User creativity made YouTube the world’s biggest music service
Music is the most popular YouTube content by several measures, including video views and search activity. The world’s first academic study on YouTube music consumption by Aalto University shows that one reason for its poularity lies in users’ own video. People re-use original music by popular artists to create their own alternative video variations, which may reach an audience of millions and can be found alongside any popular music title.
- These variations that we call user-appropriated videos are readily available and well promoted on YouTube. This is what makes YouTube an interesting music service, says Doctor of Science Lassi A. Liikkanen from Aalto University.
Lyrics and still videos, which only include music, rank highly in YouTube search results. A popular video, say a new µþ±ð²â´Ç²Ô³¦Ã© song, may share its audience collaterally with similar user-generated videos because they appear next to one another in the search results and suggested content. The researchers named this the halo effect.
Three video types
In this study the researchers created a typology of YouTube music videos.
- Our analysis found three primary music video types: traditional, user-appropriated, and derivative music videos, post-doctoral researcher Antti Salovaara explains.
Through a series of qualitative and quantitative studies of YouTube content, researchers studied both the popularity of music videos and the attention they get from the audience.
The study shows that users are willing to listen to music from Youtube even without video content. They are also happy with music with rolling lyrics over a still photo, cover versions, and even parodies of the authentic music content.
- YouTube transformed the digital media world. It changed music listening practices. Finally, we have a scientific record of this wonderfully rich cultural phenomenon,’ the primary author, Lassi A. Liikkanen, explains.
- Earlier studies ignored music’s tremendous pull, even though it must have been obvious to everyone using YouTube. We only have a single academic reference point from six years back. In this time, the artists have changed, but music has remained on top of the charts.
Publication information:
Liikkanen L. & Salovaara A. Music on YouTube: User engagement with Traditional, User-Appropriated and Derivative Videos.
Computers in Human Behavior. Elsevier. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.01.067
Read the full article:
Experience the video subtypes:
Contact information:
Dr. Lassi A. Liikkanen
Lassi.Liikkanen@hiit.fi industry analyst affiliated with the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology HIIT, Aalto University
+385 50 3841508
Antti Salovaara, PhD.
Antti.Salovaara@aalto.fi
Post-doctoral researcher at Aalto University, School of Business
Read more news
The journey of a 17th-century shipwreck continues as a unique knitted dress
Researchers at Aalto University transformed surplus wood from the Hahtiperä shipwreck into textile fibre, spun it into yarn, and knitted it into a dress using new AI-assisted technology.
The potential of urban greenery as a climate solution is not being fully utilized – a new handbook offers means to address this
The Handbook for carbon-smart urban green provides concrete tools for leveraging urban green spaces more effectively in climate and nature conservation efforts.
Building a future through digital growth
In an era of complexity, uncertainty, and austerity, a clear vision towards growth is more important than ever. Finland and Europe need economic growth, and digital solutions offer a genuine path forward across all industries. By combining business expertise with academic knowledge, the Center for Digital Business Growth (CDBG) provides concrete support for companies looking to grow.