
In today’s dynamic digital landscape, harnessing the power of YouTube’s evolving trends is a crucial way to connect with audiences — and with culture. Around the world, cultural touchstones are now propelled by the creativity of creators and the passion of online communities.
YouTube’s latest Global Culture & Trends Report dives deep into this evolution, revealing how digital franchises, evolving formats, and the power of shared experiences are driving the future of entertainment.
Here’s what you need to know to make the most of YouTube in 2025.
The big picture
At a global level, three key trends are influencing content consumption and fandom.
The rise of digital franchises
Increasingly, moments that break through with audiences are driven by original online franchises that attract devoted fandoms and operate outside of traditional release schedules. The animated series The Amazing Digital Circus, which appeared on 8 out of 12 of YouTube’s countries’ trending topics lists in 2024, is a great example of this. Globally, there have been over 25 billion views of videos related to the series, excluding the series’ episodes.1
Shorts are driving music discovery
YouTube Shorts have become a music discovery hub, generating billions of views daily and connecting artists and fans in exciting new ways. From propelling regional hits to international stardom to launching the careers of emerging artists, Shorts empower musicians to spark trends, engage fans, and release chart-toppers.
Gaming beyond consoles
Increasingly, YouTube creators are transforming games into expansive pop-culture phenomena. Take Roblox, for example, which has become a universe of user-generated content and immersive experiences. Dress to Impress, a competitive fashion game in Roblox, has quickly emerged as one with appeal to gamers and nongamers alike. In fact, there have been over 4 billion views of gaming videos on YouTube with variations of “Dress to Impress” in the title in 2024.2
In the pilot episode of “The Amazing Digital Circus,” creator Gooseworx and animation studio Glitch introduce the claymation-style dark comedy to millions of YouTube subscribers.
Local impact
Zooming in, here are trends to watch in some of YouTube’s biggest markets.
United States: There’s gaming, and then there’s gaming on YouTube
In the U.S., gaming communities thrive on YouTube. And it’s not just about the gameplay. It’s about the shared passion, the inside jokes, and the sense of belonging. Creators play central roles in expanding the cultural omnipresence of individual games — like Minecraft, one of the largest gaming communities on YouTube, which will have its own feature film debut later this year.
India: Big moments are made bigger by fan conversations
Indian YouTube creators and fans are strengthening their connections. They aren’t just viewers and content creators; they are collaborators and confidants. After fan encouragement, gaming creator Total Gaming, or Ajjubhai, finally revealed his face to 37 million subscribers, boosting his fan base with on-camera vlogs and watch-along gameplays that collected over 900 million views in 2024. And creators like Samay Raina foster deeper connections with their audiences through interactive shows like India’s Got Latent, which dominates internet conversation on the back of viral clips.
Mexico: Fans go from passive consumers to active participants
Mexican audiences are using YouTube to create, participate, and celebrate their passions around major events, like last summer’s Paris Olympics, Copa America, and more. We see fan participation not only shape pop culture but fuel global trends. Take 20-year-old rising music sensation Xavi, for example. Xavi earned over 1 billion views in Mexico in 2024.3 Fan participation in dance, transition, makeup, and meme trends no doubt contributed to him becoming a global phenomenon. His song La Diabla was No. 1 on YouTube’s Global Weekly Top Songs list for seven weeks and stayed in the Top 10 for many more.
France: Creators reimagine how culture is created, appreciated, and shared
In France, audiences are leaning into creators as the stars of the show, echoing a broader trend of audiences migrating from linear television to the digital world. We see young people look to creators for news, entertainment, community, and sports. For example, they followed the Paris Olympics through their favorite creators, celebrating victories, and sharing their passions together. To date, there have been over 490 million views related to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in France.4
Indonesia: Local pride meets global participation
Indonesian creators are tapping into the power of YouTube to make unique content, infused with local identity, which resonates with audiences at home and captures the attention of viewers worldwide. Whether by adapting popular formats such as edutainment and boxing events to reflect Indonesian values or celebrating the national football team’s victories with infectious enthusiasm, Indonesian creators have mastered the art of local nuance.
The teaser for Ruangguru Clash of Champions gets fans excited for the 2024 season, in which university students from across Indonesia compete in a battle of wits and stamina.
The takeaway
These trends reveal another step in the evolution of pop culture on YouTube in 2025. Creator-driven franchises and online communities are now the driving force behind our shared experiences and cultural touchstones. As these moments are created, experienced, and shared in ever-evolving ways, their popularity soars, redefining what it means to be a fan in the digital age.
Whether through podcasts, Shorts, or gaming, marketers can tap into these trends and take advantage of new opportunities to engage viewers beyond traditional formats and verticals.