Latest Trending Videos: The Week of July 29

Old Spice Guy, prayers, OK Go, and Fabio: here are 10 of this week's top trending videos from YouTube Trends:

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

Obama's New Campaign: Sobering Cynicism

The current debate in Washington over the debt ceiling has served as inspiration for a number of recent musical parodies like Remy's smash hit "Raise the Debt Ceiling." Fortunately, as the 2012 election draws nearer, it seems like that it's only the beginning of the political parody season.

This new video from LandlineTv documents the search for the latest Obama girl. Armed with a revised re-election strategy that emphasizes measured pessimism and sobering cynicism, Obama's campaigning team looks brightly into the future.

4 in the Afternoon: Rob Shoe Rise

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

Bachmann's Youngest Fans	ShoeZeum Guided Tour	Rise Above 1	The Fight (Original Song)

1. Two young girls from Phoenix express their enthusiastic support for political candidate Michele Bachmann
2. This longtime sneaker aficionado gives a guided tour of his 2,000+ Nike shoe sanctuary.
3. Reeve Carney, Broadway star of the Spiderman musical, releases his new video featuring Bono.
4. A talented 15 year old performs an original song on her ukulele.

Updated

4 in the Morning: Dog End Debt

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

This Must End	Two Dogs Argue	Raise the Debt Ceiling	Baby Hippo Ballet

1. It's over. Old Spice Guy was able to stave off the campaign this week led by Fabio to replace him as the new spokesperson. Details from The AP.
2. You remember Mishka as the talking husky from this hugely popular viral hit. As seen on BWE.tv.
3. Remy and Reason.tv collaborate for a rap video that's among our Most Shared videos.
4. A performance from a 5-month-old hippo calf. As seen on The Feed.

4 in the Afternoon: NASCAR Missile

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

Autotuned NASCAR Prayer	The Man Without a Facebook	Edgewalk	Missile Fail

1. The Gregory Brothers bring you there latest autotuned viral video. As seen on HuffPost.
2. Writers/directors Dan De Lorenzo and Ben Stumpf parody The Man without a Face. As seen on Mashable.
3. A preview of the latest attraction at Toronto's CN Tower, 356 meters above the ground. As seen on LaughingSquid.
4. This video is said to depict Libyan rebels and recent missile launch attempt that went from scary to laugh-inducing.

Tracking the Fad: 'Planking' Searches

Back in May, we discussed how a popular fad/prank in Australia called "planking" was starting to spread to the United States. (Australia is apparently the new hotbed for silly, inventive pranks now.)

In the past month, over 8,000 videos have been posted of or about people planking, where someone is filmed or photographed laying facedown motionless and stiff. (Tom Green even posted one of him performing the prank all the way back in 1994.) While it may seem at this point that it could be on its way out, YouTube's data shows, planking is still pretty popular, particularly in the United States.

The chart below shows daily searches globally for "Planking." Interestingly, the first spike is entirely associated with searches from Australia, while the second swell is almost entirely associated with search interest from the United States.



This meanwhile as another similar gag called "owling" has started to take off. We've seen upwards of 500 "owling" videos posted in the past two weeks or so. If you haven't seen this one already, here's an explanation from -- where else? -- Australia:

4 in the Morning: Balloon Flashmunk

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

Balloon Record	Wall of Flashes	Night Night Jasper	Hipmunk

1. A number of dazzling videos have been posted of the world-record 323 hot air balloons that lifted off at the World Air Balloon festival in France. As seen on Daily Mail.
2. 250 Canon cameras (and their flashes) were used to create this music video from Japan. As seen on Gizmodo.
3. Meet Jasper, the dog that can put himself to bed. As seen on VVVs.
4. Hipmunk recreates popular viral animal videos in this new spot by inserting people. As seen on Mashable.

Around the World: Soccer and More

We know what the U.S. is watching, but here are some of the Most Viewed and Most Shared videos right now in different countries around the world:

ARGENTINA: This very popular ad depicts the Boca Juniors team being addressed by their own stadium	RUSSIA: This incident is said to have been recorded over the weekend at a Anji vs Zenit game
POLAND: Spider-man roams the streets, harassing people	UNITED KINGDOM: Noel Gallagher's latest is big across the pond

See more of what's popular in different locations nationally and around the world with our Trends Dashboard.

