Viral videos: Beyoncé’s Duck Tales, #VoteYes victory, and YouTube A-Z

29 May 2015

People celebrating passing of marriage equality referendum

Image of people celebrating passing of equal marriage referendum via Andres Poveda Photography

About 100 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, 500 years of video watched on Facebook every day, and more than 700 YouTube videos shared on Twitter each minute, ensuring there is always video trending on the web.

With so much video available for viewing, we take a look at some of the viral videos that have caught our eye this week.

Making history — MarRef

Unless you’ve been living under a rather large rock, you would know that on Saturday 23 May, Ireland became the first country in the world to pass gay marriage into law by popular vote and it’s safe to say the vast majority of the country was happy about it.

While many towns and cities across the country celebrated in their own way, it was hard not to be awestruck by the reaction in Dublin, where the official announcement of the amendment passing took place at Dublin Castle.

While most people were busy celebrating, a team from Gaze, one of the country’s largest LGBT organisations, decided that a video would need to be curated to celebrate the amazing achievement.

Try watching this without your eyes welling up, it’s almost impossible.

Uploaded: 27 May 2015

Beyoncé’s Single Ladies x Duck Tales

Beyoncé’s Single Ladies music video is best-known for its fierce choreography, so, of course, that has led to a YouTube mash-up putting these famous moves against the sonic backdrop of the Duck Tales theme song. As you do.

The fact of the matter is, there’s nothing the current queen of pop can’t bust a serious move to, and it’ no surprise that this video has inspired the hashtag #BeyonceAlwaysOnBeat.

Uploaded: 26 May 2015

The A-Z of YouTube: Celebrating 10 Years

YouTube is really milking its 10th anniversary celebrations, but we’ll forgive it this comprehensive look-back on a decade’s worth of viral videos and YouTube sensations, arranged alphabetically to the apt tune of Blacklicious’ Alphabet Aerobics.

Of course, the videos watched by millions get their due credit (G is for Gangnam Style, H is for Harlem Shake, O is for Old Spice, etc…), as do the widespread constellation of stars from the platform such as Chris Hadfield, Vsauce’s Michael Stevens and, even, Rick Astley. But there are some surprise hidden gems in this jam-packed 10-year compilation (anyone else remember Salad Fingers?), signing off with the Z that started it all.

Uploaded: 28 May 2015

Car boarding a ship across planks

Arrrr matey, you be walking the plank! Well, at least that’s what it looks like for this car, which was pretty darn keen on getting onto a ship.

The large SUV somehow managed to fit itself on the narrow pier, but then attempts a feat of brilliance (or stupidity depending on who you talk to) by attempting to use two bendy planks to access the ship.

You seriously wonder whether the driver deserves to win some form of medal for their achievement, it’s probably even a new wonder of the world at this stage.

Uploaded: 25 May 2015

Halo vs Call of Duty

RackaRacka, take a bloody bow, son.

The video-editing team comprising Danny and Michael Philippou has managed to make a gaming video masterpiece with a mash-up of two of the biggest shooting franchises.

The pair pose the question: what would a fight between Master Chief and a team of Call of Duty soldiers look like?

Seemingly, it involved a lot of explosions, gunfire and … old people zombies?

Be warned: this video contains NSFW language (in an argument with grandma) from the start.

Uploaded: 25 May 2015

Lego: First person shooter

Sticking with the theme of first-person shooters, YouTuber Andrew McMurray has put together a pretty cool video that looks at what it would be like if first-person shooters existed in a Lego universe.

With the only thing blocky in the game the players, Andrew manages to create Lego versions of Portal, Skyrim, Bioshock and Counter Strike.

Despite it only being a two-minute video, Andrew told one commenter on the video that it took more than three months to put it all together. Impressive.

Uploaded: 26 May 2015

Animal sound man

Despite probably needing a snappier name, ‘Animal sound man’ has made a name for himself online for having a rather odd and peculiar talent.

And no, it’s not being able to balance two pencils on either ear for apparently no reason, it’s that he can create the sounds of local animals with ridiculous levels of accuracy.

There’s some familiar noises in there to be sure, but you have to wonder how long he’s been practising for. Teach us your ways, Animal sound man.

Uploaded: 26 May 2015

Tic-tac-toe fail

It seems like a weird combination, but one basketball game’s half-time entertainment saw two fans go head-to-head in a game of ‘xs and os’ or ‘tic tac toe’ as our friends across the Atlantic Ocean call it, all while playing basketball.

With each dunk, the player then runs back to the centre circle and puts either their X, or in the case of the over-commercialised world of American sports, a Toyota symbol instead of the O.

And it is our friend with the O who leaves you with you facepalming so hard and saying ‘O dear’.

Keep your eyes on the prize!