Who Should Be On YouTube's Mount Rushmore?

[@ZackarySmigel]

This video is sponsored by whoever has the top comment.

[@justarandomhandlewithnomeaning]

So, bigburritob0y500?

[@TheRelaxingRide]

*pinned comment concept acquired*

[@czpokeblade2839]

​@@justarandomhandlewithnomeaningyep, lol

[@williammassey8761]

but hey that's just a theory

[@jadebel7006]

To not have Natalie tran of community channel on here is a crime against yutube history, her along with smosh shaped this platform ..plus fine bros, zoe sugg, grace helbig, ijustine, lucas cruikshank, pioneers in their fields .. none them get a honourable mention but a scvmb*g like vsauce does? Shame on u.. if ur mention sum1 controversial at least have it be someone who made an impact like Colleen Ballinger

[@bigburritob0y500]

With the quality of this video I was shocked with to see the subscriber count. I’m hoping you get more recognition that you deserve.

[@vik.1903]

Came here to say the same hahahahhaa

[@Zatoka.]

After I saw your comment, I checked expecting 20-50k or so...WHAT???

[@Aligames5747]

@@Zatoka.same here

[@JonToyCars]

Well, his last video got 1M views, so ...

[@favOriTe-v6e]

his last video went viral

[@Dootdodeet]

Even if they weren't explicitly influencial, I feel like Hank and John have arguably done the most for the youtube community. Just Vidcon alone has been huge for growing creators and changed how youtube is perceived.

[@GoogelyeyesSaysHej]

For sure! With all the channels and companies they’ve established the impact is huge! Crash course, sci show, dftba and many more

[@ayerhead07]

They also did a lot of interesting things in the early days of the KZbin algorithm, like taking over the front page with the original Project 4 Awesome. Brotherhood 2.0 was definitely my earliest memory of following a specific channel/creator and the community created around it.

[@SSL26]

I was hoping he'd mention Hank and John. If you look into the history of even things like Patreon, the Green brothers setting up Subbable ultimately rolled into the patron/subscriber model a lot of content creators are using to this day

[@avsgriffy]

They were hugely influential in educational KZbin!

[@dustyboialex]

I completely agree I was waiting to see this comment

[@annievoss2010]

Totally agree with this, but I have to say Rhett and Link should be on this list, especially when considering since they owned Smosh for so long. They have literally pioneered a whole genera of content and are true OG's.

[@miguelbrache8645]

Totally agree- at minimum an honorable mention

[@hexes5122]

I do think they deserved a mention, but they only owned Smosh since 2018 and this was based on early influence so I don't think that is too relevant. But Rhett and Link definitely had early influence with them before they bought them out!

[@NavidVasei]

Number of times they’ve been included in yt rewind shows how influential they were..they deserve smosh’s spot up there…smosh may have been big in the early days but it can’t be compared to rhett&link legacy today

[@dangnabbits4622]

I’m so late to this but it’s so worth mentioning they were some of the first to use sponsorships in an age where that wasn’t a thing. Personally I’d say they’re akin to Hank and John Green, they shaped it in a way people just don’t see.

[@AliMarie022]

Hank & John Green feel like a huge influence for a very long time, influencing both the KZbin world as well as culture outside of it, and theyve kept up pretty consistently.

[@eepeed]

I agree...they are the creators of Vidcon, right?

[@SilliousBillious]

I would also argue that Tom Scott deserves some recognition. He’s posted every single week for over 10 years. That’s right, every single week for 10 years. That deserves some recognition, right?

[@ZackarySmigel]

I definitely agree!

[@SQERDOMOONLIGHT]

Some. But not that impactful on youtube as a whole.

[@MrDannyDetail]

@@SQERDOMOONLIGHT I think he is probably one of the most impactful youtubers to a British audience, and would probably be recognised by a good perecentage of the British population, probably more so than many of the names featured in this video.

[@edenini]

ahhh!! I love Tom Scott so much he's just so interesting

[@SilliousBillious]

@@SQERDOMOONLIGHT ye fair enough but 10 year weekly upload schedule is incredibly impressive along with second channel and podcast uploads

[@sitkinator]

Good video! I do feel you missed an OG who has had a significant impact on KZbin culture, at least to me personally. Jacksfilms. His comedy sketches, parodies and his YGS series definitely made him one of the top creators in the KZbin comedy sphere, and he's still beloved to this day, tho I feel what defines him the most is his music. I think he's one of the first if not the first KZbinr to make original music primarily just for KZbin, and gaining an audience for it. For that, I think he deserves to be in that damn mountain.

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thanks! And great points! He has the track record - no doubt!

[@legoreviewwarrior]

I’m more of a JJJacksfilms fan but Jacksfilms is pretty good too

[@blitzpianist]

@@ZackarySmigel why was mrbeast not here? just wondering. hes currently the face of youtube and one of the most famous humans on earth.