4 in the Afternoon: OkNeon

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

All Is Not Lost	Mundo Neon	Protests in Syria	Pixar Medley

1. Viral music video stars OK Go return with a brand new acrobatic music video. As seen on Daily Wh.at.
2. A visually dynamic yogurt commercial. As seen on Videogum.
3. Video continues to come in of the ongoing protests in Syria. More at CitizenTube.
4. A medley of Pixar theme songs from Mr. Chaz Anthony. As seen on /Film.

On the Scene Footage: Seoul Landslide, Flooding

At least 32 people were reportedly killed Wednesday in South Korea, when major flooding and a landslide hit Seoul. We've begun to receive an influx of video from the streets of the city depicting the conditions there and collected a number of them in the playlist below.

You can also follow this story at CitizenTube.

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

4 in the Morning: Spinning Unicorn Store

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

Apple Store Challenge	Spinning Cups	Nail Art Animation	Porcelain Unicorn

1. Comedian Mark Malkoff test the boundaries of what the Apple store will put up with. As seen on Laughing Squid.
2. This video of a cafeteria cup trick from last fall went mostly unnoticed until yesterday. As seen on VVVs.
3. This spot from KIA required 25 days and 1,200 bottles of nail polish. As seen on Jezebel.
4. This dramatic short won the Philips "Tell It Your Way" contest in 2010 but is suddenly seeing a renewed boost in interest. As seen on Daily Wh.at.

What They're Watching: Challenge from New Old Spice Guy Fabio

There's nothing more epic than two manly men fighting each other to the Internet death
for fame and glory. Yesterday, Fabio challenged the Old Spice Guy (Isaiah Mustafa) to a battle of viral superstardom.



Only one Old Spice Guy can exist, and Fabio is hoping that you’ll pick the New Old Spice Guy over the original. But, the Old Spice Guy isn’t standing down: He’s accepted the Mano A Mano en el Bano challenge.



This might be the biggest Web battle of the hearts and minds of the YouTube population, but there’s been other challenges and showdowns before. Here’s some of our favorites...

David versus The Drugs

Hang in there kid, we’ve all been there. It will be over soon enough.



Cat versus Washing Machine

Don’t let the machine fool you: It’s actually the cat that’s spinning the wheels



Puppies versus Cat

In a previous life, this Cat was a for-hire assassin. I wouldn’t mess with her either, puppies.



Obama Girl versus Giuliana Girl

The tension between the two girls is still less than the tension between the GOP and the
Democrats over the Debt talks.



Mens vs. Women’s brains

Finally the questions that has raged on for centuries: Why do the opposite sexes think differently? It’s all rooted in the brain, my dear Watson.

4 in the Afternoon: Brit Rules Dance

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

Brit Walmart Tour	Nyan Black	Rules of Engagement	90s Dance A Capella

1. A British man's exploration of Walmart. As seen on Reddit.
2. Lara, an Australian YouTube musician, brings together two viral hits: Nyan Cat and Rebecca Black. As seen on The Feed.
3. Old Spice unveils the premise of their new online marketing campaign. Rebuttal. As seen on High Definite.
4. This 90s pop-song a capella megamix from Denmark first became popular over the weekend and has continued to spread. As seen on HuffPost.

Smoke, Fire, Floating Money Join Popular Drive-Thru Pranks

We've seen a few fast-food drive-thru window pranks take off this year, and a young magician named Rahat joins that list with his special effects gags when trying to pickup his burger and fries.

Rahat's "Smokey Burger" video, which was posted this weekend, is the latest in the series of drive-thru window magic tricks he taped from the passenger seat:



In the past few months, his "Floating Money" (below) and "Fire Wallet" clips have drawn over one million views combined.



Meanwhile, we've already detailed how cone-ing and musical fast-food orders have become cross-continent sensations in 2011. You can learn more about those trends below:

4 in the Morning: Fabio Evolution

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

Fabio Duel Challenge	Giant Silent Rave	Don't Stop, Don't Give Up	Evolution of the Touchdown Dance

1. Old Spice has drummed up interest in the new feud between Fabio and his predecessor with this clip quickly spreading Monday. (The challenge was accepted.) As seen on HuffPost.
2. The latest urban prank from Improv Everywhere. As seen on Daily Wh.at.
3. The motivational song of the week. As seen on Videogum.
4. ESPN brings in Judson Laipply to recount the evolution of the football touchdown dance. As seen on High Definite.

