YouTube retires its ‘Trending’ page as focus shifts to charts
YouTube is sunsetting its Trending page and Trending Now list in favour of more targeted, category-focused charts.
YouTube has announced it is phasing out its Trending page and the Trending Now list, a major change that will roll out in the next few weeks. Instead of showing one all-purpose list of viral content, the platform is shifting towards category-specific Charts that offer more targeted insights into what’s popular.
The Trending page was first launched in 2015, during a time when viral trends were simpler and easier to define. At that point, a single list of popular videos could fairly represent what people were watching. But YouTube says that things have changed dramatically.
“Back when we first launched the Trending page in 2015, the answer to ‘what’s trending’ was a lot simpler to capture with a singular list of viral videos that everyone was talking about,” YouTube said in a community blog post.
Now, video trends are far more fragmented. With diverse communities, micro-trends, and content styles growing across the platform, YouTube believes that its Charts feature provides a clearer picture of what’s trending within specific categories like music videos, podcasts, and movie trailers. More categories are expected to be added over time.
In addition to Charts, YouTube is encouraging users to discover new content through personalised recommendations, as well as the Explore menu, creator channels, and subscriptions feed. “This way, we can show a wider range of popular content that’s relevant, and it feels more natural to how viewers already find new videos,” YouTube explained.
The company also acknowledged that the Trending page’s traffic has dropped significantly over the past five years. This is largely due to changes in how people discover content – whether through Shorts, search results, comments, or other platforms like TikTok. With Shorts becoming an increasingly popular format, check out these tips for creators on how to perfect your own Shorts.
As The Verge points out, critics, including some creators, have long said that the Trending page didn’t realisticaly represent what was truly popular. There were concerns that traditional media, such as film studios and TV networks, had an easier time making it to the Trending list than independent creators, due to larger budgets and built-in audiences.
For creators who used the Trending section to spot new ideas or keep up with what’s popular, YouTube recommends turning to the Inspiration Tab in YouTube Studio. This feature uses AI to offer tailored video ideas. The platform is also continuing its Hype feature, which helps surface rising content by letting viewers promote their favourite fresh uploads. Additionally, the platform will keep spotlighting Creators on the Rise through its social media and the official @YouTube channel.
This move marks a shift towards a more curated and tailored YouTube experience, reflecting the way people now consume video content.
“We’re also creating new ways to give up-and-coming creators a boost and help them get discovered, like our ‘Hype’ feature that lets viewers amplify fresh videos they love,” YouTube added.
The changes are set to go live in the next couple of weeks.