The Top Trends on YouTube 2024
As the year draws to a close, YouTube rounds up the videos, songs, and people that made 2024 special with the biggest trends of the year.
The year is almost over and whilst there might be a little more time until 2025, the year has been marked by major moments. YouTube have brought together all of the top things in 2024, from the channels that dominated YouTube to the topics that made the year unique.
Iconic moments like Kendrick Lamar’s massive takedown of Drake on Not Like Us are recognised here as one of the defining parts of the year. Of course, the year has also seen a major presidential election that topped the US topics list but was also seen around the world topping the UK’s topic list too – despite their own election. Then there’s the hottest new game of the year taking over content on YouTube.
YouTube write: “Reflecting on the past year on YouTube reveals another step in the evolution of pop culture: our major shared experiences and cultural touchstones are now propelled by franchises and properties originated by creators and adopted by online communities. And the evolving way those cultural moments are created, experienced and shared is driving their popularity.”
We’ll be sharing the top lists for YouTube’s year in the United States, but you can see the top topics for countries around the world here.
Top Trending Topics on YouTube in the U.S. 2024
In 2024, a new game came to the forefront knocking off titans of YouTube popularity like Five Nights at Freddy’s and Minecraft. Dress to Impress, a competitive fashion game in Roblox, has quickly emerged as one with appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike.
Along with let’s plays, Creators have uploaded IRL competitions, beauty routines, and fan art. They’ve also built on the lore surrounding one of Dress to Impress’s characters, turning an underlying storyline into one of the game’s most fascinating elements.
Since the start of 2024, there have been more than 4 billion views of gaming videos with variations of “Dress to Impress” in the title.
- 2024 United States presidential election
- Kendrick Lamar
- Sean Combs Scandal
- Jujutsu Kaisen
- Amazing Digital Circus
- Hazbin Hotel
- Dress to Impress
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Helldivers 2
Top Creators on YouTube in the U.S. 2024
Although he amassed a fanbase playing analog horror games, CaseOh took a moment to try his hand at Dress to Impress this year, further reinforcing the game’s broad appeal.
- MrBeast
- Stokes Twins
- UR · Cristiano
- CaseOh
- Zack D. Films
- Nick DiGiovanni
- Jordan Matter
- Mark Rober
- The Trench Family
- Camilla Araujo
Top Songs on YouTube in the U.S. 2024
Sabrina Carpenter’s success this year, alongside that of Chappell Roan, Tyla, and Charli XCX, ushered in a new era of female artists as the faces of pop. Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” landed at the #1 spot on the US Top Songs Chart across 20 separate weeks.
- Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
- Teddy Swims – Lose Control
- Benson Boone – Beautiful Things
- Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
- GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion – Wanna Be
- Tommy Richman – MILLION DOLLAR BABY
- Luis R Conriquez, Netón Vega – Si No Quieres No
- Xavi – La Diabla
- Future, Metro Boomin, Kendrick Lamar – Like That
- Post Malone – I Had Some Help (feat. Morgan Wallen)
Top Songs on YouTube Shorts in the U.S. 2024
Whilst this list shares some bedfellows with the top songs list, like Tommy Richman’s huge hit at number 1, a lot of originality can be seen in which songs have been favoured for the soundtracks to creator’s YouTube Shorts.
- Tommy Richman – MILLION DOLLAR BABY
- Lay Bankz – Tell Ur Girlfriend
- prodbycpkshawn – Pop like this Pt. 2 (Slowed)
- Odetari – KEEP UP
- Bobby Caldwell – What You Won’t Do for Love
- фрози, Joyful – Bounce (I Just Wanna Dance)
- Eternxlkz – SLAY!
- Megan Thee Stallion – Mamushi (feat. Yuki Chiba)
- Surf Curse – Disco
- Steve Lacy – Static