[@thefullmontea]

@@blitzpianist Same reason the faces on Mt Rushmore aren't from the last 150 years. It's celebrating the impact of figures from the past.

[@blitzpianist]

@@thefullmontea but vsauce would be like on top then

[@nationsquid]

I am still waiting for Ryan Higa and Jenna Marbles to come back!! Great video, man. And I hope to be this video's sponsor!!

[@ZackarySmigel]

You and me both! Thanks man. Can't wait to work together again in the future!

[@dabatman5187]

Didn’t Ryan say he quit? I thought he did

[@kaleomungin]

​@@dabatman5187he still streams on twitch doesn't he?

[@abdelhafidhsabeh4016]

@@dabatman5187 ​ he recently said he might do a video if he feels like it

[@dabatman5187]

@@kaleomungin I thought he quit KZbin

[@AnneB2]

Personally I would put Vlogbrothers (or John and Hank Green in general) on Mount Rushmore as their impact has been huge on platform and off platform. The way they built their nerdfighter community and used their youtube income towards meaningful charities and community projects had a clear impact on other youtubers and paved the way for other channels to do the same. I would also put into consideration Rhett and Link who had a very successful format and branched out over time and evolved with the platform.

[@GoogelyeyesSaysHej]

Crash coarse has been viewed in classrooms all over the world and Hank even started vidcon, leaving a huge impact on the community

[@SuperSMT]

Not to mention their creation of vidcon

[@Anthony_Stuart]

came here to comment exactly this, but you said it better than I would have

[@jelyfisher]

Of all the listed creators, I've only heard of three of them, but Hank and Jon are the only ones I've followed. I agree that their impacts are far reaching and they definitely deserved a spot. Plus, I buy their socks.

[@bitesizesnaccc]

I second that Rhett and Link vote, Good Mythical Morning has been incredibly successful over the years and collabed with many celebrities and influencers, not to mention the late Chester Bennington, R.I.P.

[@CalebThomasMedia]

Initially I thought the Green Brothers should have been up there, but the more I think about it, they’ve had more an impact on internet culture at large rather than just KZbin culture. I think your picks are prolly most accurate!

[@CH3R.N0BY1]

if there was a like tumblr or twitter rushmore, they'd be up there

[@SabertoothDeathmouse]

Excellent video, I wish Jacksfilms would have gotten an honorable mention, but I can't disagree with your choices.

[@dnwhfg]

i think an honerable mention is severely underplaying what the vlogbrothers did for youtube. they may not have quite the subs and views of the other channels, but theyve changed the landscape of youtube. they created vidcon, which is such a massive staple of the platform now. they also spearheaded a lot of the efforts to get better pay for creators during the earlier days of youtube. theyre influence is much more 'behind the scenes' so to say, but in the grand scheme of youtube i think they at least deserved their own bit in the video imo. they would absolutely be my pick for the mountain

[@AnnaReed42]

Their viewership is also spread wider than the other creators through channels like Crash Course and SciShow. Their commitment to doing good with their platform through activism, charity work, etc. is unparalleled.

[@ryankirby383]

Homie is straight sleeping on the vlogbrothers. Amazing longevity, both nyt bestselling authors, founded crash course, sci show, vidcon, and are leading voices in the creator space even 16 years later

[@gabrielleengel7476]

A great list, but i would add Rhett and Link, John and Hank, and JacksFilms. It would be interesting to see the duos as like a head on top of another head as well. Just to make it interesting and fit more heads in.

[@louiepikmin3184]

It's so weird to me that so many people didn't recognize most of the list. Like I started watching youtube in 2015ish and I still atleast recgonize everyone you mentioned, even if I haven't watched their content. But I loved the video! I loved seeing your picks for the list and I also really appreciate the honorable mentions since there's so many more influential people who weren't part of the super early days and stuff. Also I absolutely agree with the 4 you chose in the end. I do think tomska deserves an honorable mention though considering how iconic the asdfmovies are to youtube

[@Krasauskaitevi]

What a great video! Two people that I missed in this list were Jacksfilms and Bo Burnham: both spectacular and influencial in their own ways. However, I see how creating such a list could have been very hard and I cannot disagree with your suggestions. Also, s/o to your latest video about youtube. It lead me all the way here. You deserve way more recognition, man!

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thanks so much! Agreed with Jacksfilms and Bo Burnham!

[@taylorphillips7030]

I'm very happy to see Markiplier in the honorable mentions. Even though Pewdiepie is the undisputed king of the let's play era, Mark's longevity, wholesomeness, and meme-ablity is unrivaled. As someone who would doomscroll through memes, i cannot emphasize Mark's meme-ability enough. And this is all not to mention unnus anus, which was something very special, although it happened well after the eras discussed in this video.

