Artisan Age of YouTube 

Also known as the "Pre-influencer era of youtube"

The umbrella term for the golden age (2005-2009) and silver age (2010-2013) of the platform. The peak of creativity and coolness in videos. Including, but not limited to: AVGN, RWJ, Jenna Marbles, NigaHiga , TGWTG, Game Over by Poykpac, Jacksfilms, Pewdiepie, Epic Meal time, Overly Attached Girlfriend, Boxxy, Bobby Burns, Dan and Phil.

As opposed to the (ugh) Post-artisan age/influencer era of YouTube which started at

the bronze age (2014-2016) and the iron/dark age (2017-present day; worsened by the pandemic) where creativity and close-knit dynamics with audiences were replaced by low brow videos, low effort commentary toxicity/bullying, diss tracks, scandals involving forests, boxing matches and formulaic but financially extravagant Mr. Beast videos.

David: man I miss OG YouTube.

Simon: Fr dude, it was the Artisan age of youtube, funny stuff, like corridor digital, nostalgia critic. Freddie W and RocketJump.

David: Ever notice that youtube just dropped in artistic quality when VGHS ended? YouTube red showed up straight after, then that was it. Apocalypse, The Paul brothers. Viners came out of nowhere. Now it's a wasteland of creativity.

Artisan Age of YouTube by DarkI3INARY June 19, 2024

The Artisan Age of YouTube 

Also known as the pre-influencer age of YouTube.

An umbrella term for both the Golden age (2005-2009) and Silver age (2010-2013) of YouTube.

When the only drama on YouTube was either family based, (I.e. Onision) openly staged for the audience entertainment (The Angry Video Game Nerd Vs. The Nostalgia Critic) or limited to one type of site (The 2008/9 Boxxy civil war on 4chan)

The time when creativity ruled, when Jenna Marbles, Nigahiga, Ray William Johnson, James Rolfe, Jacksfilms, Freddie Wong and Co., Fred, Shane Dawson and several others were around.

One million views on a view was considered the pinnacle of internet success.

Memes were more fun and the people who created them were often made famous by accident and had the creativity to make characters based on those memes (Overly attached Girlfriend)

The period started at the inception of YouTube (or arguably a year after) and ended when Video Game High School (made by Rocketjump, Freddie Wong's production company) released its last episode in 2014.

James: remember YTP videos?

John: yet that was the artisan age of youtube. Real artists who made cool stuff for fun and their audiences. I miss those times

James: yeh dude, simpler times. All we have today are influencers giving money while having it recorded for clout. Zero creativity now.

The Artisan Age of YouTube by DarkI3INARY January 10, 2024