Was 2013 The Best Year Of YouTube?

KZbin Rewinds, custom channel pages... was 2013 the BEST year of KZbin?
SUBSCRIBE: smo.sh/Sub2Smosh
WEAR OUR JOKES: smosh.com
WHO YOU SEE
Ian Hecox // / ianhecox
Anthony Padilla // / anthonypadilla
WHO YOU DON’T SEE (usually)
Director: Erin Dougal
Editor: Kortney Luby
Producer: Anthony Padilla, Ian Hecox
Channel Director, Smosh Main: Anthony Padilla, Ian Hecox
Producer, Smosh Main: Erin Dougal
Assistant Director: Amanda Barnes
Art Director: Cassie Vance
Assistant Art Director: Erin Kuschner
Art Coordinator: Alex Aguilar, Josie Bellerby, Natalie Lewis
Audio Mixer: Scott Neff
Camera Operator: Jon Wong
Director of Photography: Eric Wann
Director of Design: Brittany Hobbs
DIT/Lead AE: Matt Duran
CEO: Alessandra Catanese
EVP of Production: Zoe Moacanin
EVP of Programming: Kiana Parker
Executive Coordinator: Rachel Collis
IT: Tim Baker
Operations PA: Katie Fink
Post Production Manager: Luke Baker
Director of Production: Amanda Barnes
Production Coordinator: Marcus Munguia
Operations & Production Coordinator: Oliver Wehlander
Production Assistant: Ovsana Tsaturian
Senior Manager, Channel & Strategy: Lizzy Jones
Channel Operations Coordinator: Audrey Carganilla
Social Creative Producer: Peter Ditzler, Tommy Bowe
Social Strategist: Erica Noboa, Mallory Myers
Social Media Coordinator: Kim Wilborn
Talent Coordinator: Selina Garcia
OTHER SMOSHES:
Smosh Pit: smo.sh/Sub2SmoshPit
Smosh Games: smo.sh/Sub2SmoshGames
El Smosh (Spanish Dub): smo.sh/Sub2ElSmosh
SmoshCast: smo.sh/Sub2SmoshCast
FOLLOW US:
TikTok: smo.sh/TikTok
Snapchat: smo.sh/OnSnapchat
Instagram: / smosh
Facebook: / smosh

[@DittoBlob]

Ian screaming in the intro, “Bring back the Frickin’ dislike button!” Was sooo funny! And i agree!!

[@jeremy5491]

Anybody use the extension that does show it? I wonder how accurate it is.

[@flyywithme]

​@@jeremy5491yes this. I have the chrome extension to show dislikes on KZbin. Anyone can download it. But I have no idea how accurate it is for new videos posted

[@fortynights1513]

Hot take: I would have liked to have seen a third option for an expression of a mixed opinion.

[@fortynights1513]

Another Idea I’ve had: The site should allow for more detailed filtered searches (I’d suggest the ability to search by percentage and range of physical number of likes, dislikes or mixed opinions, range of view count, a range of dates of upload, if it is monetized or not, if it was ever on trending and if so where did it peak and when, and by range of the channels subscriber count) What do you think?

[@AggravatedCassowary.]

You can just get a browser extension to show dislikes.

[@jannatulshoilee1443]

30:53 Ian realizing they really were actually VERY popular back in 2013, so much so that their videos would get millions of views within days, and almost not being able to comprehend that is so funny

[@simfamr.]

It was crazy even for the time that’s what’s wild.

[@nicole-xx8xi]

It’s funny cause of course they’ve always known they’re popular but they usually just talk about it in passing. Actually talking about it now got to him😭

[@GenGaara]

Getting 5 mil views on 7 mil subscribers is pretty insane by current standards. It's incredibly rare nowadays for subscriber count to directly translate to views. Smosh has 26 mil subscribers now, and 5 mil is still a better performing video. Pewdiepie has over 100 mil subs, but a fraction of that in views.

[@KingOfGaymes]

@@nicole-xx8xithe reality hits him while talking about it like “Oh yeah millions of people.. actually really like us..”