[@CoupleMoore]

Markiplier’s wholesomeness? Really? M’kay, if you say so. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@MusicalIrishgrl]

I came from your why KZbin Feels Different Video. I am part of the target demo for this video as I love KZbin analytics and have been a long time KZbinr viewer. You've earned yourself a subscriber. :)

[@MarleyMe95]

This comment section is such a nostalgia fest and I love it. I'm kind of shocked Vlogbrothers aren't up there (or Zefrank who inspired them and others who use that style of quick cut vlogs). My four would include them, Philly D, Jenna and Pewdiepie. Even though I was never a big viewer of the last two, their impact is too massive to ignore. I think for vlogbrothers and Phil, there is something to be said for people who started so long ago and still make daily content. They both have staying power and have built such big communities and a whole ecosystem around them. Appreciate the Michelle Phan mention also since makeup is a huge space on this site and I used to love her. The other channel type missing here, is group daily channels. Five Awesome Gays was pivotal to my tween experience and I think the rise of Tyler Oakley and similar figures probs meant a lot for LGBT youths who never saw themselves in traditional media in 2009.

[@lauratiso]

I think James Rolfe should be in this list, he just created a style of video that was copied over and over and he's still relevant to this day in the platform.

[@andrewoliver7095]

A good point, but I think he might have been left off because he wasn't really a KZbinr in the traditional sense. He had his own website where he was posting videos before KZbin was even created, if I recall correctly, and even after KZbin's creation, I think KZbin was secondary to his own site for a good while.

[@aaronstevens2171]

If you don’t recognize the name James Rolfe, you might better know him as the Angry Video Game Nerd (or maybe Board James). He is considered a pioneer in internet videos about video games and an inspiration to many.

[@snintendog]

@@andrewoliver7095 he left due to DMCA BS the same reason TGWTG was forced off too.

[@buttershy_]

I agree but I think gaming youtube is its own culture within itself. I don't think Rolfe really fits in with the more 'youtuber' youtubers who are in this video. He's not who I think of when someone asks me to think of a youtuber, even though I've been a fan of his for 13 years. most of the youtubers I think of, I don't actually watch and only know about because of how popular they are in youtube's mainstream.

[@justinhansen6069]

James Rolfe pioneered the gaming review/skit side of youtube, but not actually on youtube. If you remember, he posted his videos primarily on Gametrailers for a very long time and took a long time to eventually move all his videos over to youtube. His impact was certainly great, but it falls outside of the ruleset Zack set

[@owenklein1917]

As an aviation nerd, I’m almost positive that Casey’s video on emirates that went viral Is the reason why emirates is one of the most popular airlines among aviation geeks. That’s such a random thing for him to popularize

[@abigail9239]

Great video! It was nice to see RWJ on the considerations, because I adored =3 and your favorite Martian while in high school and I feel like most people don’t remember/know him! This video gave me major nostalgia!

[@baggmanwithaplan]

Hi it’s me, your intended audience! I came from your most recent video which I also thoroughly enjoyed, glad the algorithm did something right, keep it up man!!

[@redmastif01]

I think (as you've probably figured to by yourself) the key word "Mount Rushmore" is what pushed the impression demographic age up on this video compared to your other ones. Seems like KZbin shows your videos to people like the people who watch your videos, and also uses the key words in the title and probably description to show the video to people who tend to consume content that matches with those key words.

[@StephenPickells-rn1ie]

Yes I agree I only clicked on this because I’m fascinated with Mount Rushmore

[@Aa-st6ml]

I think dan and phill also could be an honorable mention, as they paved the way for the british youtuber craze, and had major influence in the youtube space back then! Definitely also agree with all the comments about hank and john haha

[@jeremiahfisher]

I'm only a few minutes in, but thank you for including Philip DeFranco, he's my favorite KZbinr and one I've watched most consistently. I subscribed to all of these creators at one point in time.

[@ayrtonsenna6311]

MKBHD is definitely one of the greatest tech youtubers and definitely deserving of the spot, But, in my humble opinion, LTT, or Linus Sebastian specifically, is the founding father of tech space on youtube. He's THE TECH GUY. One counter argument i can think of is that he is more PC centric than MKBHD, but i don't think that is a strong enough argument to not even mention his name where MKBHD and iJustine is mentioned.

[@ListlessLion]

This comment aged poorly

[@ThomasEdits]

@@ListlessLionreal

[@TheRighteousDawn]

Lol was just thinking this@@ListlessLion

[@snintendog]

@@ListlessLionand now this comment aged poorly. Cancel culture and Dramawhoring never even once.

[@sadmermaid]

​@@snintendoghow? idgi

[@naavevans5546]

Considering how many subscribers vlogbrothers have across their fanily of channels i think they deserve to be on there. Even just for the founding of vidcon alone.

[@benmurray6585]

This was a really great KZbin history lesson for me. I had never heard of any of these creators.

