A YouTube winner in Google’s top trending searches

Each year here at YouTube, we take a look back at the videos that captured our attention and our imagination during the year. We’ll be releasing the top trending videos of 2012 next week, but today our friends over at Google are taking a look at the year through the eyes of search.

Google’s 12th annual Zeitgeist Year-In-Review, a.k.a. a “spirit of the times,” reviews the people, places, and topics that captured the world’s attention this year. YouTube favorite “Gangnam Style” came in as the #2 global trending search term this year, and topped dozens of country’s charts. PSY’s smash hit also left a lasting impression on search, with questions like “How to Gangnam” popping up in Malaysia, and “Gangnam Style costume” coming in as the #4 trending Halloween Costume search in the U.S.

For a quick ride through 2012, check out the Zeitgeist video:


Make sure to check out the Google Zeitgeist site to see the hottest trends, people, and topics that were top of mind this year.

Kevin Allocca, YouTube trends manager, recently watched "Simon's Cat in 'Icecapade'"

This week's Trends: lights, wind, guitars

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We took in some dazzling videos of the Northern Lights captured on camera.
  
  
• We collected video from Egypt's one-year anniversary of its revolution.
  
  
• We examined how a certain very popular trend of 2012 has gone local.
  
  
• We checked in on the ever-growing popularity of dubstep.
  
  
• We were blown away by crazy footage of a California wind storm.
  
  
• And we met an 8-year-old girl who might just be one of the best elementary school metal guitarist that we've seen:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Ignition."

A big YouTube winner in the year of Google search

Each year here at YouTube, we take a look back at the videos that captured our attention and our imagination during the year. We’ll be releasing the most viewed videos of 2011 next week, but today it’s the turn of our friends over at Google to take a look at the year in search.

And one of our homegrown YouTube stars - Ms. Rebecca Black - topped the fastest rising search term list in the U.S. and around the whole world! Congratulations Ms. Black … Google is one thing, but come back here next week to see if she also managed to top the list of the most-viewed YouTube videos around the world in 2011.

Meanwhile, you can visit Google’s Zeitgeist site for a sneak peak at some of the year’s biggest searches on YouTube.

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "YouTube Challenge: I gave my kids a terrible present."

This week's Trends: wind, tears, and sailors

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We looked at how a recent ad from candidate Rick Perry has stirred up lots of interest and parodies.
  
  
• We saw on-the-scene footage from some wild windstorms in Scotland.
  
  
• We tracked rising searches around tent monsters in "Occupy Australia."
  
  
• We reflected on how children football fans deal with defeat: very very poorly.
  
  
• We collected popular college videos from across the United States.
  
  
• We measured how Justin Bieber's finding a sizeable audience for his holiday videos.
  
  
• And even Mariah Carey herself declared this "the best thing I've ever seen":

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Why Men and Women Cant be friends."

This week's Trends: mustaches, coasters, and shoppers

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We saw how one young man's speech went viral TWICE in 2011.
  
  
• We waived goodbye to everyone's Movember facial hair.
  
  
• We got a first person view of some really wild roller coasters.
  
  
• We collected the craziest videos from the Black Friday shopping chaos.
  
  
• And one of our Most Shared videos was this train station flash mob captured in Mumbai:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Miracle on 42nd Street."

This week's Trends: billions, spots, jelly beans

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We noted that Justin Bieber's single "Mistletoe" helped push the star over 2 billion views.
  
  
• We saw more intense confrontations at "Occupy" protests.
  
  
• We collected 10 of the most-viewed performances of "Thriller" on Halloween.
  
  
• We tracked the most popular song parody in Wisconsin.
  
  
• We asked Yukigassen the New Botaoshi?
  
  
• We viewed spreading "lockout" spots from Nike.
  
  
• We highlighted the search bump around the new GTA.
  
  
• And this was certainly the most elaborately crafted music video to captured our attention this week:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Jian Sword Dancing."

This week's Trends: commercials, conflicts, light shows

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We studied how local TV commercials have become a new (comedy) art form.
  
  
• We saw tense and dramatic scenes from the "Occupy" protest in Oakland.
  
  
• We reflected on the video trend of children using tablet devices.
  
  
• We saw flood videos coming in from around the world.
  
  
• We looked at how GOP candidate Herman Cain had the trending campaign video of the week.
  
