The Year in YouTube Music 2020
Dec 09, 2020 – minute read
2020 was anything but ordinary, but one thing remained constant - music on YouTube continued to inspire and unite fans around the world. Artists got creative while not on the road, bringing fans together by using YouTube as a virtual stage, filming music videos from home, and by unlocking extraordinary concerts from the archives. And while this year was unlike any other, it didn’t stop artists from connecting and engaging with their global YouTube community, breaking new records, raising funds for those in need through YouTube Giving, and releasing empowering music to help keep fans interconnected and entertained while at home.
Last week, we shared the Top 10 U.S. Music Videos from 2020 and today, we are reflecting on some of the major music trends and moments that shaped the year in music on YouTube:
YouTube became a virtual stage for fans worldwide, with artists like Marília Mendonça, Andrea Bocelli, Post Malone, and 30+ artists from #SOSFEST creating special performance moments.
Music videos had a new look, with artists like Drake, , SAYGRACE, Tate McRae, Audrey Mika, twenty one pilots, OneRepublic, Jonas Brothers and Karol G, Anuel AA creating one-of-a-kind videos for their fans from home.
Empowering music anthems like Childish Gambino’s “This is America”, Beyoncé’s "BLACK PARADE" and Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” became a soundtrack of the times as the social justice movement took over the streets of America and the world.
YouTube’s 1 Billion Views Club welcomed some of the greats from a-ha’s “Take On Me” to The Cranberries and Whitney Houston.
K-pop reigned and fan armies ruled, with BTS and BLACKPINK continuing to raise the bar with record-breaking releases.
The power of hip-hop was undeniable, with artists from YoungBoy Never Broke Again to Lil Baby to Future taking over YouTube’s Top U.S. artists list for the year.
**Data within has been provided courtesy of the YouTube Music Culture & Trends team