Canada’s Biggest YouTube Moments of 2025 Will Surprise You

Google’s YouTube turned 20 this year, and its annual year-end lists show how much Canadian creators and fans shaped online culture in 2025.

In gaming, some of the most-discussed titles weren’t from big studios at all. Roblox creators drove huge attention with games like Grow a Garden and Steal a Brainrot. The idea of “brainrot” itself exploded into a full trend, with creators even building an “Italian Brainrot” universe filled with AI-generated characters.

Shows that didn’t start on YouTube, like Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters, picked up new life on the platform. Canadians made skits, challenge videos, and fan edits that pushed both titles into bigger cultural moments. Fans even treated HUNTR/X, a fictional group from KPop Demon Hunters, as if it were a real K-pop act.

Politics also had a big year on YouTube in Canada. Searches around tariffs and Mark Carney were among the top trending topics.

YouTube’s Canadian “Creators to Watch” list showed how broad interests have become. SleepyCrafter jumped to 3 million subscribers by jumping on massive trends like Italian Brainrot. Blue Jays Today became a go-to channel for baseball fans during the World Series.

Others turned their hobbies into full businesses, such as TheCrochetCrowd, which built a large community around crocheting, and Morgann Book, who expanded her BookTube following with a new video podcast.

Two B.C. creators, Mia Plays and Kouman, even opened a 4,000-square-foot studio in North Vancouver to support their expanding channels.

Music trends were just as strong. Fan-made takes on Rosé and Bruno Mars’ track “APT.” helped push the video to one billion views faster than any other K-pop release on YouTube, overtaking “Gangnam Style.”

Altogether, this year’s lists point to how YouTube has become a major home for Canadian fandoms. Whether people were revisiting Blue Jays highlights or learning the latest Shorts dance trend, the platform played a big role in shaping what Canadians watched and talked about in 2025.

What were your favourite YouTube moments this year? It’s pretty easy to fall into a late-night rabbit hole and suddenly realize it’s 3am (this may or may not be from personal experience).

TRENDING TOPICS (not ranked)

• Squid Game
• User-Generated Roblox Experiences: Grow a Garden, Dandy’s World, Forsaken, Steal a Brainrot
• KPop Demon Hunters
• Brainrot
• Tariff
• Labubu
• Mark Carney
• Katseye
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Blue Lock

Canadian Creators to Watch

• SleepyCrafter
• Mia Plays & Kouman
• Morgannbook
• Blue Jays Today
• TheCrochetCrowd

Quebec Creators to Watch

• La Famille Ventura
• Shahin
• Gurky
• Aly Brassard

Top Songs on Shorts

1. ATLXS – Passo Bem Solto (Slowed)
2. Connie Francis – Pretty Little Baby
3. Joyful – Chess
4. Black Eyed Peas – Rock That Body
5. yung kai – blue
6. Forrest Frank – YOUR WAY’S BETTER
7. Doechii – Anxiety
8. Moliy, Skillibeng, Shenseea, Silent Addy – Shake It To The Max (Fly) (Remix)
9. Saja Boys (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – Soda Pop
10. Billie Eilish – Ocean Eyes

Top Songs

1. Rosé, Bruno Mars – “APT.”
2. Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile”
3. HUNTR/X (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – Golden
4. Saja Boys (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – Soda Pop
5. Alex Warren – Ordinary
6. HUNTR/X (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – How It’s Done
7. Saja Boys (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – Your Idol
8. Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club
9. Gigi Perez – Sailor Song
10. The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – Timeless

YouTube now says the local creator community is heading into 2026 with even more momentum, as small creators continue turning trends into full-on cultural moments. Users can also check their own viewing stats for the first time through a new feature called YouTube Recap.