That's music to my ears: watch the BRIT Awards live on YouTube

Jarvis Cocker crashing Michael Jackson's performance. Madonna's badly behaved cape. Sam Smith silencing a whole arena with his incredible voice. The BRIT Awards with MasterCard has given us some of the most memorable moments in music history. For the third year, you can watch this must-view music moment streamed live on the BRITs channel if you're based outside of Great Britain. Just tune in at youtube.com/Brits on whatever screen you find yourself closest to: mobile, tablet or TV.


Some of your favorite YouTube stars will be there live to bring you yet more action. YouTube stars Dan & Phil will present the official BRITs YouTube live stream featuring backstage action and yet more fun and games. Kingsley will be on the red carpet, rubbing shoulders with the biggest stars as they arrive to create more content for the BRITs YouTube channel.

And what stars! This year, international artists like Rihanna will join breakthrough British artists like James Bay for an unforgettable night of live performances. Not one, but TWO holders of YouTube's prestigious "billion views" club will also perform: Adele and Justin Bieber. That's alongside live performances from Coldplay, Jess Glynne, Little Mix and The Weeknd. After the live broadcast, individual artists will upload their performances to their own YouTube channels for you to relive again and again, plus there will be catch-up content on the BRITs channel itself.

So, tune in on February 24 at 3 p.m. ET to the official BRITs channel, kick back and as they say in good ol' Great Britain, prepare yourselves for a right royal knees-up.

Christophe Muller, Head of International Music Partnerships at YouTube and Google Play Music, just watched "Sam Smith - Lay Me Down (Live at The BRIT Awards 2015)."

The YouTube AdBlitz Champion of 2016 is ...

Another football season is in the books, but the Big Game ads continue to live on - on YouTube. While there's been plenty of Monday morning quarterbacking about the best Big Game spots, fans have been weighing in this week by voting for their favorite ads on YouTube AdBlitz.

All the votes have now been tallied, and it's time to reveal the Top 5 winners. With more brands and more overall ads competing in this year's YouTube AdBlitz than ever before, the competition was fierce. But one brand rose to the top as the clear-cut fan favorite:

Congratulations to Pokemon! With over three times as many votes as the second place ad, and more votes overall than the other four winners combined, Pokemon has been voted by fans as the YouTube AdBlitz Champion of 2016!



Here are the rest of the Top 5 - all fan favorites as determined by your votes. Second place belongs to T-Mobile's "Drop The Balls" starring a completely faultless (this time) Steve Harvey:



In third place is ... T-Mobile again! This time featuring a very agreeable Drake:



It would be hard to imagine a Big Game ads season without puppies, monkeys or babies. So Mountain Dew Kickstart came to the rescue, snagging fourth place with Puppymonkeybaby:



Finally, KFC became the first brand ever to make the YouTube AdBlitz Top 5 without airing their ad during the Big Game's national TV broadcast. The ad aired during the CBS live stream of the Big Game, connecting with fans online who then came to YouTube AdBlitz to cast their votes.



Visit YouTube AdBlitz to watch all of this year's Big Game ads.

Posted by Natalie Marchant, YouTube Sponsorships Program Manager, recently watched "Beyonce & Bruno Mars Crash Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show | NFL."

Get your popcorn ready! Our first YouTube Red Originals are now available

YouTube Red Originals are now live! The first four original series and movies from your favorite creators are now available, exclusively for YouTube Red members. Members can now enjoy movies and shows from Lilly Singh, Rooster Teeth, PewDiePie and AwesomenessTV. And fans who haven't signed up for YouTube Red yet can watch short previews or sign up for a free 30-day trial YouTube Red membership.

Here are the first of many new YouTube Red Originals to come :

• A Trip to Unicorn Island: From the team at Astronauts Wanted, this feature-length movie gives fans an extraordinary look inside the life and journey of Lilly Singh as she embarks on a challenging 26-city global tour where she has to remember to practice what she preaches: happiness is the only thing worth fighting for.
• Lazer Team: In this feature-length action-comedy from Rooster Teeth and Fullscreen Films, four small-town losers stumble upon an alien ship carrying a mysterious cargo, leading to a battle to save Earth from an all-powerful enemy.
• Scare PewDiePie: In this reality-adventure series from the creator and executive producers of "The Walking Dead" at Skybound Entertainment and Maker Studios, experience thrills, chills and laughter as PewDiePie encounters terrifying situations inspired by his favorite video games.
• Dance Camp: This film from AwesomenessTV weaves an amazing story of unlikely friendships, unleashing passions, and discovering yourself all through the power of dance.