Across the Country: Unusual Celebrations

We dug through data from cities across the U.S. today to find some of the current Most Shared and Most Viewed local clips:

NEW ORLEANS: Planking 2.0	HONOLULU: Hawaiian Airlines surprise hula
BOSTON: A group of friends tribute a fallen soldier/friend	INDIANAPOLIS: Demolition derby wedding

See more of what's popular in different locations nationally and around the world with our Trends Dashboard.

4 in the Afternoon: Rallies, Flaming Beats

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

Oslo Rally	The Flaming C	Free Beats	Little League Catch

1. Over 100,000 people reportedly gathered for peaceful rallies and "rose parades" in Oslo and other Norwegian cities Monday. More footage at CitizenTube.
2. Conan O'Brien: the animated superhero trailer. As seen on Daily Wh.at.
3. This 2009 video saw a sudden surge in popularity and views over the weekend. As seen on Kottke.
4. Jayden, 9, makes what may go on to be known as the little league catch of the year. As seen on Deadspin.

Fans Seek Out Winehouse Videos Following Singer's Passing

News of Amy Winehouse's untimely passing prompted music fans -- and others looking to learn more about the singer -- to seek out some of the 27 year old's most popular songs this weekend, according to YouTube's viewing and search data.

The top rising search on YouTube of the past week is, in fact, "amy winehouse rehab," the 2006-2007 hit single. Before this weekend, the largest previous spike in searches for "winehouse" on YouTube, came in June, when video leaked of a disastrous performance the star delivered in Belgrade.

Official videos of "Rehab" were watched around 6.5 million times over the weekend, while other songs like "Back to Black" and "You Know I'm No Good" were seen over 4 million times each.

The chart below shows the dramatic rise in views Saturday, when reports first spread.



More videos are available here.

4 in the Morning: Wall-Ya

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

Hey Ya Boys	Real Wall E	Gus vs the Pool	Favreau and Wong

1. This video of two boys Wii dancing to "Hey Ya" was picked up by Yahoo! Sports and others late Friday and drew nearly one million views Saturday.
2. Robotics enthusiast DJ Sures demonstrates his real life version of Pixar's Wall-E. As seen on Engadget.
3. Heat waves are rough for dogs too. As seen on Fark.
4. Actor/director Jon Favreau commissioned and starred in Freddie Wong's latest YouTube action-short. As seen on Neatorama.

Deadly Attacks in Norway

Norway was hit by two tragic attacks earlier today - the first, a bomb explosion in the capital city of Oslo, near the government headquarters, which killed at least seven people. Just hours later, a gunman opened fire on the island of Utoya, where many more were shot dead.

Eyewitnesses documented the aftermath of the bombing in Oslo.

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)



This man records his reaction to the blast live, expressing shock that this type of attack could happen in Oslo.

Marine Balls: The hottest ticket since the Oscars?

It’s been a big summer for the Marines on YouTube, since Sergeant Scott Moore, currently stationed in Afghanistan, asked Mila Kunis to his Marine Corps Ball in Greenville, North Carolina.







Moore’s YouTube invitation has received over 3.3 million views to date and after much “will she or won’t she” speculation, it looks like Kunis will be taking Moore up on his offer.



Now Marines across the country are trying their luck with Hollywood’s top celebs. Kunis’s co-star, Justin Timberlake has accepted an invite to a similar ball, while Golden Girl Betty White turned down Sergeant Ray Lewis for an October Marine gala.



On Tuesday, Terminator star Linda Hamilton turned the tables and said she would go with Lewis to the ball in lieu of White. This video makes YouTube’s trending list this week.







