2020 has taken a toll on us, and YouTube is no immune to that. In a statement on Twitter, YouTube reveals its plan to cancel the annual 'Rewind' video tradition amidst the current coronavirus pandemic.
"2020 has been different. And it doesn't feel right to carry on as if it weren't. So, we're taking a break from Rewind this year," the statement reads.
"You've found ways to lift people up, help them cope, and make them laugh. You made a hard year genuinely better," the statement ends.
This year has been terrible for every element of our society. As one of the major entertainment platforms when people are stuck at home, it was hard, but definitely, the right move for YouTube.
In March, The Verge reported that home, 'with me'-themed videos are racking viewership in months. Contents like 'work out with me' or 'study with me' saw a 600% spike as creators take their audience to their daily lives.
However, YouTube does not confirm whether the Rewind video will make a comeback in 2021, leaving its future in limbo. This is the first time they canceled Rewind since the first video came out in 2010.
YouTube Rewind vs. People
YouTube ends every year with a Rewind video, a collection of the year's most celebrated creators, videos, and online trends.
The first Rewind was created back in 2010. It was a simple compilation of trending videos from the platform during the year's calendar. Next year, YouTube features Rebecca Black as its host, and it still followed the same trajectory.
It wasn't until 2012 and 2013 when YouTube started taking Rewind a lot more seriously and pouring it with more budgets. Gangnam Style and Harlem Shake were among the very first internet viral sensation to be recreated in Rewind.
Unfortunately, until 2017 and 2018, YouTube has taken a tragic route and divided fans into two. Even worse, the community hates YouTube Rewind videos each year. This move could mean a final goodbye from the annual tradition.
YouTube Rewind 2018 became an internet sensation, and it wasn't in the right way. 'Everyone Controls Rewind' becomes the platform's most disliked video, with over 18 million dislikes. Will Smith's cameo, unfortunately, couldn't save the video from utter embarrassment. Even CEO Susan Wojcicki admitted the effort was a cringefest.
YouTube's failure to address what matters in that year, like the KSI vs. Logan Paul feud, is among the reasons why it's the most disliked video on the platform. Rewind 2018 also fails to give proper tribute to the recent deaths of many A-list celebs and influential people, like Mac Miller and Stephen Hillenburg.
A well-deserved break is all Rewind needed. Maybe it's time to put this trend to bed?
