Oddity Archive: Episode 251 - Oddity Archive’s Greatest Hits (According to YouTube)

[@nobodyyouknow1065]

There’s something not right in letting a digital algorithm choose the best parts of a channel about analog treasures.

[@otaking3582]

If it's any consolation, I'm pretty sure most people watch this channel via dial-up.

[@OddityArchive]

That’ll explain all the Juno E-Mail addresses I see.

[@michaelcarpenter2498]

I had two juno addresses and an AOL. Why don't I just tell you how old I am.

[@plawson8577]

@@OddityArchive I use ATT, High Speed DSL.

[@postmodernrecycler]

The YT algo is trash. Recommendations haven't been relatable since 2014. Maybe we're too analog for A.I.

[@MirrorRiker]

I am shocked by these low view counts. The quality of content and production of these videos deserve much more views. This channel should have at least 500k subs, and like, 300-400k views a video with the occasional one cracking 1m.

[@plawson8577]

He needs to seriously start marketing OA as a TED Talk Channel. Because it CLEARLY is.

[@jackieblue8718]

@@plawson8577 The ones he does about vintage/silent/PD films and shorts, like the recent one about the constant re-edits of Metropolis and Phantom of the Opera, could easily be on a podcast, on TCM, or even one of those Great Courses programs. I've said it before, I'd take his class if he was a professor of film history. Scanimate and DuMont Network are bona-fide documentaries in their own right.

[@mightyfilm]

If anything I'm absolutely shocked not a single Karaoke or Record Rip-offs made the list. Those and the budget kid's VHS episode is how I discovered this channel. A recommendation for the latter was how I even saw one of your videos. And Happy "I was too busy to watch and comment on this" Thanksgiving to you.

[@sracine10]

Scary Logos was definitely the first OA video I watched 2 years ago and have since watched every episode you’ve put out! Happy Thanksgiving, Ben!

[@AirknightTails]

This was also my first ever episode of the Archive. Pay TV is also one of my favorites as well

[@sracine10]

@@AirknightTails same here!!

[@gamerdoessomething]

my first archive episode too!! started watching in late 2018 and have been a fan since

[@wilnnn5]

Started watching two years and going through every regular episode currently.

[@JordanBahrPian-UkePlayer]

Good to hear that “Take My Breath Away” Muzak so often on this video. Happy Thanksgiving Ben!

[@Attipatty]

Gotta say I remember finding oddity archive when it was about a year old, its fun having grown up through my 20s and into my 30s with you, poking in to see what stuff you dug up for us all. Keep up the good work Ben. I remember getting really drunk on my 21st birthday and trying to show a girl one your videos at the bar that I'd downloaded onto a old android tablet.

[@OddityArchive]

I’m sure it went over real well.

[@teej1991]

Found OA on accident while looking up videos on the torture device known as Rejuvenique. Loved this channel ever sense. Not only is this channel entertaining but it's educational and nostalgic. you definitely deserve more views.

[@JohnJohnson-fr5cx]

I give thanks that Ben is so loyal to his viewers. I know that one day I’ll be watching OA with my grandchildren

[@fishflake]

the "less esoteric" videos might get the highest view counts, but the more esoteric fare is where the archive really shines; i'm always so grateful for how many topics you cover that few others do, and for how much work you put into your videos no matter the topic. as discouraging as it must be to have so many early videos be your "greatest hits," i'm glad they were able to introduce so many of us to the archive if nothing else. happy (belated) thanksgiving, ben!

[@mikececconi2677]

Ah, Blip. The Icarus of attempting to monetize internet video, flying too close to the sun and melting away.