[@alexradke404]

I appreciate the effort that went into this video. You've hit my nostalgia just right. I think your intro to each creator is painfully formulaic, but your overall discussion after getting the stats down is the meat of the video and is both entertaining and logical. I'd still give you a thumb up

[@TamChronin]

Found this video via your algorithm video, and for someone outside your target demographic this actually hits a spot for me. YT's meddling and tinkering is actually spot on in this case. I mean, personally I would put Mark above Felix because Mark is just that amazing, but your reasoning should probably triumph over my emotional investment. Great choices, you've got a new subscriber out of this video, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do next. Hope your success keeps going!

[@bloomfilms]

this video really hit me at a good time. I'm a sucker for archieve videos

[@CromemcoZ2]

I spend a lot of time on KZbin since becoming disabled, retired, and homebound. But I only recognized PewDiePie and JennaMarbles from your main list. The interesting part is, I already subscribe to all of your honorable mentions. I don't know what that means though. :)

[@lawnmower16]

Haven't watched most of the video yet but for me it's like, matpat, tom Scott, PewDiePie, Linus Sebastian. As a person who feels like an alien from another planet when i look at the trending tab on KZbin, i don't think what i consider the most iconic KZbinrs is what the majority of people do, but these are the ones who stand out to me

[@bailey_selene]

I’m honestly shocked you don’t have more subscribers! Your videos are very high quality and your topics are super interesting!!

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoy!

[@TheDiamondSlayer1]

Id definitely argue for Rhett and Link as well, their longevity and ability to adapt, and especially their relationship with KZbin themselves

[@amberhide04]

No AVGN? Really? I'd argue james pioneered a style of videos on KZbin popular to this day in many different forms and he was a major influence on youtube

[@labellabeach631]

Great video! 🏆Glad to see Jena Marbles on Mt. Rushmore and ijustine as a honorable mention. They are icons for so many of us girls.

[@saralynn518]

As well as us thirty-two year old laaaadies who have a basketball game tomoooorrrow!!

[@stephss]

ugh, girls...? words matter, and I stopped being a Girl when puberty kicked in.

[@guduzegoat8648]

This is a very well made video. I was shocked when I saw the small amount of comments views and subscribers you have

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thank you, I appreciate that. Hopefully the low subscribers won't be for long!

[@tylery6352]

I've been watching Philip defranco for 15 years back when he was SXEphil. I remember when RWJ started to gain traction Phil's videos shifted to that style for a little while until he found his lane. Great video, brought back a lot of memories.

[@_niXie7]

So I just came from you video that is blowing up, in a good way, talking about KZbin and how it feels different. I love commentary and video essay KZbinrs, as well as the sketch comedy and movie reviews, and a few niche videos. So when I saw that you made a KZbin of KZbin's Mount Rushmore I had to watch. Luckily I grew ip on most of these KZbinrs (for better or more) and some I knew, but just didn't like their content. I'm excited to see what other videos you have. You just got another subscriber from me.

[@lordsxman]

Great video! I'm surpised this doesn't have more views.

[@AmaraQuest]

But Fred Figglehorn was the First ever to get 1M subs in YT history and the first to be scouted to Hollywood THROUGH his KZbin opening this door to everyone after!!

[@mellodees3663]

I feel like the channels that brought you to YT in the late 00s /early 10s influenced who you are and what you watch now.

[@Tr0lliPop]

Decided to check this out when it was mentioned on the video about youtube feeling different. I only knew smosh, pewdiepie, markiplier, vSauce and ray william johnson (And even then I only knew him from his recent shorts, lol) but this was very informative!

[@BucketBoatable]

Same and out of them only watched some pewdiepie and vsauce, the guys point about this vid seems weird, when younger people would have "never heard of them" even more imo

[@cutiepatoot8864]

Great and entertaining video for sure! I don't disagree with the final choices but I do think Rhett and Link reserved and honorable mention! Not even a huge stan. Subscribed btw! Love KZbin info/lore vids!

[@cutiepatoot8864]

Deserve not reserve! My phone won't let me edit?? lol

[@princeyakiko1733]

Even if I don’t personally like some of the choices on the list, I think all the candidates made perfect sense. Especially after hitting the honorable mention list and seeing why some of the personalities I and my friends associate with youtube (mark, vsauce, michelle phan) didn’t make the cut. Another great video! Interacting so YT knows that your content should keep coming towards us knowledge goblin types.

[@buttershy_]

not watched the whole video yet so maybe they pop up but i think rhett and link are very important to youtube and have been a staple for many years. i havent watched them in a long time but still hear about them often just due to them being so influential and popular. true icons of youtube in my book

[@Error403HRD]

Great quality video! Glad Marques got a spot!

[@kyleponsonby4539]

dood!!!! the "masking skills of your introduction are flawless!!! thank you

[@awesomo925]

It always irks me when people do lists like these and don't mention Fred. I know Smosh and Nigahiga were huge, but Fred was one of their main competitors and was a big reason why so many people started going on KZbin in the late 2000s. People just don't recognize it because the Nickelodeon show sanitized him and ruined his reputation.