[@KingOfGaymes]

@@GenGaarawe need to compare old KZbin views to now like what they do with inflation of costs, I’m curious what the modern day equivalent of that is

[@babystone42]

UGH I miss Jenna so much 😭 even the thumbnail was enough to hit me in the heart

[@abbyllama7282]

Even a bar of irishspring soap makes me think of her 😂

[@WookieWoman]

​@@abbyllama7282 Cermet's favorite! 😂

[@babystone42]

@@WookieWoman an it will help the cermet grow 🥹

[@alexyssaubrie1606]

@@babystone42I read that in the voice 😭

[@Kitkat_bar]

I clicked for this reason

[@adriancarrots7706]

seeing ian get so excited about jenna marbles made me feel like a kid again

[@purplelovelies1835]

ian saying he could take a punch to the head has the same energy as chanse saying he could jump over a moving car

[@michaelasmith2037]

That being said, he has been punched in the face before. The face is on the head

[@hotscottrulz]

@@michaelasmith2037every day’s a school day

[@mcolbert6138]

Love that they’ve been having guests but it’s nice to have an episode that’s just them after not having one in a while

[@NK-pr9xy]

I agree

[@aplias20]

I agree fck fake crew Never liked em

[@iliveonatropicalisland6086]

Now that Anthonys back, Ian finally has someone who doesnt bat a fucking eye at his dark tangents

[@Historyplace794]

Wdym

[@kayashley81]

Jenna: *listing weird, crazy names for animals* Anthony and Ian: *nodding in agreement* 😂

[@csanbean]

😂

[@livtupi]

Kortney editing this video was like "LIARSSS THEY ARE LITERALLY LIARSSS"

[@YTFlove4ever]

"IAN LAUGHING AT ANTHONY'S PAIN' WAS SUCH A BURN😂😂

[@Chrisfrrr]

“They’re just lying”

[@JoseNate]

I love Kortney so much for the editing in this vid😂

[@solodsnek8040]

Who is Kortney?

[@Toastybees]

​@@solodsnek8040She edits these videos.

[@montygatwick1829]

Ian cringing at Tobuscus is hilarious lmao. What a rabbit hole you can go down on with that guy

[@hinasakukimi]

LMAO the tobuscus jumpscare

[@zebragoboom]

dude's still uploading from some high-rise

[@CrossOutBryce]

Favorite part tbh

[@BoyBlunder66]

Followed up with that quiet little 'oof' and the face he makes when the Fine bros. show up. 🤣

[@robo7643]

I used to love him. Like why 😂

[@Antixxx51]

The seemingly unintentional synchronized head nodding through Jenna Marbles' alternate animal names killed me. 45:04

[@cmrobbins88]

2013 was definitely the last time that KZbin was under one community umbrella and then 2014 was the transitional year where everyone started to branch off into niches. Between 2014 and 2016 I mainly stuck to the Let’s Play community with Game Grumps, Markiplier, Jackscepticeye, and a lot of the more niche gaming channels.

[@RJ-vy9ch]

Niche? You’re a total normie lmfao.

[@92thejordan]

Ian's assumption on kid president is exactly what I thought lol

[@YTFlove4ever]

Haha but I WAS NOT GOING TO SAY IT OUT LOUD

[@TheRandyalex]

Today I found out it was not a parody channel

[@winterrachelle7505]

Same, I never watched it either so I just assumed 😭😂

[@blackmagic7976]

Same lmao

[@3seven5seven1nine9]

Same tbh

[@vishalvenkat6]

We need an episode each for Felix and Ryan. And Jenna too if she's okay with being in videos again. Also love the ChadChad discourse.

[@people2chronically-online]

Chad Chad is what happens when you give a boring girl who peaked in high school a platform, so basic

[@gzeynepux7393]

​@@people2chronically-onlineshhh be quiet

[@katlinn5710]

I feel like Ian and Anthony don’t give themselves enough credit pioneering KZbin! Like the fact that they had Lunchtime with Smosh and Mail Time with Smosh which is literally modern KZbin today just mukbangs and creating super editing content of just hanging out with your friends. It’s so entertaining! And they pioneered it! I feel like if they did just vlog style stuff of them trying out food and going on target buying sprees it would completely FILL MY FANGIRL HEART. Like seeing Ian and Anthony just hanging out as best friends like they did back in the day would be crazy! And a lot of the new stuff today is just that. Plus Podcasts, drama channels, and etc. Keep the sketch comedy obviously but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BRING BACK LUNCHTIME WITH SMOSH

[@StinkyJoe-sj5hi]

True. Mailtime with smosh definitely pioneered a genre that a lot of channels do now for opening fanmail.