We've loved working with our creators on these series and movies and seeing them take their passion to new heights. We've never seen PewDiePie more scared or seen Lilly crush it as hard as she does on her world tour. We're blown away by Meg DeAngelis' moves and the way the Dance Camp crew breaks it down. And who ever thought the human race could rely on the Rooster Teeth guys to save them from an alien invasion? We love these new features and couldn't be more excited to share them with YouTube Red members today.

And as we mentioned in our blog post last week, this is just the beginning. We're also excited to announce two brand new projects set to be released later this year:

• Untitled Gigi Gorgeous Project: YouTube creator Gigi Gorgeous and two-time Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple have partnered with SELECTNEXT and Sander/Moses to create this feature-length documentary that explores the intimate journey of a transgender woman from her childhood to life as a successful media personality. Together, they will ask the question, "What does it mean to be transgender in the uncensored new media world?"
• Foursome: An original series from AwesomenessTV, stars Jenn McAllister (JennxPenn) as Andie, an undateable sophomore -- thanks to her older brother Alec (Logan Paul), who makes sure no guy comes near her. Andie must rely on the unbreakable bond she has with her three best friends, as they navigate the hormone-induced journey known as high school.

And as we previously announced last year, we have a full slate of YouTube Red original series and movies from even more of your favorite creators over the next few months:

• Prank Academy: YouTube's most sensational pranksters, Jesse and Jeana of PrankvsPrank and BFvsGF, take their mischief to the next level and put their expertise to work as they mentor celebrity guests, teaching them how to pull off their most ambitious and complicated pranks yet with the help of some of YouTube's biggest stars.
• Fight of the Living Dead: In an unprecedented social experiment reality show from Alpine Labs, "Fight of the Living Dead" takes popular YouTube talent and traps them in a frighteningly realistic zombie apocalypse. They must use their instincts and gaming skills to survive as they battle the elements for the ultimate prize of survival.
• Untitled 360 Game Theory: YouTube educator and pop culture expert MatPat from The Game Theorists invites the audience to come along for the ride in an innovative new series and 360 VR experience. In each episode Matt explores the real-life science behind popular video games by throwing gamers into the high-stakes scenarios they play through every day, from water jetpacks to bomb disposal.
• Bad Internet: Written by and starring the cast of CollegeHumor, along with special guests, this new anthology series will take a dark and comedic look at the absurdity of Internet culture.

As you can see, 2016 is shaping up to be an exciting year for YouTube Red members with a steady stream of amazing new original movies and series coming soon. YouTube Red members can check out our new YouTube Red Originals channel to stay up to date on the latest movies, shows, clips, trailers and exclusive behind-the-scenes content from your favorite creators. And if you haven't already, sign up here for a YouTube Red membership and the first month is on us (if you're outside the U.S., you can click here for more details on availability in your country).

Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content, YouTube, recently watched "Elton John Carpool Karaoke."

Game over. Long live the game on YouTube.

Over 1 million people from all over the country made their way to the San Francisco Bay Area for the Big Game, but for those watching from home, a friend's party or their favorite local restaurant, it was more than just what was happening on the field. During the game, people spent 300K hours watching the Big Game ads¹ and teaser videos on YouTube and overall we've seen nearly 4 million hours of Big Game ads and teasers watched so far. Big Game ads and teasers have been watched over 330 million times, with 60 percent of that coming from mobile devices -- the most we've ever seen. And that game ain't over yet.

Brands keep getting in on the game

On YouTube, the game starts well before the kickoff and it continues long after the trophies are handed out, as brands engage with their audience before, during, and after the Big Game. For the ninth straight year, the YouTube AdBlitz program is helping brands extend their reach and brands got in on the game more than ever, with the number of teasers and ads up 25 percent over last year. AdBlitz has been a great way for viewers to watch their favorite Big Game ads again and again, and to share them with friends.