[@LotoTheHero]

He did get mentioned at the end, and was one of the ones I thought of as well.

[@Xebecs]

Every long time viewer has their own personal Mount Rushmore

[@ZackarySmigel]

Ray William Johnson definitely is up there, he trailblazed reaction style content on KZbin. Honestly.

[@JerkWarlord]

@@ZackarySmigel Not only trailblazed but if I may be so bold his content sets itself apart even today. I barely even think of =3 as "reaction content" or RWJ as a "reactor," because even though strictly speaking that's what he is... His content is unlike any other reaction content. RWJ's formula is more like a stand up comedian using recent viral clips as foundations for standup routines. "Reaction content" isn't really that at all; If you want to point fingers at folks who pioneered what most "reaction content" on KZbin today is, you have to point at the FineBros. Thing is... FineBros were kinda shitheads, and while they did their brand of reacting well for a time... Everyone under the sun copied it and nobody has improved on their formula. Everyone's worse. Even the FBE and REACT brands themselves are a shadow of their former selves since the company became mired in outrageous controversy after outrageous controversy. Frankly, the fact that everyone under the sun copied FBE's formula also goes to show that the formula itself is kinda shit. There's nothing all that groundbreaking or dynamic or unique or non-duplicatable to it. RWJ, on the other hand... has yet to have his formula duplicated. Even he could barely duplicate it with a different host after he retired from hosting. Robby Motz was as good as RWJ but he took a mammoth effort across months and some 10,000 auditioners to find; When he left, =3 went downhill even under RWJ's guidance, just without his hosting charisma. =3 was lightning in a bottle, and to call it "reaction content" I frankly feel is a disservice to it. If someone could successfully duplicate it in today's day and age, being mindful of today's political landscape and prickliness with comedy (and leaving aside the debate of whether that's even possible), it would 1000% take the internet by storm again. There hasn't been anything CLOSE to =3 since =3. It's NOT reaction content, it's quite a bit more, frankly. Ironically enough, the fact that the FBE formula has been duplicated so prolifically while =3 hasn't been, again in my opinion precisely BECAUSE FBE's formula was so simplistic while =3's was so unique and lightning-in-a-bottle... kinda makes a case for FBE deserving consideration for the YT Mount Rushmore MORE than RWJ deserves the spot. And that's sad to think about, but as a daily and borderline religious fan of =3 from early on to the very end of Robby's tenure and well into Kaja's... as well as as equally a rabid childhood fan of YFM and Animonster, most of all, I'm just glad Ray is happy these days. He obviously moved on mentally from =3 and absolutely loved doing YFM; Seeing that be ripped away from him, as a fan, was so sad. Now that he's back, and kicking ass, I mean... I'm loving it, even if I'll never not miss =3. Two camels in a tiny car!

[@AperioContra]

A lot like others, I would argue strongly that Hank and John Green deserve to be on YT Mt Rushmore, as their impact goes even beyond KZbin content. From pioneering crowdfunding style monetization with Subbable, which would be the proving ground for things like Patreon, to VidCon, to basically all of Educational KZbin, they are important to the History of KZbin. But one person notable by his absence I think is George Kusunoki Miller or Joji. Filthy Frank was hugely influential for a lot of Weird KZbin, and deserves an honorable mention.

[@camh.04]

I think Rhett and link deserve an honorable mention, they’ve been making vids since 06, pioneered on several different fronts (sketches, music/music parodies, and a talk show) and still maintain a dedicated fan base after 17 years. They really were a more mature/artsy version of smosh so I’d understand picking smosh over them due to sheer numbers too.

[@MackenzieNoelle]

Came here to say this!

[@rosemulet]

Less than 1K views on this is INSANE btw, you’re def gonna blow up soon

[@ZackarySmigel]

I hope so! Thanks for the comments, it means a lot!

[@naavevans5546]

Damn u were so right lmao

[@rosemulet]

@@naavevans5546 I knew it! I recognize quality when I see it! I have a REALLY good track record of catching big creators when they only have very few subs.

[@MsBored35]

I feel like makeup tutorial videos as a genre have been extremely influential on youtube and off the platform. Especially the long form makeup video content which can only be found on youtube and I think originated here too. Not only are these videos extremely popular, bingeable, and spawned a whole influencer culture around cosmetics and skincare, but you can see the impact all around you with people getting more and more skilled in their everyday makeup.

[@DanielKolbin]

Although MrBeast's relevancy is relatively recent and I get that you prioritize early impact more, I think MrBeast is also a legit contender because of his impact/influence/fame/high-profile popularity/uniqueness/high-quality videos.