[@TheLMBLucas]

2013 meta: creativity, sketches, being original by being yourself The meta a decade later: apology videos

[@carter_lovejoy]

Also the meta a decade later: Weird and annoying kids content where you’re like, “Why even allow babies and little kids on the internet to begin with?”

[@shanthegamer21]

@@carter_lovejoy And apparently I’m the only one who sees toddler accounts as a problem. 💀

[@iheartlownotes]

wait till you find out that underneath it all, the metas always been apology videos

[@TheLMBLucas]

@@shanthegamer21 I guess I haven't reached that part of KZbin yet thankfully lol

[@TheLMBLucas]

@@iheartlownotes But it's funny how for every apology, now there are like 20 other channels talking about it

[@AqueleSimao]

I really hope that Jenna is living her absolute best life, wherever she is.

[@Kitkat_bar]

Her and Julian and married and are fostering dogs constantly they are very happy Julian still does stuff she’s not in it but he talks about her

[@koguma8823]

oh god the nostalgia of this episode will kill me. 2013, age 12, the height of my youtube obsession...

[@GreatGrace1123]

Ayyy same!! 2001 babies!!! Such a time

[@baygoesmoo]

omg sameeee

[@bug7055]

2001 gang

[@memphiskash]

sameeeee

[@WookieWoman]

Jesus... I was 28. 😂

[@SeanLKearns]

Ian having an existential crisis about how popular smosh was back then.

[@YTFlove4ever]

49:20 Erin panicking about people dressed as pedobear meeting children in 2013 and Ian cracking up at that?!?!?! THAT'S the duality of Smosh right there

[@ZeKaiserVG]

Man, Ian went through a small crisis hearing over the old view counts

[@AlexMercado2004]

Noticing how huge and popular they were

[@mypowerbob]

As a Norwegian, hearing them thinking that Ylvis and "What Does The Fox Say?" is Swedish killed a part of my soul

[@Piffan100]

I'm Swedish but I was like "Nooo don't do that" 😂😭

[@kiraross]

Ian mentioning Girls’ Generation gave me whiplash. WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE!

[@geckopecko]

real

[@hooniesdiamond]

Frrr my jaw dropped

[@tinycoke3718]

Ian being like “yo they got girls generation?” Was the most surprising thing here what this man registers as something worth retaining information about is an enigma

[@Sebastian-fn1qg]

I think these Smosh episodes are the only videos I don't plan to finish but always watch all the way through.

[@claudiobarrera3186]

Same

[@chrisburns658]

The zoom ins always make me chuckle so much. Especially when Anthony says "yeah yeah yeah" or "mhm mhm". Video editor deserves so much credit for keeping attention.

[@seanmartinson6249]

First time in Smosh history that anyone has ever pumped the brakes on a scream to save the sound guy's ears.

[@annieisokfr]

The sense of community and everyone coming up together was definitely KZbin wide, viewers included. You’d reference/quote a video IRL and an excited stranger would come up to you and share their own favourite lines.

[@RJ-vy9ch]

No they wouldn’t

[@annieisokfr]

You’re right. *if you were a friendly and fun person, you’d reference/quote a video in a real life social situation and other friendly and fun, excited people would come up to you and share their own favourite lines

[@poetry-week]

I had a friend who I showed “the haunting” which is still my favorite old smosh video, and she and I would act out the scenes at each other from across the room during class 😂

[@ItsBAndBees]

My litmus test for friends back in school was often if they’d laugh at a weird ass KZbin video or get a reference. Charlie the fucking unicorn was my vibe check 😅 but hey it did work in directing me to some of my favorite people. Now we ask what podcasts or streams we’re all watching lol

[@pokemonmaster464]

I would argue KZbin Rewind 2015 might be better because they focused more on the community and the fandoms.