  
• We admired dazzling footage of the Northern Lights as scene from a number of places across the globe.
  
  
• We collected videos from the earthquake in Turkey.
  
  
• And this seemed to be the most shared Halloween video of the week:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Japanese Monkey Potato Feeding Frenzy."

This week's Trends: breaking news, music videos, and corn

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We discovered a viral video trending amongst the 55+ crowd.
  
  
• We saw a stadium stunt that spread from Iowa in popularity.
  
  
• We looked at some of the trends around the big Col. Gadhafi news out of Libya.
  
  
• We studied how two major music videos were gaining popularity around the planet.
  
  
• We checked out a viral political spot from North Africa.
  
  
• We tracked last weekend's "Occupy" protest footage from different parts of the U.S. and the world.
  
  
• And we experienced what it would be like to kayak with blue whales:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Bobby Brown - Every Little Step."

This week's Trends: Wall Street, Nicki Minaj, antelope

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We tracked trending videos from Occupy Wall Street in Boston as well as NYC and San Francisco. We also saw how some celebrities had made appearances in protest videos.
  
  
• We wondered if YouTube was making it harder to stage an impressive proposal.
  
  
• We enjoyed one little Nicki Minaj fans very exciting week.
  
  
• We studied the recent spike in iPhone video searches.
  
  
• We looked at how man and nature collided in a series of dramatic videos from South Africa.
  
  
• And, speaking of South Africa, this close encounter between a mountain biker and an antelope in that country was our trending video of the week:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Wilson vs. Wilson."

This week's Trends: hits, protests, and Steve Jobs

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We learned how one deaf woman created the viral hit of the weekend.
  
  
• We finished our series on three types of one-man-bands people love on YouTube.
  
  
• We tracked protests in Iceland, Greece and New York City.
  
  
• We studied singer Adele's popularity in 2011.
  
  
• We collected some attention-grabbing videos from around the world.
  
  
• And we watched how Steve Jobs fans reflected on his passing and how his technology affected their lives. Watch some in the playlist below:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Brad Pitt!."

This week's Trends: space, holidays, and pranks

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We studied a trend of popular composite videos created from photos taken in space.
  
  
• We collected some of the popular Rosh Hashanah music video parodies being watched during the Jewish New Year.
  
  
• We looked at how U.S. "X Factor" contestant Chris Rene jumped to popularity.
  
  
• CBS News' The Feed examined the rising phenomenon of globally-popular Russian cat videos.
  
  
• We tracked footage being posted from the "Occupy Wall Street" protests in NYC.
  
  
• And this Carlsberg prank from Belgium became a global hit:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "29 years old and hearing myself for the 1st time!."

This week's Trends: anniversaries, webcams, and the future

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We looked at how the anniversary of 9/11 became a dominant topic on YouTube.
  
  
• We studied the unexpected pop-culture resurgence of Back to the Future 2.
  
  
• We tracked the popularity of iPhone concept videos.
  
  
• We saw some interesting public displays from around the world.
  
  
• We collected dramatic footage from a chemical fire in Canberra.
  
  
• And these two seniors trying to work their webcam became the major viral hit of the week:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "You're not gonna be the great breakdancer you think you are."

This week's Trends: fire, flash and dubstep

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We studied how interest in dubstep music has risen across 2011.
  
  
• We uncovered on-the-scene footage from Russia's tragic KHL plane crash.
  
  
• We revealed part 2 of our exploration of the three kinds of one-man-bands.
  
  
• We collected bystander footage of the wildfire in Texas.
  
  
• And we learned of the "flash haka" and looked at the creativity behind 10 unique flash mobs from outside the United States.

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Back for the Future."

This week's Trends: earthquakes, hurricanes, and portals

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We highlighted lots of videos and reactions from the East Coast earthquake as well as some instances of the quake caught-on-camera.
  
  
• We saw how people were documenting preparations for Hurricane Irene.
  
  
• We catalogued 10 of the most-viewed Minecraft song parodies.
  
  
• We spotted some wild human pyramids in India.
  
  
• We tracked some rising searches this week, which included Aaliyah and some airshow tragedies.
  
  
• We shared video from a flash mob arrest.
  
  
• We received video from Libya as rebels arrived in Tripoli.
  
  
• We studied how Ken Block's new hit video was taking off.
  