[@aaronstevens2171]

After seeing your video on why KZbin feeling different, I felt the need to check out the Mount Rushmore of KZbin video you mentioned there, and I recognized eight out of ten names. I can’t argue with your choices for the mountain. (Although I’d put Lily Singh in place of Jenna Marbles because I don’t know if Jenna would want to be on a KZbin Mount Rushmore since she’s left social media.) I think Vlogbrothers (Hank and John Green) should have been serious contenders. VidCon, Crash Course, DFTBA. People have already suggested most of my choices for honorable mentions but here they are anyways. Jacksfilms has been on KZbin since 2006. YIAY, Your Grammer Sucks. Cinemassacre (James Rolfe. Angry Video Game Nerd) has been on KZbin since 2006, and while KZbin may have been secondary to his own site, he definitely impacted KZbin. FilmCow (Jason Steele) has been on KZbin since 2006. Like the Angry Video Game Nerd, he didn’t start on KZbin and there’s no way of knowing how many people first learned about a site called KZbin from someone recommending a funny unicorn video, but I wanted to give attention to the animations from Newgrounds and other sites that were reuploaded (whether with permission or not) to KZbin, and later KZbin animators. Bo Burnham - “Welcome to KZbin”

[@AzureViking]

Interesting video and choices. Its a tough decision to pick just 4. I think a lot of it comes down to your interests on KZbin. For me, I'm 35 and KZbin came out the year I graduated high school. So I had been in the world of Newgrounds which was all about animated content, and eBaum's World which was mostly shock content like people getting hurt falling off shit or straight fucked up shit like the pain Olympics and backyard wrestling. That being said I was a pretty early adopter in KZbin although in the early days I used it mostly for educational content and how to videos. Even still, creators like Smosh, Jenna Marbles, NigaHiga, and so on never reached relevance for me personally. In fact I only know about a lot of those creators because of Philly D. Even Pewdiepie was someone I didn't follow much till much later in his career. If I were to go off your list I'd maybe have to chose Philly D, Pewdiepie, The Vlog Brothers (mostly for their education channels) and I'd have to add Rhett & Link to the list and put them up there too. I'd probably also try and force a 5th on there and add Marques Brownlee as well. At least for my experience on KZbin since it's inception, those would be the most influential in my view.

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thanks for the detailed comment. Interesting choices! That's the beauty of this hypothetical, there's no wrong answers. But I definitely agree, many of the creators reached me because of Philly D, that's something I could have mentioned in the video, he was a catalyst for many viewers to get into other specific creators.

[@bluesirius1]

i had a similar experience with youtube

[@dilanelysium5118]

I know Mt Rushmore is an American thing but the British youtuber scene was super strong in the beginning too!

[@directed_by_ai]

Who? Just curious...

[@profile8104]

@@directed_by_ai Zoey and alfie and some others whose names I forget but their faces are burned into my memory. They were huge to be fair

[@SayisSpeakin]

for me, sWooZie06 is a big contender for this list. He's been on the platform forever, and basically started the animated story time sub genre.

[@learnt2love]

per category mount rushmore ? Odd1s, SwooZie, Domics, OneyCartoons definitely for animation.

[@aftertheburialkid]

Solid list. Only other channel I would add is H3H3 productions. Great content!

[@Skeezenstein]

Got suggested the algorithm video you made on my home page, watched this vid, and decided to subscribe. Your thoughts are succinct and well thought out I think in gonna enjoy more of your content ty for posting/creating 😁

[@OhLookItsDavid]

Michelle Phan is the OG makeup KZbinr- she started the makeup community on YT

[@YeseniaCuevas888]

Agreed! When makeup became big on KZbin she already one company Ipsy ( the first mystery box subscription ) . She was also involved in starting some creator's networks . I believe she made that Forbes 30 under 30 list also. 😉

[@spiffy427]

Great video! (Don't know who these boomers are who don't know these people) I think that Natalie Tran (communitychannel) could have had an honorable mention at least. She was one of the most subscribed channels on YT in the early days and I think she brought a fresh style of humor. She's branched out into other more network stuff in Australia. And whenever she drops a video, it still gets a ton of views, even if it's once a year or so. Maybe it's just me but I would also put charlieissocoolike (Charlie McDonnell), Anthony Fantano, Laci Green, and Bo Burnham in the conversation. All of them carved out their own niche on the website, leaving a long lasting legacy. I also agree with others in the comments that the vlogbothers have a larger impact than some of those other comedy channels you mentioned. But more importantly, Mount Rushmore is a horrible symbol of american imperialism destroying sacred native sites so I don't see why we need to stick to 4 spots. Great job!

[@DBresien]

If I were a melumnial I would be imperiously offended by your age and intellect comments! Thank god I’m still a Boomer! It’s all good! 😊 Everyone has the right to be wrong.

