The tier list phenomenon
From ranking everyday items to sparking viral debates, see how the simple letter-grade system empowers creators to showcase expertise and engage millions.
Aug 01, 2025 [[read-time]] minute read
From gaming origins to global fascination, YouTube creators are redefining how we rank and react with the ubiquitous tier list! A tier list is a visually intuitive ranking system that uses color-coded tiers and letter grades, with "S" (for "super"!) as the highest rank, followed by the familiar A through D scale. In fact, in the first six months of 2025, there were more than 1B views of YouTube videos with "tier list" in the title.* This simple yet effective format allows creators to dive deep into a topic, offering organized, in-depth analysis in longer videos, or providing quick takes in Shorts.
From ranking everyday items like fruit and Pringles flavors to diving into the history of celebrity feuds or even evaluating exercises for abdominal muscle definition, tier lists provide a standardized, visual way to share opinions and spark debate. Creators like Angelica Nyqvist use them to affirm their expertise by ranking makeup brands, while channels such as Beat Rice perform three-hour deep dives, ranking every single episode of Breaking Bad. Some creators even innovate by changing the tier titles themselves, moving beyond the standard letter grades for a more personalized touch, as seen with Casey Aonso's yearly "definitive pop culture ranking." This evolution highlights how creators use the tier list to engage their communities, share their insights, and even inspire lively discussions.
In honor of the Tekken 4 release in Japan — which inspired the term “Tier List”— explore the diverse world of tier lists through our curated playlist, featuring everything from TV shows and food to gaming and more! Plus, check out our tier list inspired YouTube logo (also known as the Yoodle).
The opinions shared in the tier list videos referenced herein are those of the respective content creators, and not of YouTube. The mention of any company, product, personality, etc. neither constitutes any endorsement nor implies any disparagement by YouTube.
*Source: YouTube data, Global, January 1 - June 30 2025.