[@Pedro999Paulo]

Also it was the 10 year aniversary so they reference older memes too

[@BoyBlunder66]

I was 16, and now I'm pushing 30. 😐

[@seanlegumes8580]

​@BoyBlunder66 you're still in your mid 20s, relax

[@DulceReposa]

@@BoyBlunder66 bruh I'm already 30 and I can tell you right now, nothing changes lol

[@kaechops]

every long moment of silence in this made me deeply respect kourtney

[@annikan42]

She has incredible comedic timing honestly

[@aplias20]

She and shayne only crew ook i tolerate others are trash and waste of space

[@monicamcintosh1515]

Jenna in the thumbnail.... My all time favorite KZbinr. I respect her decision to leave, of course, but I miss her an unhealthy amount 🥺

[@zreeragkn]

wait... annotations stopped? bruh I ignored it so much that I didn't realise it's not there anymore 💀

[@bepoo8363]

REAAAL blocked it from my mind so hard forgot how much I fucking hated it

[@annikan42]

A little bit ago I was like "I thought I could turn off end card stuff?" I'm only just now realizing I was thinking about annotations! And youtubers would use them sometimes to make corrections to their videos because you couldn't edit an already uploaded video

[@claragomesmartins2498]

I miss it!! it was so useful

[@crodudebro]

THANK GODDDD WE GOT THE GUESTLESS EPISODE 😭😭😭

[@Arsenicsquirrel]

I do have to agree, i don’t mind the episodes with guests but its a little too frequent at the moment

[@mrhashbrown8283]

@@Arsenicsquirrel Not gonna lie I'm kind of hoping they go back to watching older smosh videos and it's just them, no guests

[@brandxlion]

​@@mrhashbrown8283 this

[@Toastybees]

Chill.

[@brandxlion]

@@Toastybees hang on to your ego, they're just excited

[@Kuchhh]

@14:30 it’s because the 2010-2020 decade was the decade of “OMG I’M SO RANDOM HAHA LMAO!!!” humor, and what does the fox say capitalized heavily on that.

[@DanAndHoe]

“Rawr lol I’m so random :3 “ Thank goodness we’ve left that behind in the previous decade.

[@mixmastermind]

It's just Crazy Frog all over again

[@TrollGamingTV]

ian cringing at every canceled youtuber is gold 🤣🤣

[@emmabobemma8]

40:33 I love the bleep only after Ian finishes the swear 😂🤪

[@bepoo8363]

LMAOO

[@brilab]

yayyyyy an ian and anthony flashback 💞💞💞💗 love the guests but missed just the two of you

[@RelaxAlexX]

100 percent agree 💞

[@bondickle]

"We can cut that out" *it's left in* 😂

[@xemphios]

Early KZbin reminds me of the good times crowding around an iPod touch with all your friends. KZbin being smaller and having the community of peers at school made the experience of sharing videos with people in person something that we'll sadly never feel again. I'd say peak KZbin was 2012 for me.

[@naffy113]

I really appreciate the extra commentary and fact checking from both Erin and editor Kortney. ❤

[@theskitty27]

for real, they're also covering their cis white boys asses lmao

[@bellita4eva]

Ian knowing SNSD makes my day 😂

[@boop.snoot12]

Saaame 😂

[@hashtaggenie_]

samme😂😂 i was a new sone 2013 and a decade later i still laugh at them thinking it’s “i got a boy on my chin”😂😂

[@rayskywalker4]

Same 🥹🩷😂 I feel seen

[@lisa_vxng]

this just feels like nostalgia with friends in the best way (except that you know all those people irl lmao) also kourtney took me out with the "why the f you lying" meme sound,, the throwback?? ALSO THE MEMES AT 42:37 I CANT

[@gnarliquinn]

38:50 Erin saying “that tracks” is probably the funniest thing I’ve heard today 😭

[@Ghoats]

i always feel like 2013 wasnt that long ago but then i remember i was literally in elementary school and now im a grown man

[@AbielsVlogs]

fr. a lot happened in 10-11 years

[@crodudebro]

I love how every new person ian saw he's cheering for them 🤣 he is a good friend

[@dittoditto77]

I soooo wanna see Ryan Higa come on a Try Not to Laugh or sketch with Ian and Anthony...