[@spiffy427]

@@DBresien The OP made a video citing the post subscribed YT channels *of all time* and of course showed evidence of viewer count, subscriber count, and number of weeks at #1 and was met with "i've never heard of these people" as if he made them up, or they weren't good picks. Obviously if they've never heard of them, they can't *be wrong*. But how the lack of realization that they are the ones who are uninformed/unaware and not the OP harkens back to what he mentioned in his most recent video about the change in YT suggestions. If I watched a video on "most popular people in the 60s" I wouldn't say "These people aren't popular! I've only ever heard of the Beatles!" implying the creator of the video somehow got it wrong. I would realize. that I (a) wasn't alive/active at the time and (b) just learned of things I didn't previously know. (as an example) I just can't imagine watching this video, thinking "i've never heard of these people" but then somehow make it seem like OP is wrong. So my comment on "boomers" was to support him. Now, if these people had said "WOW! I never heard of these people! Thanks for teaching me something new! I guess I have a lot to learn about the beginning formations and foundations of YT!" I would have said something different. But that's not what happened.

[@spirithope]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@vik.1903]

got a new sub, btw. unbelievable work. wow

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thanks so much!!!

[@whoneedsalife_4371]

I made a prediction at the beginning and I got 3/4 so you must be spot on for long term you tube viewers thoughts on the most influential youtubers

[@JoeMrozek]

I think your picks and reasoning are definitely solid! If this video was purely about digital creators, I'd say Rooster Teeth was extremely impactful in the early days of online video content. Unfortunately, their cultural relevance has waned in recent years but they were always very influential in my life and they inspired me to want to be a creator many years ago!

[@NeroPiroman]

they still make death battle though

[@JoeMrozek]

@@NeroPiroman True! A friend of mine works on that show. I still feel like they’ve lost some cultural relevance in recent years though unfortunately

[@NeroPiroman]

@@JoeMrozek very interesting, just saw the latest one

[@softy8088]

I just came here from the randomly-recommended video where you bemoaned how random viewers of this video didn't know who these "famous" youtube people are. Maybe my viewing style isn't common, but I've been on youtube for many years. I remember the five star rating system, video replies, and two top comments. But somehow I never really watched any of the people you name here, and I only recognize a couple of names. I do like let's plays but markiplier is the only "big name" I can tolerate; the rest are smaller channels. I like Tom Scott and Vertasium and other science channels, math stuff, tech stuff, urbex, video game analyses, mysteries, and others. I consume a lot of youtube, but never has my journey led me to the celebrities you list. I didn't purposely avoid them, but somehow neither the algorithm nor my own searches ever offered their videos as being interesting to me. All this to say, I don't think it's that shocking that some viewers never engage with these "big names". You might see us as living under a rock, but maybe your own perspective on what's popular is a bit limited.

[@vishnuprasad2312]

who's here after the viral video?

[@patriciaostrau499]

I like this video and you seem like nice and chill guy and i think that youre right in the Video because i know most of them and also think they are really impotant hope you have a nice day

[@CharlieSimmer27]

i could name 9/10 of the people on your roster, and i'm genuinely surprised i'd never heard of marques brownlee just based on his popularity. tbh i'm not into tech videos at all so that might be the reason but i'm glad he made it onto mt rushmore! also i wanted to make a smartass comment about how many horrible things had been done by some of the people in the running but then i remembered who's on the real mt rushmore and imo doing blackface is not quite as horrible as actual slavery... idk just me? great video overall gold star for u

[@Tomiply]

Yeah, I watch tech videos, and he's constantly talked about in that community.

[@Mulyse]

Smosh, nigahiga, Pewdiepie, Jenna Marbles. Carve it

[@addict4games]

I’m glad I found your content through your viral vid. Congrats btw!!! This was an awesome video and as someone who has been a viewer of YT for a very long time I applaud you, the amount of time and effort put into this video shows. Pat yourself on the back for it if you haven’t already. I hope other people also come to find this video (30 ish years old and over for YT timeline relevance) I look forward to following your journey now too 😊😊 Edit: I was excited and forgot to answer you. John and Hank Green should be up there… although I can’t decide who they would replace, sorry 😅

[@BryantAvant]

Marques is literally KZbin's darling.

[@whyhatt3247]

Great video man, super cool that one video blew up for you and hopefully this pushes you into the right recommended sections, because this high effort good editing style breakdown is exactly the content I like to see, and I know millions of others agree, cant wait to see you blow up

[@5upididiot]

I do believe that you did a great choice on doing the final places for KZbins mt Rushmore but i do believe that vsause should be more than just a Honorable mention due to the 3 facts that he constantly hits the trending page when he uploads, and that he has set kind of a gold standard for what is to be expected in a KZbin documentary, and that his channel was created in 2010 unlike Markipliers 2013. although i will give it to you that he didn't find his plase till 2012 so maybe there is a argument there

[@alexmcdonald4707]

This is an awesome video! Such great quality and insightfulness. I hope you grow big one day.

[@ZackarySmigel]

Thank you. I hope so too!