  
• We discovered how some fans/filmakers brought the game Portal into real life.
  
  
• And ImprovEverywhere created another hit by asking people to "Say Something Nice."

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "El Delorean de Volver al Futuro en Cabildo y Juramento."

This week's Trends: extreme sports, waterspouts, rare snow

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We watched New Zealanders enjoyed their "once-in-a-lifetime" snow storm.
  
  
• We dug into one of the more unique ways that people use YouTube to learn.
  
  
• We posted the first in our series exploring different types of YouTube "one-man-bands."
  
  
• We saw some on-the-beach footage from a waterspout in North Carolina.
  
  
• We learned that we've been peeling bananas wrong all these years.
  
  
• We enjoyed how one hostel employee's low-budget commercial went viral.
  
  
• We viewed some very talented dogs.
  
  
• And very popular driver Ken Block released an epic new stunt video with DC Shoes that quickly drew millions of views:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Blu-ray Rant."

This week's Trends: riots, runners, and tiny houses

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We looked back at the most popular Spike Jonze music videos.
  
  
• We explained what that 'QWOP' thing is all about.
  
  
• We saw how Disney's theme park marketing has taken advantage of popular YouTube fads.
  
  
• We examined our recent fascination with tiny-home ownership.
  
  
• We enjoyed a collection of human feats, as collected by What's Trending.
  
  
• We saw some unfortunate drivers from around the world.
  
  
• And we tracked the riots in London as they began and spread, and later found that "riot" searches hit an all-time high this summer. A number of specific videos, like this one of a man confronting looters, drew significant interest in the UK and abroad:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis."

This week's Trends: singers, whales, and animations

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We studied the success of the Old Spice Guy vs. Fabio standoff.
  
  
• We watched an unexpected singing talent sprout up in the Philippines.
  
  
• We saw dramatic footage from an outbreak of violence in Syria.
  
  
• We tracked the popularity of Rebecca Black's "Friday" follow-up.
  
  
• We enjoyed some cool people-powered animations.
  
  
• We looked at intense video from a tornado in Russia.
  
  
• We found a big ad in Brazil and an unsettling cloud in Canada.
  
  
• We laughed as a beluga mariachi fan added itself to the list of recently popular aquatic mammals.
  
  
• And the world was introduced to the 2nd Avenue Sinatra:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Saved By the Bell Interactive Game."

This week's Trends: contraptions, rainbows, and Harry P

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We reviewed the most-watched Harry Potter fan-videos of all time.
  
  
• We uncovered the most-viewed Rube Goldberg machines on YouTube.
  
  
• We saw some cool and funny moments and ads from around the world.
  
  
• We asked if Grand Rapids, Michigan is becoming the U.S. capital for lip-dubs.
  
  
• We grew concerned about some pets that were now plotting and executing daring escapes.
  
  
• We celebrated the one-year anniversary of a famous Double Rainbow going viral.
  
  
• We highlighted the latest footage from demonstrations in Malaysia and Syria.
  
  
• And we saw LOTS of new Harry Potter parodies and music videos popping up. Here's one of the popular ones:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Clark Retirement Community LipDub" for like, the 20th time.

This week's Trends: fireworks, verdicts, and lots of sand

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We celebrated the 4th of July with lots of fireworks.
  
  
• We tracked how searches have spiked for Selena Gomez.
  
  
• We followed the reaction to the Casey Anthony verdict.
  
  
• We discovered how the Game of Thrones theme has been covered by lots of talented musicians in lots of different styles.
  
  
• We learned of one very inspirational backflip.
  
  
• We saw a lot of interest in an unfortunate incident at a Texas Rangers' game.
  
  
• We collected wild footage from a dramatic dust storm in Arizona.
  
  
• And we came across one very cool way to paint a pool:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Can't Hug Every Cat."

This week's Trends: cool covers, summer tunes, and little metal fans

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

• We looked at the latest trend in cool covers: Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night."
  
  
• We saw dramatic footage of the fire in New Mexico and protests in Athens.
  
  
• We discovered the songs people were listening to around the globe.
  
  
• We tracked the top trending music videos of the week.
  
  
• We studied the most popular cat video that did not contain any cats.
  
  
• We enjoyed some of the littlest metal heads.
  
  
• And we took in this beautiful scene from a Summer Solstice holiday in Poland:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Major League Savings."