Official Blog

An Epic Rap Battle of History looks even more epic on the big screen, but finding the battle you want on your TV can take longer than it took Wallace to layeth the smackdown on Washington because of all the clicking around you have to do. That’s why you’ll soon be able to find videos you want more easily with the updated YouTube app for TV designed for the big screen, which will also bring you all the videos and playlists from channels. This update already started with Xbox One, and we’ll roll out the updated app to other streaming devices in the following weeks.



Find it all more easily with the guide
The channels you subscribe to and videos you care about will be a click away with a guide on the left side that’s just like the guide you see on YouTube on your computer, phone, and tablet.

When you sign in, you can jump to all the latest videos from your subscriptions and recommendations in the What to Watch section, or pop on a playlist you've saved such as Blogilates’ Cardio AB Attack and turn your TV into a workout buddy.

See all the videos and playlists from channels
Your favorite creators are making new playlists every day, and with the updated YouTube app for TV you’ll be able to see all of them. With new channel pages, you’ll see everything they’ve curated for you, helping you find even more to watch from your favorite creators.


Tyler Breisch, software engineer, recently watched “'No Diggity' - The Hangover Brigade Covers Blackstreet.”

You connect with your favorite and new musicians on YouTube in so many ways. You sing along with the crowd, get them into the Billboard Hot 100 and even watch them hear their songs on the radio for the first time. Now there’s a new one: the YouTube 15 on SiriusXM.



Beginning today at 6 p.m. ET, you can listen to an hour-long weekly show on SiriusXM’s Hits 1 channel featuring songs from emerging and established artists based on what’s trending on YouTube. The SiriusXM Hits 1 team will select songs to play from established artists based on the biggest YouTube view counts over recent weeks, and songs from emerging artists who are seeing the biggest percentage growth in views. To make the show even more awesome, SiriusXM tapped Jenna Marbles—a.k.a. the hostess with the mostess—to talk you through the week’s song selection.

Why SiriusXM? Along with YouTube, many artists reach fans and get discovered by having their music played on the radio. SiriusXM shares our love of connecting artists and fans around great new music from today’s biggest names like Ariana Grande and Iggy Azalea and emerging stars like Shawn Mendes. So, just like a collab from your favorite artists, we teamed up.

The YouTube 15 will air Fridays at 6 and 9 p.m. ET, Saturday at 2 p.m. ET and Sunday at 8 a.m. ET, and on-demand via SiriusXM.com. If you’re not a SiriusXM subscriber, you can also find the featured songs in playlists on SiriusXM’s YouTube channel.

AJ Frank, New Business Development, recently watched “#LEH - Superwoman & Humble The Poet (Official Video)."

You subscribe to PharrellVEVO and iAMOTHER on YouTube. You’ve watched Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” a bazillion times. You don’t think you could get any closer to him as a fan.

Challenge accepted.

Tonight Pharrell Williams is performing live from the Apollo Theater as part of the American Express Unstaged series, in partnership with VEVO and YouTube. You can watch the performance--directed by Spike Lee--live at 6 p.m. PT on the American Express YouTube channel.

 

What on Earth will you do with yourself in the three hours between now and then? We’ve got you covered. Check out the trailer; add a few more views of Pharrell’s euphoric anthem “Happy” to the 273 million it’s already collected; dance around with the many fan tributes from all over the world; and, catch up on special Unstaged moments from the past like Kings of Leon, Sugarland, and Usher.

Nicola Young, Music Programs Manager, recently watched "I The Mighty - Speak To Me.”

From the Sochi Olympics to the recent NFL draft, this year has seen a growing, global conversation about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the world of sports. Many LGBT athletes are sharing their stories on YouTube, and the support they’re getting from teammates and fans has helped others find the courage to do the same.

Sports bring together people from all backgrounds and experiences through a shared passion, and YouTube shares that spirit of connecting diverse communities to make a difference. In celebration of the upcoming World Cup in Brazil and LGBT Pride month, we’re honoring the LGBT athletes, their supporters, as well as the YouTube Creators who stand up for diversity in sports and elsewhere—all of whom help create an equal and inclusive playing field for everyone. Inspired by #ProudToLove last year, we’re calling this effort #ProudToPlay.