[@millnstory]

Zackary: Even if it's just for a few moments. Me *binge watching this guy for the last 2 hours*:

[@clements6119]

While i didnt watch all the content creators in this video i absolutely saw the impact they had on the general internet culture, this video also made me realize thst ive been actively watching youtube since practically the beginning. Great video, definitely subscribing

[@clements6119]

For my picks though I'd personally throw up phil, casey, ray, and pewds. They pretty much defined my bubble of KZbin viewership

[@UserNameAnonymous]

Michael Stevens of Vsauce and the Green brothers deserve nominations. Both have massively influenced the development of KZbin as an educational platform. Joe Rogan's influence on podcasting can't be overlooked either.

[@cricketcoop2038]

this is a very well made video! you definitely deserve more subs, likes, views and attention in general

[@ThacoTheGoblin]

Man I used to watch PDF and RWJ all the time in KZbin’s early days. Thanks for the flashback!

[@TheMaskedHero]

Recognize a lot of these people. Honestly did not know some of their names.

[@carolmerritt2240]

This is such an amazing concept for a video. You're really one of the most underrated KZbinrs. I almost completely agree with your picks, but I honestly think Casey Neistat, or out of left field, I'd even argue Vsause, would be a better fit over Jenna Marbles. I will admit though, I never watched a lot of her stuff, even back when she was more popular. I think my pick of Casey is pretty self-explanatory, but I would argue Vsause revolutionized educational content. I would also argue, since he has 20 million subscribers, he's not really lacking in numbers. And, unlike some of the other people, he's remained relevant (though perhaps not as much as people like Smosh or Pewdiepie). Though between him and Casey Neistat, it's hard to tell.

My only change would be Vsauce instead of Smosh. And I understand why Smosh is there, I just think it's weird to have a Mount Rushmore with 5 heads.

[@_createusernamelater_6041]

Tbf I think mat pat could be a contender for this. He’s been around since 2009 and has continued to grow non stop with 5 channels all over 1 million followers. Which Tbf is quite a feat.

[@paulhowell3514]

Scrolled too far to find this.

[@crasy64]

It’s not a “youtuber”, but Machinima played a huge role in KZbin’s early gaming prescence. I remember coming home from school and being thrilled when I saw Hutch, Seananners, or any of those guy do a Machinima video. I knew it would be quality

[@Walsfeo]

I would like to see a "who did these things before the influencers" videos. Because it feels like the focus here was more about numbers than it is about real innovation on the platform. I'm not saying this is a failed list, but numbers don't tell the whole tale.

[@appleschloss]

the way i still say "hell yeah" in Jenna Marbles voice on a weekly basis at minimum. She will forever be the most influential to me. (Pewdiepie too he really threw me into gaming channels)

[@MattMcQueen1]

I got here from your recent video "I promise, this video belongs here", which KZbin randomly recommended to me. I'm an older user, who is interested in internet lore, so I assume I'm part of the demographic you are targeting. 🙂 I remember most of these channels (some are still going), but I used to watch a lot of =3 (Ray William Johnson). I stopped watching when he stepped back and got others to present his videos. Linus Tech Tips could have featured in this video, but maybe that's too topical now 🙂Anyway, you have a new subscriber.

[@EchoEckoEkho]

So many women can say Jenna Marbles helped raise them. She felt like a cool older sister or cousin. Absolutely deserves a top spot. She’s badly missed.

[@remyllebeau77]

There are so many KZbinrs, you kind of need a top 4 or even top 10 for each category.

[@lizardonyoutube]

Love your content!!! Relatable and high quality!

[@a2jy2k]

I haven't finished the video yet, so maybe they get an honorable mention, but I can't help but think that the Vlogbrothers should be here. Hank and John were integral and transformative to this site as a whole, even going so far as to coin the term "the doobaleedoo" when referring to the description box. Hank has of course gone on to make a myriad of other successful channels that are constantly promoted in the educational youtube space. They may have never reached the insane consistent virality of someone like PewdiePie, but that shouldn't detract from their cultural impact on this site as a whole. Edit: Hey would you look at that, an honorable mention lol.

[@lassi8519]

I'm pretty sure it was WheezyWaiter who came up with 'the dooblydoo' 🤔

[@KristyWong6]

i’ve been on youtube for over 11 years and grew up watching channels like nigahiga and smosh and have somehow never even heard of marques (so for that bias reason i think it should’ve been casey haha). awesome video essay zack!

[@ashton3746]

Amazing video ❤ I just know you are going to get subs so fast

[@kozmoslol]

Loved the video! I am sad youtube tanked this video for you

[@sleepynoehams]

I got through 22 minutes of this video before realizing my playback speed was on 0.75x. No wonder I thought you were speaking so slow lmao

[@nelsogrant]

Just ran into your content today and really enjoy it! Love the in-depth look at KZbin content and culture and your writing. And the I Think You Should Leave reference at the end was amazing! Two thumbs up 👍😂👍