Help me make a compilation of songs made popular via Youtube.

November 10, 2009 12:51 PM

I am looking to make a compilation of music that consists of songs that owe their popularity to Youtube. What songs does the hive mind recommend?

i want to put together a compilation of musical tracks that owe their popularity to youtube. They could be things of a viral nature like "Chocolate Rain" or songs that gained a following due to youtube like "Here is Goes Again" by OKGO. What songs would you suggest?

posted by theButterFly to computers & internet (34 answers total)

The "Numa Numa" song is the first thing I thought of. There's also the "Obama Girl" song, if you don't mind getting a bit political.
posted by chowflap at 12:52 PM on November 10, 2009 [1 favorite]

Soulja Boy - Crank That
posted by burnmp3s at 12:53 PM on November 10, 2009

everything by Pogo
posted by nomisxid at 1:00 PM on November 10, 2009

How can Rick Astley's hit song not be the first item here?
posted by anti social order at 1:00 PM on November 10, 2009

It was popular before, but a certain Rick Astley song had a second life on Youtube.
posted by Locobot at 1:01 PM on November 10, 2009

Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley

sure, it's a 4chan meme, but it never would have worked without Youtube
posted by Oktober at 1:01 PM on November 10, 2009

Chocolate Rain
posted by fire&wings at 1:01 PM on November 10, 2009 [2 favorites]

Peanut Butter Jelly Time

Dota by Basshunter

I personally think Flight of the Conchords owes a lot of their success to YouTube.
posted by castlebravo at 1:02 PM on November 10, 2009

United Breaks Guitars by Dave Carroll
posted by hungrysquirrels at 1:04 PM on November 10, 2009

OK Go's Here It Goes Again
posted by asras at 1:05 PM on November 10, 2009 [1 favorite]

Ok anti social, you win. Also though they typically have a short life on Youtube, a bunch of SNL originated songs get tons of internet play: Dick in a Box, On a Boat, Mother Lover, Chronicles of Narnia. Possibly also Autotune the News...
posted by Locobot at 1:05 PM on November 10, 2009

Andy McKee
Marie Digby
Esmee Denters
Kina Grannis
Canon in D (electric guitar) ~ one video has over 65 million hits.
posted by empyrean at 1:06 PM on November 10, 2009

oops...didn't read the inside!
posted by asras at 1:07 PM on November 10, 2009

Definitely Ok Go's treadmill video "Here It Goes Again."
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:09 PM on November 10, 2009

Sittin On Tha Toilet is pretty damn catchy.
posted by spilon at 1:09 PM on November 10, 2009

oops...me, too.
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:10 PM on November 10, 2009

Weezer's Pork and Beans (viral Youtube video).
posted by zippy at 1:13 PM on November 10, 2009

Some music popular on youtube because people enjoy mocking it:
Attack Attack: Stick Stickly (AKA crabcore)
Brokencyde: Freaxxx (AKA the worst band ever)
posted by idiopath at 1:17 PM on November 10, 2009

Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way
posted by cocoagirl at 1:17 PM on November 10, 2009

Here's a link to Canon Rock, which empyrean mentioned.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 1:20 PM on November 10, 2009

Walk It Out by UNK
Na Na Na by Theresa Andersson
posted by Alison at 1:31 PM on November 10, 2009

The Pomplamoose cover of Single Ladies.
posted by grapesaresour at 1:33 PM on November 10, 2009

I was mostly unfamiliar with the Daft Punk song Better, Faster, Stronger until the Daft Hands meme got traction.

Now I hear it all the time.
posted by quin at 1:34 PM on November 10, 2009

Spinna for a face.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:38 PM on November 10, 2009

Marie Digby singing the cover of Rihanna's Umbrella
posted by gagoumot at 1:51 PM on November 10, 2009

Oh, now you've got me thinking.

Susan Boyle singing I Dreamed A Dream on Britain's Got Talent
posted by gagoumot at 1:58 PM on November 10, 2009

I'm gonna go with Chris Brown's song "Forever" aka The Wedding Dance Song
posted by Spyder's Game at 2:14 PM on November 10, 2009

Jonothan Coulton's Code Monkey
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:26 PM on November 10, 2009

What What (In the Butt), by Samwell.
posted by Spinneret at 3:01 PM on November 10, 2009 [3 favorites]

Gauchos de Acero, a young (read 11 year-old bass player) Argentinian heavy metal band whose popularity was launched by their kitchen cover of Iron Maiden's The Trooper. Warning, endearing kid metal, including 3 year-old headbanging. (Note, 4 megaviews) (did I invent a word?) They are playing dates in Argentina now and appeared on the Argentinian version of those talent shows that are on TV everywhere.

Esquire article here.
posted by Ironmouth at 3:56 PM on November 10, 2009

Marie Digby. Definitely a success story (who deserves every bit of it).
posted by variella at 5:09 PM on November 10, 2009

Jeremy Fisher - Cigarette (the homemade video made has 2 million + views.)
posted by Frank Grimes at 6:17 PM on November 10, 2009

Numa Numa, for sure. Also, this.
posted by ainsley at 6:40 PM on November 10, 2009

Alanis Morissette's cover of "My Humps"
posted by SisterHavana at 8:07 PM on November 12, 2009