We applaud the courage and openness of athletes at all levels who have come out and admire their teammates, friends, families, and supporters who are all proving that it doesn’t matter who you are or who you love—what matters is that you put forward your best effort. We stand with our community in the belief that youth everywhere should all have the same opportunities to grow up and pursue their dreams and passions, on or off the field.

Join the conversation by uploading a video talking about what being #ProudToPlay means to you. Over the course of Pride month, we’ll share a collection of videos about the LGBT community and sports on the YouTube Spotlight Channel.

Happy Pride and enjoy the beautiful game this summer!

Raymond Braun, YouTube Marketing Manager, and Lauren Pachaly, Consumer Marketing Manager, recently watched "Robbie Rogers returns to the beautiful game with a wonderful homecoming | MLS Insider, Episode 1."

Nothing ruins the experience of watching a YouTube video like Magic of Rahat more than seeing the dreaded buffering wheel, which is why we're always working to make videos play smoothly in the best quality possible. And when you can't see what you want, when you want, it’s important you know why.

Starting today, if you’re in the U.S., you can use the Google Video Quality Report to see the level of video quality your Internet service provider can play YouTube. If you’re regularly seeing videos buffer, this report can give you a better idea of why, as well as tips to make YouTube play better. You can also see the video quality other ISPs in your area are delivering, based on these levels:

• HD Verified: If your provider can consistently deliver HD video, a resolution of at least 720p, without buffering or interruptions--it’s HD Verified.
• Standard Definition: If you can watch videos at a resolution of at least 360p, your provider is delivering Standard Definition.
• Lower Definition: If videos load slowly or frequently buffer, even at resolutions lower than 360p, your provider is delivering Lower Definition performance.

Want to see our methodology? Check out the geeky details, and learn how videos get from us to you with this video.

7 ways to improve your video quality

Making sure you can watch YouTube in HD from anywhere, anytime is a shared effort among us, your Internet service provider and even you. So, to make sure you're getting the best video quality possible, check out these seven tips you can use right now:



And for those of you not living in the U.S. or Canada where the report is also available, we’ll be bringing it to more of your countries in the coming months.

Jay Akkad, Product Manager, YouTube, recently watched “Tiny Hamsters Eating Tiny Burritos - Episode 1.”

Trololo! YouTube turned 9 this May. And what multitudes are contained in that vast near-decade of video?

To call out just a few highlights in YouTube history, there are more than 120,000 videos inspired by “Let it Go” (based on videos posted with that title), half a million by “Gangnam Style,” and a stunning 1.5 million videos by “Harlem Shake” (that’s a lot of motorcycle helmets). These inspired riffs got us thinking about those magical moments when songs become bona fide trends—and people all over the world start remixing, covering, parodying, dancing, and lip-dubbing.

So to celebrate this year, we pay homage to the music you've made on YouTube. We got a bunch of your favorite performers together to cover some of the most memorable musical moments in YouTube’s history. The result is a mashup called YouTube Birthday Karaoke Night, featuring familiar faces like The Gregory Brothers, Chester See, Cimorelli and more (see if you can spot all 18).


Now raise your Cups ... ’cause Here it Goes Again. Call us Maybe?

Claire Stapleton, YouTube Culture & Trends, recently watched (and crooned along to) the playlist Nine Classic Hits Celebrating YouTube’s Ninth Birthday.

Nine-time Grammy Award winner John Legend. Dubstep violinist Lindsey Stirling. The most popular dancers on YouTube, Les Twins. On their own, these artists have topped charts, gone platinum and generated more than a billion combined views on YouTube. Tomorrow night, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. will host these artists and more to perform on its iconic stage.

Tune-in tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET at youtube.com/TheKennedyCenter for “YouTube OnStage Live from the Kennedy Center,” a celebration of art, technology, and culture that unites stars who are building global fan bases worldwide on YouTube.


Whether it’s the vintage cover artists Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox, or the Playing for Change movement that helps connect the world through music, all the performers featured in the event have found a global platform and audience for their creativity on YouTube.

Visit the Kennedy Center’s YouTube channel for the full rundown of the night, artists’ videos, and a replay of the event after it airs live. And if you’re in D.C., head down to the Kennedy Center for free tickets tomorrow evening.

Ali Rivera, West Coast Head Artist Label Relations, recently watched "Dude, what? This ramen sucked."