[@GatorGirl]

Man, there are a lot of memories on this. I've mentioned that the sign ons/offs episode was my first. The Lonely People clip reminded me of the sign ons I'd seen while getting ready for school in the mornings in the late '70s/early '80s. It surprised me at first because I'd always thought it was some kind of law that stations had to play the national anthem when signing on/off, but I quickly figured out it wasn't. I'd always liked the song anyway and the footage just made it better. I wished I'd recorded it, but it looks like somebody else did, and they recorded it off the very station I had watched it on, WAWS channel 30 in Jacksonville. It's still around but it has changed its call letters to WFOX, a fact that greatly amused a DXer who did a local bandscan on KZbin years later. The TD episode is another one of my favorites. I'd just assumed the misspelling was deliberate - a technical difficulty in itself. In any case, it worked. And it actually inspired me to post the one TD moment I'd ever caught on VHS. I've barely posted anything now and I had never posted anything before, but it has actually caught on to a certain extent. And as for your comment on the #1 clip, yes we're a bunch of freaking nerds. And proud of it. 😀

[@beyondobscure]

I've been checking into the archive periodically 5 or 6 years now. Fulfilled all my curiosities about random obscure things.

[@CommodoreFan64]

As a long time Archive viewer, I just wanted to say thanks for the many years of quality content I look forward to each time you post. 🙂

[@robmclean4352]

21:50 This episode comes up in my recommendations again and again, so I must've watched it a dozen times...even though I've long since downloaded it to my hard drive!

[@devorezz]

I still sing the Scarlet Letter acapella version when I hear someone say adultery. I started off with the Captain Midnight episode, and I love going back to some of the classics, but I still make sure to watch every video you put out, both here and on the Annex. Happy Thanksgiving to you Ben, and to all my fellow fans here in Archiveland!

[@skykid3000]

I remember first discovering your channel through Blip thanks to someone posting a link from the AV Club comment section about the Max Headroom incident around 2014-15.

[@TrickyMario7654]

I don’t know how you get less views than you deserve. Keep up the great work on Oddity Archive!

[@plawson8577]

He doesn’t have Sponsors or YT Algorithm Recommendations, but that’s what makes OA such a brilliant gem of a Channel. Especially since it and Musical Hell started 10 years ago as those last throughs of Blip TV.

[@luisreyes1963]

So what if OA isn't as popular as Mr. Beast or CocoMelon, it's the best channel for us tech geeks. 🤓

[@mattyreyna5519]

Haha I remember first finding Oddity Archive circa 2015-2016ish. I came for Max Headroom and stayed for everything else. I’ve had a lifelong fascination with VHS, EAS, Tornado warnings and vintage tech in general, so this is definitely my kind of KZbin channel. This show absolutely provided a lot of much needed laughter and nostalgia during some very difficult times, more than you know. Thanks again for appearing on The Bizarre. It meant the world to us, especially a fan like myself 😢 - Matty

[@harvardnshorty]

I found your channel looking for analog TV signoffs, and after watching "The Death of Analog TV" (still my favorite episode of OA), I have been a fan since!

[@mikescully6972]

Ben, I appreciate your channel, there’s a lot of little things that were around in my youth that weren’t considered at the time, as I grew older I didn’t notice were gone, but your episodes tend to bring them back to my memory, that goes deeper in my childhood, which personally makes my boring life more interesting to me. Thanks!

[@evelynvocu8731]

I remember first finding Oddity Archive while I was searching for footage of the Max Headroom intrusion for a college project back in 2014, and I've been hooked since. I've introduced a friend to the series as well.

[@PhilMante]

Been watching since the first episode (because I wanted to watch your transcript of the max headroom video to compare to mine.) Max headroom was an incredibly interesting piece of TV history to us millennials who might not have been around for the 1980's. The scary logos video getting nearly a quarter million views isn't surprising to me. That video resonated so hard with me, I'm so glad that I wasn't the only guy who was scared of them as a kid. I supported you for a few episodes in 2017 as well. As a fellow high functioning autistic, it's cool to see I'm not alone in this world 😁

[@C1NDR0N3]

I believe the original upload of the format wars video was my first viewing of your content some 7 or 8 years ago, and you've been putting out excellent work ever since. If I had to pick some favorites, I'd go with paytv, anytime you do local tv but especially the public access stuff (i'm sure thats a copout but who cares eh?) , scanimate, the death of analog tv, and your more personal series on your work as a musician which really resonated with my own aspirations. Anyway, here's to another year around the sun, and all the more there is to come.