This week, PFC Hart who is stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, also joined the fray by asking Miley Cyrus to be his date for his upcoming Marine ball. Here’s his video:

From Rebecca Black to Rebekah Brooks: The Hit 'Friday' Stays Alive

In honor of Rebecca Black's new single, released yesterday, Rebekah Brook's has released a parody of the hit that catapulted the young starlet to internet fame. Brooks, who is the former editor of the News of the World and was Chief Exec of News International before she resigned last week, sheds a fresh, new perspective on everybody's favorite day of the week:

What we’re watching now: “The Dark Knight Rises” trailer

This post was authored by Michelle Castillo as a part of a YouTube Trends series exploring the videos being watched this week by the team at What's Trending.



It’s finally here: the official teaser trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises.” Okay, so it’s mildly disappointing considering the fact that it’s mostly footage from the other movies, and we only get a few seconds to glimpse at Batman and Bane. But, it’s the epic conclusion to the Dark Knight legend! It will be in IMAX!

Trailers give fans that much-needed glimpse into that film that we’re dying to see and help fight off the starvation for the real film. Here’s some of the best trailers to hit YouTube that helped quench fans thirst until the movies hit theaters.

There was fanmade trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises” that was so convincing that it even tricked some of our staff -- even though Bane’s voice was portrayed by Robin Williams.



Who could forget the trailer for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II,” the other epic conclusion of a saga?



The trailer for “Sucker Punch” got everyone excited. Too bad the movie didn’t match the hype. At least we have this to watch, and we don’t have to shell out money to watch this piece of trash.



This isn’t the official “Green Lantern” trailer, but a fan-created vision staring Nathan Fillion as Hal Jordan. We’re still wishing this was the real movie instead of the monstrosity that just came out in theaters.



Today's "What They're Watching" recap provided by

The Moment You've Been Waiting For: Rebecca Black's New Video

This might be one of the most anticipated videos in YouTube's history. Rebecca Black, of "Friday" fame, has just released her second music video - "This Moment." The hit that made her famous is no longer available on the site, but she's started a new YouTube channel - here - so we're likely to see more from the young star.

Without further ado:



What do you think?

Inside YouTube Search: "Cheap Trick stage collapse"

One of the top rising searches on YouTube today is for footage of the stage collapsing at the Ottawa Bluesfest yesterday during Cheap Trick's set. Severe thunderstorms caused the stage to fall. The band survived without injury, however a number of fans in the crowd were injured.

Several witnesses documented the incident on camera.

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

Around the World: Flashmobs and Football fans

We know what the U.S. is watching, but here are some of the Most Viewed and Most Shared videos right now in different countries around the world:

SOUTH AFRICA: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Flash Mob	UNITED KINGDOM: A little bit of rain in Perth
BRAZIL: Two little boys rock out	IRELAND: Fan wearing a Manchester uni in the Liverpool section

Latest Trending Videos: The Week of July 15

Soccer, Potter, roller coasters, and Rube Goldberg machines: here are 10 of this week's top trending videos from YouTube Trends:

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

Harry Potter: Parodies, Recaps, and More

The release of the final installment in the Harry Potter film franchise is upon us and so is the rush of Harry Potter-related video content on YouTube.

A number of recaps have been floating around to help you catch up, like these by...

The Fine Brothers	Slate	Warner Brothers	and some cats.

Most of the Harry Potter clips we're seeing are far more musical. And not all are parodies. This music video for the song "Wizard Love" by Meekakitty has picked up over a million views this month. (Here's another music video from Hot Chelle Rae.)

But, at the end of the day, it is the parodies that can steal the show, and we've seen plenty of spoofs ranging from broadway musicals to Rebecca Black to Kanye West. Here's a selection from the past two weeks or so:

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)



If you liked those, check out our list of the Most Viewed Fan Videos on YouTube.

4 in the Afternoon: Racetrack Shark

Twice each day we scan our YouTube metrics as well as websites on the cutting edge of internet culture to discover the most buzzed about videos.

Mom on the Racetrack	NMA Harry Potter	Judas Choir	Dog Bites Shark

1. Darius takes his mom for a ride around the Laguna Seca track and secretly films their drive. As seen on Jalopnik.
2. Taiwanese CGI history of Harry Potter. As seen on Videogum.
3. Capital Children's Choir performing Lady Gaga. As seen on BWE.TV.
4. One brave (?) dog goes after a shark in Australia in this video with an odd finish. As seen on BoingBoing.