[@manturay]

I really hope this series never stops. I've been watching KZbin since before Smosh and I love the nostalgia.

[@Theunloved1738]

How old is Erin? I’m 22 but I remember exactly what Ian and Anthony are talking about with looking at channels and everything and she keeps asking about it like it was the stone ages

[@Gamefreak924]

Probably 14

[@thedudefromrobloxx]

Everyone didn't watch as much youtube as you back then. Not too weird

[@j-jackquinn5540]

apart of it is probably intentional, to give exposition to stuff that ian and anthony, who have spent their whole adult lives on youtube, would could consider super obvious

[@hpoz222]

she’s 25 or 26 I think

[@sararubicubi]

I was about to ask the same thing. I'm 24 so I was 13 when this happened and I remember all of this

[@stephandknive]

as a man in his 30's I can only hope to reconnect with my Ian/Anthony they really make me smile.

[@oakyno426]

it still feels surreal having ian and anthony together again but it’s like a good dream and i’m here for it

[@nylora]

im still so giddy these two are regularly making content together again. its been such a joy.

[@_jerrycs_]

Anthony is tripping, that cardboard profile background was iconic

[@hernameispekka_Rebecca]

4:56 "Let's do this" mention. I'm activated and have to say that please bring back that show and reunions. They could work well on Pit now if they don't fit here!

[@Hudson112]

The only way it could work on Main is if Anthony comes in as Ian’s co-host.

[@Saxinful]

Pleeeeease! Let's Do This and Reunions were so good 😢

[@Rabbittine]

sometimes i sit and think "oh did i like 2013 youtube because im clouded with nostalgia?" and then I rewatch it and laugh harder than anything ive watched in the last month

[@gohan1094]

There's something about Erin just conversing and fact checking them I just love!

[@Potato__o.]

I personally feel most/best connected to the yt era of 2008-2011 but I can't pinpoint why. I, too, feel like 2013 was kinda the beginning of the end for "yt innocence" or fandom culture as we knew it generally, it then being really truly changed (and partly horribly so) in 2015/2016.

[@WishGender]

I think for me 2012-13 was around when I started watching KZbin (I was around 10 years old) so it has a special place in my heart

[@bepoo8363]

@@WishGenderme too but I was on the laterrr half of the year 2013, so I was all in for the most known or subscribed content creators (Felix, smosh, Ryan, ray william Johnson)

[@JJM07Gaming]

Anthony and Ian invite Ray William Johnson on Flashback with Smosh

[@blueberryara28]

12:16 OUR ONCE PER VIDEO IAN PULLS UP A VIDEO!!!!

[@HeyItsMeMatthew]

Omggg there's a "/s" in the subtitles after Erin says sorry at 19:49! I love it 😂

[@mkb2195]

15:22 Ian's reaction to fine brothers lmao XD

[@Mobik_]

Nice seeing you remembering MrGuitarMan... he was the biggest KZbinr I saw at the very start of KZbin with RWJ as well and you guys as well.

[@Raquel96]

I love the hype when seeing Jenna appear on screen because honestly same

[@TheStifmeister150]

When they were talking about old KZbin i remembered the annotations and how annoyed i was when they used to put them over the whole screen and when Anthony brought that up later and how he hated it too and was just playing the game i damn near cried lmao, really brought back a lot of memories...

[@chaostheshark]

As a Mississippian, the Ian prancercise to blues is beautiful

[@d25102]

unrelated but as a new fan it took me a while to accept how silly ian was bc he looks like such a serious dilf

[@bepoo8363]

Stop bc I need him

[@toasthead]

The damage this has dealt to me is immeasurable

[@ConejitoPequenito]

"I don't think I learned the dance" Editor: [Footage of them both dancing it]

[@aceoftarot8069]

I miss KZbin and just the internet as a whole back then, it was more wild west and a detachments from The real world, now it feels like the internet is an extension of the real world, which honestly doesn't make room for a lot of escapism, I just also hate how there's a lot of negativity due to KZbin and the internet, people use Fame as a jumping off point to be a jerk to people that they they see on the street. Harassment has become content which is just devastating

[@martitrinidad2560]

I love when Ian goes off on these tangents they’re so educational

[@Pontigon]

Smosh not realising how massive they are is so iconic! Lol

[@okRegan]

The music in KZbin rewind just hits me so hard in the nostalgia. I was 12, happy every day. I remember watching that video over and over. The cool winter breeze finally coming. Man.

