Ever Wonder Why YouTube Reaction Videos Are So Popular?

 

 

Musing Over Why YouTube Reaction Videos Are So Popular

 

 

YouTube is one of the biggest platforms on the planet. Indeed, it is said to be the second most visited website in the world – and the second largest social media app. It’s not hard to see why, either; you can find videos on EVERYTHING. I’ve personally used YouTube tutorials to fix an old washing machine that wasn’t pumping water out, rebuilt a dryer, troubleshot a refrigerator, found inspiration for various home projects – and even watched walkthroughs concerning this website. There are so many videos on the platform; IF it’s a problem, YouTube likely has a video addressing it.

Do you know what else they have a lot of?

YouTube reaction videos.

 

What Are YouTube Reaction Videos?

YouTube reaction videos are exactly what they sound like: people on camera reacting to something. Sometimes, it’s a video, or it might be a reaction to a photo, movie, or even current events. Whatever the person or people are reacting to, they are doing just that – reacting. You get to see their facial expressions, their vocalizations, and their thoughts made manifest (whether they are genuine or just a ploy).

If you think about it, every news channel today – mainstream and independent – are simply reactions to the news, not the news themselves. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say unless they are TRULY unbiased and ONLY deliver the news, they are NOT news – they are commentary channels – aka reaction channels.

 

Examples Of YouTube Reaction Videos

I’ll give you just a few – and they will be fairly diverse.

 

Music: Oliver Anthony Rich Men North Of Richmond

First up is one that was (and still is) very popular: Oliver Anthony’s Rich Men North of Richmond. At the time of this Musing, the original video has 157 million views – and the guy played in his backyard! Below is JUST ONE reaction video that is a compilation. There are SO MANY and someone took the time to compile several of them into this one:

 

 

Movies and TV: Emergency Awesome Channel

 

One of the most interesting and diverse reaction channels I’ve seen is Emergency Awesome. Charlie – the guy who does the channel – reacts and comments on various movies and tv shows. If you like Marvel movies, Fantasy, Science Fiction, etc., then this channel is for you. Here is one of his videos – a breakdown of the recent (at time of writing – September 2024) Deadpool and Wolverine movie:

Current Events: Analyzing The Assassination Attempt of Donald Trump

Current event reaction videos are ALL OVER YouTube; there are literally millions of them. And speaking of current events – whether you like him or not, Donald Trump has become one of the most popular – if not polarizing – people in American politics. He is also the only presidential candidate – and former president – who has faced an assassination attempt alive, today. Older readers can recall the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, and some can remember the assassination of JFK.

Below is a video analyzing some of the details:

The above are but a FEW of the hundreds of millions of videos on YouTube that are, in one category or another reaction videos. You could spend the rest of your life, every waking moment, watching reaction videos and, in numerous lifetimes, not make a serious dent.

 

Why Are YouTube Reaction Videos So Popular?

 

Have you ever wondered why YouTube reaction videos are so popular? Probably not – and I suspect that is true for most people. But since I have an insatiable curiosity, I have. What’s more, after some reflection, I think I have at least one reason why.

The things people like the most is…themselves. Their likes, interests, hobbies, and their own opinions. Moreover, they enjoy talking about themselves, too. Give someone the chance, and they will talk about themselves as much as possible.

Because that is true, people also seek validation from others about their opinions and what they like. People seek out others who will validate what they like. For example, people enjoy watching others like what they like. This validates that they aren’t the only ones who like whatever it is; therefore, it must be good.

This is one of the reasons so many YouTube reaction channels are so popular. When people see others enjoying what they enjoy, they get something out of that.

What’s more, people also build community through others enjoying what they like. It can be loosely connected via a song, band, show, sport, hobby, or political stance – or it could be a much stronger bond. Either way, YouTube reaction channels seem to foster – to some degree, anyway – a community that likely didn’t exist before.

 

What Does That Say About Human Beings?

 

For my part, I believe it says several things.

First, we enjoy it when others like the things we do. It tells us that we are not alone. It also lets us know that others appreciate what we like – and that is validation. Validation, whether we admit it or not, is something that we ALL crave to some degree. (I’m sure I’m challenging a paradigm or two with that one).

Second, it tells me that we often associate what we like with being liked ourselves. If someone doesn’t like what we like, we take that as an attack on ourselves. Think about that and you know I am right.

Third, it tells me communities can be built upon just about anything, really. Human beings can, and often do, build community over some of the most amazing things. For example, I am very loosely part of a community that just celebrates Seinfeld (easily my favorite sitcom). I have other, stronger communities built on things far more important than a love for a show – and I suspect many readers do, too. In the end, people gather together over things they like, do, believe, and partake in.

Fourth, it tells me that the internet, for all the negatives it brings out, can also bring out the best of humans. Through YouTube – and in this case, reaction channels – we can show others our love of something and share what we enjoy. Sharing is one of the most powerful things we can do, including sharing what we enjoy.

 

OR…the above is true for those who are watching the YouTube reaction videos/channels – and people just do them to make money. Who knows?  *Shrugs* 🤷

 

What do you think?