10. EDUCATION/DOCUMENTARY:
Keen on doing a bit of learning in social isolation? Well Vice is great for interesting videos, from Florida Man Runs to Bermuda in an Bubble to weird videos like This Man Composed Music for Hundreds of Adult Films.
We know the internet is vast, so here's something that might pique your interest:
Vice's One Star Reviews
9. KIDS/FAMILY
If you've got kids, there is no doubt in my mind that you've already worked out the best YouTube channels to sit them in front of while you try and get the house clean. But if you're stuck for ideas, check these out:
CKN Toys is a great channel for kids, filled with two brothers unboxing and playing with toys. Perfect for kids under 8.
Good Mythical Morning features two best friends, Rhett and Link as they discuss the worlds biggest questions, including "will it Oreo" or "will it sausage"? (great for the family)
8. VLOG
Believe it or not, vlogging is still a thing. Now in the category of vlogging, there's something for everyone. Mums and families, to beauty and gaming.
David Dobrik Vlogs is the name of the channel and well, you can expect anything from pranks to science experiements, dancing, hanging out with friends to even sharing a break up. Wanna find out what your kids are spending all their time doing on YouTube? Watch this.
One of a Dozen are a family of 12 from Australia who vlog about their chaotic lives. Their children range from 19 to 1 years old.
7. FITNESS
It's hard enough staying fit in every day life, but now in isolation we've gotta get creative. While there are a lot of exercise YouTube channels, perhaps we need a bit more of a wind down.
Yoga with Adriene is an excellent channel as there are so many different types of yoga videos, all at different lengths and for different purposes. Adriene has a calming presence and the videos sometimes feature her dog, Benji.
6. LIFESTYLE/PRODUCTIVITY
This is a broad category, yes, but we need a bit of inspiration during this time of isolation. There are so many great YouTubers or content creators that can actually provide good value. Check out this one:
Matt D’Avella is a minimalist and filmmaker who made the documentary Minimalism. His crisp style of storytelling and meaningful content is paired perfectly together as he is a professional filmmaker.
5. TRAVEL/DISCOVERY
I know travelling is all a bit hard for us at the moment but it doesn't mean we can't have that feeling of discovery in our own homes.
Man + River is a YouTuber who scuba dives in popular tourist destinations and recovers lost items like glasses, wallets, and phones. Keen for a treasure hunt underwater?
4. GREAT CONTENT
Okay, let's be fair I made up this category; but it was for a good reason! Some channels and videos are just too good to not be shared, despite what category they fall into!
Some Good News with John Krasinski is something we definitely need right now.
Born out of sheer boredom and time, famous actor John Kraskinki has taken it upon himself to create a pseudo-news show with ONLY positive stories.
A Heist with Markiplier
If you have not heard of this I won't be mad at you but I do recommend you stop everything you are doing and play this. You need a fair bit of time but what he and an incredible creative team have done is create a whole 'heist' style game on YouTube. Yep. You heard me right. A game using YouTube videos.
3. FOOD/COOKING
Food or cooking is perhaps one of the biggest categories on YouTube, and understandably so! Whether you are looking to learn how to make something, or just want to watch the glory that is someone else cooking a dish you could never do, try these out:
Matty Matheson is a hilarious Canadian chef who is irrevocably himself. This makes for great viewing.
2. COMEDY
Okay I think we need to throw in some laughs in this list. Obviously you can watch stand-up comedy on your Netflix or Stan accounts, but the only place you'll find this absolute champ is on YouTube.
Nat’s What I Reckon
Definitely more for the adult audience. Just like Matty Matheson above, Nat is 100% himself in all his videos, but this why he is so popular. He's an Aussie boy who started out making dumb videos on Instagram that just took off. Also yes, it's a coincidence that I have chosen a cooking video after a cooking category. He's got other stuff, but this one was hilarious, and came out TODAY (April 9)!
1. MUSIC
Okay what kind of radio announcer would I be if I didn't make music the top category! Now this is an extremely special channel. National Public Radio do the COOLEST live shows which they lovingly call their Tiny Desk Concerts. From popular artists like Harry Styles and Lizzo, to the most unique artists like Gogol Bordello, you will not just learn about music but you will genuinely have a good time. Most artists rearrange their songs to suit an acoustic-style environment.
Chuck their whole playlist on and prepare for a perfect afternoon ahead.
Honourary mention:
If you haven't heard of this channel with Sean Evans, then you must be living under a rock, or have never opened YouTube on your browser. He has officially discovered the most interesting way to conduct an interview--while eating hot chicken wings (that get hotter as you go.)
Check it out and have an amazing weekend.