[@Stardust_456]

Oh my god that fly sound effect was so well done that i started waving my hands around my head trying to get a fly away. I didnt see the graphic and have in headphones

[@pallavidwivedi1121]

The 10 year anniversary of YT (2015, I think) was the superior rewind. Also the music in these always banged

[@TheRandyalex]

The 2013 recap was actually different. The first version had the gentleman song from PSY but a few years later they removed it

[@Cielstial]

Ian knowing how popular Girls’ Generation is warms my heart lol

[@j2xosorio24]

Anthony giving Ian the long stare after telling him about the fake goat scream freaking killed me lmaaaaaaooo

[@mac_ni_ghairadh]

15:08 they’re actually Norwegian

[@kellys9973]

A flashback focused on the games and pit channels would be cool videos too

[@moldyvoldy1]

51:55 Very random but not that random story. When I was about 9 years old (in 2013 funnily enough), the kids on my cul de sac were a big community and everyone would hang out. I was playing with a neighbours toddler and lifted her over my head and accidentally fell back on my ass and was extremely lucky to land with my head right where the curb dropped and neither of us had a scratch on us. Didn't stop me from crying and feeling overwhelmed with guilt.

[@niki-maria]

I LITERALLY JUST CAME FROM 2013 KZbin REWIND !! - best one

[@YTFlove4ever]

Ian is extra cute in this video😂 The way he giggled embarrassedly after saying "Kid president was just an impression of Obama" and called Bethany Mota "Britney Mota" was SO CUTE😂 I JUST WANTED TO PINCH HIS NON EXISTENT CHEEKS

[@bepoo8363]

Relax…

[@mayzy_]

Ian talking about SNSD caught me so off guard 😭 love them sm

[@sharonxdevi_]

Ian knowing girls generation makes me so happy for reasons I don’t even know lmao

[@Lydia13778]

All if the editor's notes give such Erin energy and I love them. Please keep doing them.

[@katelinmize8023]

Hearing Ian talk about Stonehenge by ylvis felt so validating

[@Misunao23]

FINALLY AN IAN AND ANTHONY EPISODE

[@ChristinaFaye27]

yay an episode with just the two of them! it's nice to see after awhile 🥰

[@GingerBreadSed]

42:37 these memes 😭😭 surprised Lizzy didn’t make Kortney blur c*ming 💀

[@ryunwoofie2810]

The sniping on their intellect subtitles are killing me. I love it!

[@clockyaaron683]

The era of 2010 to like 2015/16 was truly peak youtube.

[@svampling]

It's so interesting to listen to them discuss the older eras of youtube. It makes me very nostalgic

[@LadySkywalkerW]

Dude, Kortney, your editing is AMAZING ❤

[@cahayasysy18]

Wow I like this one!!! Please more episode like this. I always love listening to you guys talk about anything, but especially your opinion on youtube contents over the year.

[@co-jt6gd]

2013 was the freaking BOMB! I remember I’d just started middle school around then. Ah, middle school, the best 3 years of my life. And if you ask me, the golden age of KZbin was around 2008-2017, though it has seen a recovery in recent years, especially with Minecraft making a comeback in 2019 and you guys reuniting last year.

[@brendanlm]

I’m honestly loving Anthony’s beard / mustache.

[@captaincati8826]

The super head espolder ad in the old channel banner literally shook me to my core with nostalgia I completely forgot they made that an actual game

[@stephensommers4628]

It's amazing how much the platform has changed over the years. Heck it's amazing how much Smosh has changed since then. Also how nuts is it that 2013 is over a decade ago?

[@blackyNzilla]

I love how this is edited - hilarious!

[@blondiejoe]

It's so interesting to see them talking about this stuff. It makes me realize how significant it was that Anthony left. I'm glad the dads are back together.

[@gabriellaguest4165]

I like the way Ian is sitting in this video it's simultaneously laid back and anxious and I feel that.

[@CrossOutBryce]

Anthony: Oh Tobuscus- Ian: OOF 😬😬