Trending Now: The Life of a Showgirl, back to school, marine livestreams & more
Curious about what's trending on YouTube? Here's a look at the videos, formats and conversations that are making waves.
Sep 05, 2025 [[read-time]] minute read
The Life of a Showgirl
Music
What it is: Taylor Swift announced her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” on the "New Heights" podcast, peaking at over 1.3M concurrent livestream viewers, more than any other podcast on YouTube since the platform officially launched a dedicated podcast experience in 2023. In the week since, YouTube has been flooded with fan-created content, from deep-dive video essays about the album to comedy sketches about fan culture.
Why it matters: Swift’s decision to reveal the album via a podcast — as opposed to a talk show, awards show, or social media (her prior techniques) — reinforces the format’s relevance as a news-maker today.
The End of Summer
Seasonal
What it is: The annual seasonal shift is in full swing on Shorts, splitting creators into two distinct camps. "Team Summer" is posting nostalgic montages of their memories, using wistful music and vintage filters to mourn the season's end. Meanwhile, "Team Fall" has already moved on, sharing content featuring pumpkin spice lattes, autumn decor, and early Halloween planning.
Why it matters: This early content pivot has become an annual tradition that highlights a relatable cultural tension: the fear of missing out on a season's end versus the excitement of rushing into the next. For creators, it's a strategic moment to either capitalize on shared nostalgia or get a competitive head start on upcoming trends, revealing how online communities mark the passage of time.
Marine Livestreams
Science
What it is: Since July 22, the Schmidt Ocean Institute has been broadcasting live dives from the Mar Del Plata Canyon off the coast of Argentina. These lengthy streams, featuring footage from a deep-sea vehicle, have attracted a massive global audience, with many viewers tuning in for hours at a time. Viewers watch in real-time as scientists discover glowing, alien-like creatures and collect specimens, often engaging directly with the audience through the live chat. The streams have fostered a vibrant community, with a constant stream of messages in the live chat and fan-made memes.
Why it matters: This trend democratizes scientific discovery, giving global audiences an unprecedented front-row seat to research as it happens. The success of these streams highlights a growing appetite for "slow TV"—long-form, ambient, and educational content. Furthermore, the high mobile viewership suggests that for many, the community aspect in the live chat is as compelling as the visuals on screen. The Schmidt Ocean Institute provides a powerful model for how academic and scientific institutions can use live streaming to make their work accessible, foster a global community, and transform passive viewing into active, engaging participation.
SleepyCrafter
Art
What it is: Canadian creator SleepyCrafter has gained a massive following by sharing her paper and 3D-printed creations. Her channel recently exploded after she leaned into the "hide-and-seek" format, where she hides her custom-made figurines and gadgets in public places for fans to find and keep. By tapping into popular fandoms from Minecraft to Italian Brainrot, she has turned her art into real-life treasure.
Why it matters: SleepyCrafter's success provides a blueprint for growth by innovating on an existing format. While "hide-and-seek" videos typically use cash as bait, her use of unique, fandom-specific art creates a deeper, more personal connection with viewers. By combining the democratization of a new technology with a clever, participatory format, she has gamified her content and built a highly engaged community invested in what she’ll create—and hide—next.
Creative Maximalism
Report
What it is: The predominant creative language for a generation raised on a global, participatory, and creator-led internet. This style is defined by its audio/visual complexity, narrative co-creation, highly referential humor, and blend of global influences (think Italian Brainrot or Skibidi Toilet).
Why it matters: This content isn't just distinct; it wields significant influence over popular culture. In the USA, 66% of 14- to 24-year-olds agree that people their age have a big impact on what people talk about online vs. less than half of adults (online 25- to 49-year-olds) surveyed.* Reaching this generation now requires approaches rooted in their native digital culture.
To explore all the findings, dive into the full report, "The Next Generation of Creativity: A Maximalist Moment Reshaping Culture."
*Source: Google/SmithGeiger, YouTube Trends Survey, US April 2025, N = 500 online Gen Z age 14-24; N = 500 online people age 25-49.