense of a hectic year. YouTube recently dropped several such lists, including the top trending videos of 2022 in lieu of YouTube Rewind, which was discontinued last year. Some of the videos, such as one famous awards show slap, come as no surprise, while others are a little more unexpected.
Unlike with Rewind, YouTube specifically looked at videos that went viral in individual countries and compiled lists per those respective countries. We’re going to specifically talk about the trending videos from the U.S. in this article, but you can take a look at other countries’ lists on YouTube.
Now, let’s reflect on 2022 and the top-10 videos that we couldn’t stop watching this past year.
10. Millie Bobby Brown eats some spicy wings
Millie Bobby Brown appeared on the popular First We Feast show, Hot Ones, amid a press tour for season four of Stranger Things. She had some of the best reactions any guest has had on the show. She starts off the interview giving very professional responses and by the end, Brown is just trying to survive. Plenty of viral moments came out of this interview, including a struggling Brown asking host Sean Evans, “Why did you do this to me? I’m only 18. I’m only small.” A surprise appearance from co-star Noah Schnapp rounds out the hilarious interview.
9. The Try Guys become the Tri Guys
In some of the most surprisingly gripping internet drama we’ve ever seen, the Try Guys addressed the removal of member Ned Fulmer after allegations he had cheated on his wife with an employee. What made it intriguing was that Fulmer had presented himself as a family man enamored with his wife. Fans of the Try Guys (and basically anyone online) were shocked when he was kicked out of the group, and the rumors were proven to be true. The video of the remaining Try Guys addressing the situation after Fulmer’s removal quickly went viral, and many weighed in with opinions and of course, memes.
8. Creepypasta-inspired short film, ‘The Backrooms’
Sixteen-year-old director Kane Parsons (username: Kane Pixels) made a short film inspired by the “Backrooms Creepypasta” in the style of camcorder-esque found footage. The fascinating horror film looks straight out of a VHS tape and accurately portrays the unsettling atmosphere of the original internet myth. The film’s protagonist lives out a scenario straight out of a nightmare, cursed to wander the fluorescent office halls for eternity or at least until the creature stalking him gets bored.
7. Jaiden Animations comes out as “aroace”
Popular YouTuber Jaiden Animation announced that she was aromantic-arosexual or “aroace” in her own signature story-driven style. The video quickly went viral and spurred conversation about asexuality and the aroace spectrum. Jaiden Animation rarely opens up about her personal life and says she has no plans to further discuss her sexuality, but the creator started an open discussion to bring more awareness and representation to the identities.
6. Mark Robers gets revenge on scam callers
YouTuber Mark Rober has gone viral in the past for finding creative ways to prevent package theft, and in 2022, he continued to fight crime via elaborate pranks. A former NASA engineer, Rober put his skills to the test and, with the help of other fraud fighters, enacted a prank that ends with a scam calling center covered in glitter, cockroaches, and a disgusting stench. It’s crazy to believe that Rober might not have created such insane pranks if not for some thieves stealing a package off his porch a few years ago.
5. MrBeast recreated Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory
MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, is known for his generosity and elaborate recreations of popular media, such as Squid Game. In this viral video, MrBeast builds a replica of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory in order to promote his line of chocolate bars, Feastables. The factory comes complete with a chocolate waterfall, a room made out of marshmallows, and an appearance by Gordon Ramsay. Thankfully, the popular YouTuber didn’t recreate the torturing children portion of the factory.
4. Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show
The Super Bowl halftime show always makes an impression, but Super Bowl LVI’s performance raised the bar. This particular show was filled with nostalgic bops from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem had people of all ages dancing. It’s no wonder people couldn’t help replaying the only halftime show to win an Emmy award.
3. Dream revealed his face
One of the most popular Minecraft YouTubers, Dream, decided to reveal his face after years of staying anonymous. After remaining unknown for so long, fans flocked to the video and gave their reactions to the reveal. It’s an impressive feat to stay under the radar for as many years as Dream has but given the spotlight he’s currently facing, Dream might wish he stayed unknown.
2. Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the Oscars
It was the slap heard around the world: Will Smith hit Chris Rock across the face after the comedian told a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, during the Oscars. The incident led to the former Fresh Prince receiving a 10-year ban from the Oscars and gave us some relatable celebrity reactions. If you’re like the rest of us, you’ve probably heard enough discourse about the slap by this point, but we can’t deny its lasting impact on us this past year
1. Technoblade’s farewell
The top trending video of 2022 is this farewell video posted on YouTuber Technoblade’s channel. In this touching video, the gamer’s father reads Technoblade’s last words to his audience after passing from stage-four cancer. In his letter, Technoblade thanks his fans for following along on his YouTube journey and says, “If I had another hundred lives, I think I would choose to be Technoblade again every single time, as those were the happiest years of my life.”
This year’s trending videos were a rollercoaster of ups and downs, much like this past year. As we enter 2023, we can reminisce on the good times and the challenges of 2022 and look forward to more moments that will be sure to grab our attention in the year to come.
YouTube’s full trending list can be found here.