[@C1NDR0N3]

Also I had no idea you were the original poster of that smother brothers tape, that is kinda crazy.

[@VectraQS]

The weather warning rant from Episode 2 has to be one of my favorite Archive bits. I once showed it to a broadcast meteorologist, who was highly amused.

[@JL-sm6cg]

I have watched pretty much every main episode you ever made. (I think #136 is the exception, the one about anti-bullying videos.) I'm now pulling up all the .X videos you've made, plus ArchiveAnnex. I also have bought all of your music, donate to your Patreon, sent you a few things, and we do keep in touch a bit over Facebook Messenger. I'm glad I found you for one of my many forms of entertainment on KZbin. Keep it going! We love it!

[@jamesslick4790]

I rewatch old Archive episodes a lot, Some of my favs are the Record Ripoffs. As a "victim" of these records as a kid, I dig the send ups of them. I actually love the Scary Logos episode and believe it or not the Kiddie Disco episode. And of course, VHS vault ones are a good source of entertainment. My PC has HDMI, so I watch "Archive" on my TV (as one should!).

[@WinterSteele]

Call me crazy, but I actually think it might be interesting to do a companion piece spotlighting the flipside of this-- examine some of the lesser viewed videos on the channel and give your thoughts as to why they didn't catch on. It would be a great opportunity to "convince" us why we should go back and check them out if we haven't already.

[@OddityArchive]

I think I might do something like that.

[@STOG01]

I want to reiterate - ever since someone recommented your channel on 4chan as something to take a look at as an interesting channel, a few years ago - I ate all your content up. Gulped, so-to-speak. Never had a single frown or strong disagreement. And no, I'm not a retro-geek or anything. Your taste and presentation just fits me neatly. Thank you.

[@scottishisaac2497]

Happy anniversary to the Archive! I distinctly remember the Max Headroom hijacking incident episode being the first episode I saw and from there on, I was hooked. Congratulations, Ben!

[@Art7220]

That was my first one too.

[@mariteaux]

Ben, I think I can listen to you give random behind-the-scenes anecdotes about OA episodes all day. I try to show Archive to everyone I know, if it's any consolation. Unpopular opinion I guess, your more low-key style is infinitely nicer to listen to than any of the gigantic padded overly-perky essay videos that get popular on this site. Reminds me that I was working on ranking the first 250 episodes of Archive (according to me). I got to Y2K Apocalypse Party before I stopped some months ago. I had the first Valentine's Day special at the bottom of the list and Weather Warnings at the top. Max Headroom was I think fifth lowest. I should finish that!

[@NicolasCageIsActuallyARobot]

I remember finding OA when I learned about scary logos and realized I had scary logophobia as a kid. I have been watching your videos since college. Your nostalgia videos officially give me nostalgia about watching nostalgia videos!

[@Z3R0FiR3]

First two videos I remember watching of Oddity Archive was the Donny Osmond video review and the Max Headroom Video. Been a subscriber ever since.

[@galaxywoofer]

Happy Thanksgiving, Ben! Yeah, I'm gonna admit, a few of these videos (and the Intermission riffs) are what got me I to your channel, and I've been hooked ever since. If it helps, you're one of my sources for a college speech I'm doing about the Max Headroom incident, so I thank you for getting me into that TV hijacking kinda stuff haha

[@bobsoldrecords1503]

Tom Smothers yo yo talent is not something to mock. He's a f**king legend 😅

[@brianknoblock8873]

Watch the stinger at quarter speed. It's fantastic until you get a headache and question your sanity.

[@Atticus118]

If it means anything I appreciate your channel. And enjoy watching it.

[@Megastory4]

I can't help but feel some sort of... somewhere between pride and guilt for this video happening in the first place. About five years ago, I created a playlist of a select number of your videos. You might have shared it at some point, I don't know, but that would explain why that playlist has around 8,000 views (just a hair over standard fare for an Archive episode). I counted 8 episodes from that, and another one that was featured, on this list. I feel both acknowledged (which I probably shouldn't) and like I need to apologize for feeding into this video's narrative. 😅

[@EvaFull]

Happy Thanksgiving 🦃 Ben & Fellow Archivers… Great Topic for an archive episode. Maybe next year you can do this again but for the least watched ones. That seems more in line with a typical Archive Episode.

