2017 was the year Kiwis embraced te reo, applauded homegrown comedy and danced to the dulcet tones of Ed Sheeran. From ping pong to memes to making light of mean tweets, Kiwis looked to laugh, play and jam all year long. As we wind down the year, it’s time to sit back and celebrate the videos that defined 2017. #YouTubeRewind is our annual roundup of the YouTube videos that trended over the last 12 months, according to time spent watching, sharing, commenting, liking and more.
New Zealand’s Top Trending Videos of 2017
For the first time, two of New Zealand’s top 10 videos of the year were in te reo Māori: Maimoa Music’s hit single Wairua and a cover of the classic waiata Tiaho mai rā by Jessica & Tiana Waru. Kiwi comedians Jono and Ben made the top trending list with their satirical take on the viral kids interrupting BBC interview clip. Our love of singing in cars continued in 2017, including a take on Tennessee Whiskey, and James Corden’s phenomenally popular Carpool Karaoke series. Along the way we also celebrated an extraordinary ping pong trick victory, marvelled at a ventriloquist – and joined in on political mash-ups.
New Zealand’s Top Trending Music Videos
Our list of top 10 music videos for 2017 is a mix of mega hits and pop classics. We were clearly hooked on Ed Sheeran, with ‘Shape of You’ making two appearances in the top trending music list. From the breezy island beats of Luis Fonsi’s Despacito to Taylor Swift’s self referential Look What You Made Me Do, Kiwis kept the volume up and the music playing on YouTube throughout the year.
New Zealand’s Top Emerging Channels
For the first time, #YouTubeRewind also examined the growth of local channels to unearth the top 10 Trending Kiwi YouTube Creators for 2017. Up and coming Kiwi YouTube channels in 2017 included a bunch of serious console and PC gamers, music and crafts to keep the little ones happy. It also includes a rundown of the coolest smartphones and tech gadgets on the market, and some hilarious recorder music fails.
Stay tuned to see the YouTube’s Rewind video, celebrating the top memes and moments of the year from around the world!