Here are some of people's favorite Big Game ads so far:

Top Trending Big Game Ads on YouTube based on views (as of 2/8 3 a.m. ET)²

1. Hyundai - The Chase - Hyundai Super Bowl Commercial | The 2017 Hyundai Elantra
2. Pokemon - #Pokemon20: Pokemon Super Bowl Commercial
3. MINI USA - MINI USA | #DefyLabels Big Game TV Spot
4. Hyundai - First Date - Hyundai Super Bowl Commercial | The 2016 Hyundai Genesis
5. Mountain Dew - Mtn Dew Kickstart: Puppymonkeybaby | Super Bowl Spot
6. Hyundai - Ryanville - Hyundai Super Bowl Commercial | The 2017 Hyundai Elantra
7. Axe - AXE - Find Your Magic [60 second version]
8. Doritos - Doritos(R) Crash The Super Bowl Finalist - Ultrasound
9. Snickers - SNICKERS(R) - "Marilyn"
10. Doritos - Doritos(R) Crash The Super Bowl Finalist - Doritos Dogs

In years past, we've seen a big spike the day after the game as people get to work on Monday morning and reminisce about their favorite Big Game moment. In fact, last year more than 40 percent of total watch time for Big Game ads happened in the weeks after the game.³ Some of these ads get ahead, while others will sustain their leadership. Don't forget that you can vote for your favorite before February 10 at midnight ET.

Moments to remember

People turned to Google to search for their favorite moments of the game - from going Gaga over the national anthem to an end-zone hand jive. Many of us couldn't get enough of Beyonce's much-awaited performance and went searching for more: We saw a 1,000 percent spike in search interest in Beyonce after the halftime show. Meanwhile, searches for "Longest punt return" spiked 8,000 percent in the first quarter of the game.

Top Searched Moments of the Super Bowl

• Beyonce performing "Formation"
• Lady Gaga performing the National Anthem
• Jonathan Stewart scores touchdown
• Brandon McManus scores field goal
• C.J. Anderson scores touchdown

The Big Game might be over, but there's always overtime on YouTube. Over the next few days, weeks or years, you get to check out some of the best ads that ran this Sunday. Thanks for joining us once again - and tune in Friday to find out the YouTube AdBlitz winner!

Posted by Natalie Marchant, YouTube Sponsorships Program Manager, recently watched Super Bowl 50 Highlights | Panthers vs. Broncos | NFL

1 Classification as a "Big Game ad" was based on public data such as headlines and tags, and may not account for every Big Game ad available on YouTube.
2 Trending Big Game ad, teaser or trailer videos from brands based on number of views as of Feb. 8, 2016
3 YouTube data, January-February 2015, global. Classification as a "Big Game ad" was based on public data such as headlines and tags, and may not account for every Big Game ad available on YouTube.

Nearly two centuries worth of Big Game ads watched on YouTube so far

A couple of weeks ago we announced our ninth annual AdBiltz program,¹ where fans come each year to watch, share and vote for their favorite Big Game ads. As we approach the Big Game, we wanted to give you an idea of how much we've all been watching and enjoying the Big Game ads, some of the amazing trends we're seeing, and we wanted to highlight the Top 10 Trending Big Game Ads and teasers so far.

More small screens watching Big Game ads
Big Game ads and teasers have been watched more than 140M² times so far this year, with more than half of all views coming from mobile devices. In fact people have watched nearly 200 years worth of Big Game ads³ and teasers so far on YouTube, and while the Big Game is only half a century old, so far we've seen over a century's worth of Big Game ads watched on mobile alone.

Live long and prosper
Close to 40 Big Game ads, and over 130 teasers and ads combined, have been posted to YouTube so far, representing nearly all of the brands who will be airing spots during the Big Game. And for good reason: brands that release their ad on YouTube before the game receive an average of 2.2x more views than those that waited until game day to post an ad.⁴

This year, Pokemon released their first ever Big Game ad a full two weeks before the game, and it has already amassed more than 12M views. And currently the fastest rising Big Game ad is from Hyundai. It has surpassed 15M views in the past three days to become the most watched ad or teaser so far this year.

"We use YouTube to jump-start the conversation around our commercials," said Dean Evans, Chief Marketing Officer, Hyundai Motor America. "People need to see them, like them and want to talk about them. And that's what YouTube allows us to do."

It's never too late for a first
In our many years of YouTube AdBlitz, we're still able to see something we haven't seen before. Every year, voting for your favorite ad begins immediately following the game, and we often see brands encouraging their fans to vote through ads and social media. This year, for the first time, a brand has incorporated a shout out in an exclusive teaser ad created just for AdBlitz. Well played, Shock Top!