[@OddityArchive]

I suppose I’d have to put some sort of arbitrary timeframe on it (2012 to 2017 or something like that).

[@EvaFull]

@@OddityArchive Sounds like you hit on a new mini series for every few years. I know I would love to see that special episode every few years.

[@ALWTunes]

My favorite videos on here were you covering the soundalike records from the 70s. Surprised none of these made the list. Oh well, keep doing what you do. It’s all very interesting.

[@smcgamer1]

Happy Thanksgiving, Ben! My favorite keeps changing because they're all great, but I do love your riffs.

[@DanZero77]

The top 10 episodes revolve around TV & Video and not so much the audio side of this channel - not surprised at all really. Keep on Yoing Benny Boy.

[@jackieblue8718]

I wonder if he could combine the two and do an episode (or minisode) on the '70s-'80s phenomenon of TV show themes hitting the pop charts? I bet he could get a good 10-minute riff on Mike Post and the "Theme from 'Moonlighting'."

[@jigmeoser]

It's the shot of Torgo for me.

[@GeoNeilUK]

Life On Mars (UK version) had the Test Card Girl as a villain in the show. I'm pretty sure The Ring may have had some distant UK connection via Japan or seeing Sadako crawl out of the TV might have had some British viewers sweating for personal reasons (with Carole Hersee being their own personal Sadako) Also, one of the European patterns was used in the UK as Test Card G. The finality of the Death of Analog TV episode really worked and suited the episode. Though I had a feeling that it wasn't it for Archive.

[@huskobonsarune]

Happy Thanksgiving Ben!

[@jasonhaman4670]

1. To some extent, the oldest episodes should tend to have higher views due to them being out there longer. Not the complete explanation, but perhaps a factor. B. I think first day views is a poor metric... even among subscribers, many aren't going to have time to watch every new video from every channel they're subscribed to every day. First week views would be a better measure. III. The sign-offs episode was particularly good for me -- as a kid in the late 80s-early 90s, during the summer, I'd be up into the wee hours watching tv, and see the local stations sign off. I really wish I'd recorded those from my local stations... seeing other stations' sign-offs is the best I can do, and great nostalgia. iv. My first OA episode was the "How I spent my summer" episode on the Sony U-Matic. I was feeling nostalgic for the (even-then-obsolete) U-Matic VCRs and tapes I had some interaction with in Media class my senior year of high school, and went searching for U-Matic videos. Perhaps a nerdier-than-average gateway to OA.... (5) You're too hard on yourself... but humility is a sign of good character. Happy Thanksgiving, and thanks for a decade and counting of great content!

[@davjutz]

I don't think you have done it yet but have you thought about for a Christmas episode doing a video (or a riff) on the Chicago Christmas shorts like Hardrock Coco and Joe, Suzy Snowflake and Frosty the Snowman. I live in Western PA and as far as I know of or at least up til a few years ago If they have stopped it, our NBC affiliate WJAC plays the shorts sometime during the news broadcasts around Christmas time.

[@OddityArchive]

I have seen them if nothing else.

[@Fluteboy]

It seems people have an appetite for your episodes on TV and broadcasting related videos. On my channel, it is the vinyl related ones that get viewed the most. Look at the popularity of your episode 245. It's recent, and it is also a ratings winner.

[@republicofoctania9571]

The first episode I watched was the dumont video about 3 years ago

[@jackieblue8718]

Happy belated Thanksgiving, Ben. I would have thought for sure the AMVEST Video/VHS Vault volume 1 episode would have ranked high on the list? And yet it's only sitting at 61K thus far. That one seems perfect for a Halloween reboot as a kind of parody creepypasta. There's just something off about a grown man dressed as a chipmunk singing along to Michael Jackson. Scarier than even the most synth-heavy Scanimate'd TV network idents, broadcasting the national anthem at the end of the day only to be interrupted by the EBS tone. OK, maybe I figured out why it's not in the top 10...

