Greyson Michael Chance is the new viral sensation. His solo performance of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” at a school festival has garnered more than ten million YouTube views in just two weeks.
This performance eventually resulted in Greyson being invited over to The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he was to blow the audience away… again.
What’s next for this twelve-year old? Think it over while you watch his original viral performance.
Lady Gaga
It was just to be expected. This week, Lady Gaga has become the first artist to have over 1 billion online video views. This feat was achieved on the strength of three videos alone. Quite obviously, they are “Poker Face”, “Just Dance” and “Bad Romance”. Here you have them just in case you need to do some brushing up:
Poker Face
Bad Romance
Just Dance
Love her or hate her, you can’t deny how intelligent she has been when it comes to using social media and viral videos for putting herself across.
Personally, I am not really a big fan of her music. But I recently saw her perform a duet with Elton John and I sort of softened up. Just a little.
And for those who absolutely abhor the woman, this video is a must. It is a Lady Gaga impersonator on ChatRouelette. It is hysterical and abominable at the same time. Enjoy!
If you thought ChatRoulette’s Merton was going to go unnoticed by other musicians, then I have some news to share with you. Singer-songwriter Ben Folds (frontman of Ben Folds Five, known for hits like “Army” and “Brick”) has just impersonated the sensation from ChatRoulette at one of his gigs.
He was playing a live concert in Charlotte (North Carolina) when he decided to pay the random chat service a visit and sing about those he came about in front of the audience.
The whole piece goes by the name of “Ode To Merton”, and you can watch it below. My favorite bit – the “If You Turn Your Head I Win” guy. What about you? Let us know in the “Comments” section!
The power of viral video is something that can’t be downplayed. We all know that careers like Suzan Boyle’s or Justin Bieber’s would never have happened without it, nor would a musician like Butch Walker have played live with Taylor Swift at the Grammy Awards weren’t it for the exposure that YouTube implies.
Aware that people are more willing than ever to join in the action, YouTube has just released a partner program. Named “Musicians Wanted” it was announced at SXSW, and for the time being it is open only to those in American soil. Obviously, that is something which is bound to change over time provided it catches on – something not that implausible or unthinkable.
So, those of you who make original music and live in the States can learn more about it here. The rest of us will have to sit back and wait… but I bet that not for long.
“My Mom’s On Facebook” is the most recent viral success found on YouTube. In little more than one day it managed to score 145,000 views. Created by LA comedy group Back Of The Class, it is a frankly hilarious hair metal anthem that groups together the horrors every young person who befriends his parents on Facebook has to endure, culminating in the hysterical line “It’s getting to the point I have to switch back to MySpace”.
Check it for yourself:
As many of you probably know, one of the latest Internet crazes is a messaging service named ChatRoulette. Created by a 17-year old Russian, it is a webcam-based chat in which you are placed face to face with an utter stranger. You can chat with the person if you like his/her looks, or you can hit a button to skip that person and come across someone new.
The big (and nefarious) thrill of it all is that you might come across girls who will show you their charms just for the fun of it, and also boys who have no qualms jacking off onscreen. That is why this IM service is called “ChatRoulette” – as in Russian Roulette, the “dangerous” element is what makes it all so thrilling.
Fortunately, there are also people who do something funny and clever. And this pianist steals the show. Named Merton, he is an impromptu performer in the truest sense of the word. Just watch the video I have embedded for you below. And note that he has a YouTube channel – I hope he adds more videos soon.
Without a shadow of a doubt, this guy is the best excuse you can have for trying out ChatRoulette. Or is it? ; )
Name: Tubeoke
URL: http://www.tubeoke.com
This is the kind of site that with some work could become notably more appealing. As it stands right now, it lets you turn YouTube into a (very) basic karaoke. You look up the song (or the artist), and upon picking a video it is played back at you while a second window (situated on the right) displays the lyrics to go with the song.
The idea is simplicity in itself, and the approach so far is nothing to go out of your way for. However, it can turn out to be exponentially good if the lyrics became an integral part of the video and were displayed automatically as the song went on. As it stands right now, you have to scroll them down in mid song, and if you don’t have a lackey at your beck and call to do the dirty job then it’s goodbye inspiration and concentration. Continue reading
Name: Moof
URL: http://www.moof.com
In which ways are you currently using the WWW to access these songs that you have always liked, and the ones that you want to listen to for the first time? I bet many of you are already acquainted with the concept of listening to music socially, but if that is alien to you this site is a prime example of how that is achieved and the advantages it can yield. Continue reading