Why we love to wander the empty halls of the internet's creepiest aesthetic
Oct 12, 2025 [[read-time]] minute read
Liminal spaces are defined by a unique aesthetic: empty, abandoned, and familiar locations that trigger a powerful combination of nostalgia and surreal unease. This aesthetic is primarily expressed through ambient visuals—montage compilations and "liminal space-scapes" set to moody music. Creators like Nostalgic and aurora.heaven specialize in this subgenre, crafting long-form playlists that feature chillwave or dream-like music, with visuals that evoke the specific mood of a forgotten place, such as empty 2000s-era environments. Liminal space content rejects overt human presence, with many ambient creators remaining faceless, preferring to let the hypnotic visuals and atmospheric soundscapes speak directly to the viewer's subconscious and offer a kind of mood-regulating digital place for quiet contemplation.
Beyond aesthetic compilations, other creators focus on the lore and the phenomenon itself. Channels like EckhartsLadder produce explainer videos, diving into the origins of the aesthetic and connecting it to larger sci-fi and horror universes, making it accessible to a wider audience. The horror sub-genre is particularly robust, building on the unsettling nature of these transitional spaces. For example, the success of "The Backrooms" has inspired countless videos that integrate liminal spaces into game-related content or creepypasta-style narratives. So far this year, there have been more than 2B views of videos with "backrooms" in the title.* The general fascination with the strange and transitional is also covered by channels like MadKing and Plenty (who also operate the channel Liminal Space - The Place with Nothing), whose content often explores the broader bizarre world of the aesthetic, including the philosophy behind why these empty, familiar settings elicit such a strong psychological response from viewers.
If you're looking to tap into a feeling of nostalgia, give this playlist a spin—it's absolutely spook-tacular and will leave you waiting in a state of liminal bliss this spooky season! Plus, check out our unique YouTube logo (also known as the Yoodle) for more.
*Source: YouTube data, Global, January 1 - August 31 2025.