And now, here are the top trending Big Game ads and teasers, so far:

Top trending Big Game ads and teasers on YouTube (by views) - through Feb. 3

1. Hyundai - The Chase - Hyundai Super Bowl Commercial | The 2017 Hyundai Elantra
2. Pokemon - #Pokemon20: Pokemon Super Bowl Commercial
3. Pepsi - Jerry Rice and Shannon Sharpe Party Fail Study | Walmart | Pepsi
4. AXE - AXE - Find Your Magic
5. TurboTax - TurboTax 2016 Commercial "George Smoot Simple Questions" (Official :30) TV Ad
6. TurboTax - TurboTax 2016 Commercial "Michio Kaku Absolute Zero" (Official :30) TV Ad
7. UnitedHealthcare - UnitedHealthcare | Delivery :30
8. Wix.com - Kung Fu Panda's Po Discovers the Power of Wix | Wix.com #StartStunning 2016 Big Game Campaign
9. TurboTax - TurboTax 2016 Commercial "S. James Gates W-2" (Official :30) TV Ad
10. MINI USA - MINI USA | #DefyLabels Big Game TV Spot

Also don't forget to check out our exclusive YouTube AdBlitz creator's series, hosted by Jake and Amir with friends (MyLifeAsEva, Ten Second Songs, ScottDW, etc), as they teach fans at home how to become legends off the field for that special Sunday Big Game party through relevant tips spanning music, food, fashion, dance, and many others.

Of course, this is just the beginning - as people turn to YouTube for Big Game content before, during and after the game, there will be lot more to come.

Posted by Natalie Marchant, YouTube Sponsorships Program Manager, recently watched "DANCE BATTLE: DENVER vs CAROLINA! #YouTubeAdBlitz (4K)."

¹ Full disclosure: Okay, so we announced it as our 8th year - for the second year in a row. We're not afraid of aging, it's just that we have so much fun with this program each year, we lost count!
² YouTube Data Jan. 1 - Feb. 3, 2016. Global. Big Game ads are based on publicly available information and may not account for every such ad on YouTube.
³ YouTube Data Jan. 1 - Feb. 3, 2016. Global. Big Game ads are based on publicly available information and may not account for every such ad on YouTube.
⁴ Pixability Industry Study. Super Bowl 2015 YouTube Ads.

Roll out the YouTube Red carpet! Our first YouTube Red Originals premiere February 10

The wait is over! On February 10, we'll premiere the first of our YouTube Red Originals. In addition to getting all of YouTube uninterrupted and a premium YouTube Music experience, a YouTube Red membership will now give you exclusive access to new original series and movies from some of our top creators, beginning with these first four:

• A Trip to Unicorn Island: From the team at Astronauts Wanted, this feature-length movie gives fans an extraordinary look inside the life and journey of Lilly Singh as she embarks on a challenging 26-city global tour where she has to remember to practice what she preaches: happiness is the only thing worth fighting for.
• Dance Camp: This feature film from AwesomenessTV weaves an amazing story of unlikely friendships, unleashing passions and discovering yourself all through the power of dance.
• Lazer Team: In this feature-length action-comedy from Rooster Teeth and Fullscreen Films, four small-town losers stumble upon an alien ship carrying a mysterious cargo, leading to a battle to save Earth from an all-powerful enemy.
• Scare PewDiePie: In this reality-adventure series from the creator and executive producers of "The Walking Dead" at Skybound Entertainment and Maker Studios, experience thrills, chills and laughter as PewDiePie encounters terrifying situations inspired by his favorite video games.

The diverse, dynamic creators behind these films have already built massive audiences on YouTube, rivaling many cable shows. With YouTube Red Originals, we want to help them tell bigger and bolder stories that delight you, their fans. YouTube Red is your opportunity to support the passion projects your favorite creators have only dreamed about until now. If you haven't already, sign up here for a YouTube Red membership and the first month is on us.

And these series and movies are just the beginning. We have lots more thrills, chills, LOLs, smiles, romances and surprises from more of your favorite YouTube stars coming later this year. In the meantime, check out our new YouTube Red Originals channel to stay up to date on the latest clips, teasers and trailers for our series and movies.

If you live in a country where YouTube Red hasn't launched yet, never fear! We've got you covered. Click here for more details on when these new series and movies will be available in your country and how you can watch them.

Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content, YouTube, recently watched "Snowboarding With the NYPD."