[@mycollectibles]

Happy turkey day dude 🦃

[@Jared_Wignall]

I always enjoy watching your stuff man. Happy Thanksgiving!

[@rodriguez1025]

Happy Thanksgiving. The first episode I ever watched was Scanimate.

[@CriscoSnowflake]

Hey Ben, I think I can explain the number of yoyo man video views. This a really popular Vine. People were probably looking for the original footage.

[@50shadesofbeige88]

Max and Scary Logos are my two all-time favorite Archive episodes.

[@michaelcarpenter2498]

Happy Thanksgiving Ben. Just like Orson Wells you peaked early, but your later stuff is just as great and more refined, but the general audience just like the early episodes. True fans like it all.

[@EvaFull]

Oddity Archiver 4 Life!!!!

[@plawson8577]

His peak was mostly Blip related.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

This video was released on the same week as the 35th anniversary of the Max Headroom Incident. Coincidence?

[@sadgirlporvida3227]

Cool thanks

[@bunnybismuth]

I figure your older stuff gets higher counts because of their subject matter and because they were, well, first

[@ammiebaker2911]

Ben I still have a bunch of equipment to catalog and I can email you all the models. My grandfather was the OG geek of geeks. I have so many weird formats so if you're cool you can let me know which ones are rare !! Get a hold of you soon.. And you rock Ben!

[@OddityArchive]

VX video format (Quasar Great Time Machine) stuff is pretty much all I'm after at the moment.

[@imrustyokay]

I can relate to having your most view video be something that you didn't even create. The most viewed video I've ever uploaded was on one of my secondary channels, and was a collection of those "Toss Me My Keys" memes. Although there is an interesting story attached to those, so there's that. Also, because of where amd how I live, I've kind of met everyone from every South American country, and apart from the Chileans, they'll be the first to tell you their country sucks. Although, sadly the Bolivians I've met tended to be legitimately racist towards Indigenous people.

[@iamathousandapples]

Crazy that EBS Salute vol 2 doesnt get enough love. I think its very clearly better. Same with the weather warnings episodes, those are my go-tos

[@GabrielleCenter2000]

Happy Oddity Thursday and a Thanksgiving! 😊🦃

[@nazznomad]

I think every time you refer to yourself in the 3rd person, you lose 1000 views per video. Just kidding Benny Boy. Enjoyable video, oddly none of these are in my favorite archive videos. So many good ones.

[@yvonnerogers6429]

👍🏻

[@LMB222]

OA, be less depressive and your videos will score better.

[@j0hnf_uk]

I could think of a couple of other, 'oddity archives', you could do, but they're really niche in context, although might have proven of some interest, (to somebody, somewhere.) One was the phenomena of, 'mock TV.' Which was basically people pretending to be TV stations and using existing material from actual TV stations in their presentations, rather badly. In fact, some were so bad, they often provoked responses from others who critiqued them for being so bad. The use of MS Paint and text-to-speech software on some was literally elementary school level. They didn't even try to make them look good and, as you might expect, the text-to-speech suffered from spelling and punctuation errors.. a lot. The other example is one particular youtube channel that, sadly, was only recently deleted due to, 'sexual references', despite the videos in question being freely available for years previously. The author of said channel being quite a talented chap, who would replace the voices on old recordings of editions of a very famous soap opera from out of the UK called, 'Coronation Street', with his own dialogue. The voices imitated the characters quite well, but the subject matter was, let's say, on the adult side. Apparently, that's why it got axed... eventually. He'd also do spoof versions of continuity as well as adverts shown in cinemas from the 70's. It's shame he's gone, but I do believe he continues on vimeo. Although, that platform doesn't quite have the same flexibility as youtube. The test card video was probably my favourite, but then it would be, for me. I'm, 'into', that kind of stuff.

[@notveryniceatall]

This episode would've been a lot better if it didn't keep lapsing into a pity party.