The title for the world's most popular YouTube channel is about to change hands, with T-Series ready to claim the top spot that has been held by PewDiePie since 2013.
On Wednesday, 24 October, T-Series passed 67 million subscribers on YouTube – roughly the size of the UK population. PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, hit that milestone earlier this month but is only a few hundred thousand subscribers ahead of his rival.
The T-Series takeover has proved controversial among some YouTubers, given that it is a major corporate brand that will hold the vaunted honour of being the platform's most popular channel.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
From
15p€0.18$0.18USD 0.27
a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras.
11 YouTube features you didn't know existed
Show all 11
11 YouTube features you didn't know existed
1/11 Play in the background
One of the YouTube app’s most frustrating shortcomings is the inability to play music videos in the background or when you’re phone’s locked. There is a way around this, but only on iOS.
Open the YouTube website in Safari, play a video and then press your iPhone’s home button. After that, launch the Control Centre by sliding up from the bottom of the screen and tap play.
2/11 Loop videos
YouTube’s looping option on desktop is really useful, but nowhere near as easy to find as it should be. To loop a video, right-click it while it’s playing and select Loop. Even if you have Autoplay enabled, your video will replay itself as soon as it finishes.
3/11 Enable Dark Theme
YouTube recently introduced a black-and-red Dark Theme on the desktop, which is much easier on your eyes than the regular version of the site. Enable it by clicking the account symbol, selecting Dark Theme and turning Activate Dark Theme on.
4/11 Simplify YouTube
Another alternative YouTube user interface is available to access at youtube.com/tv. It’s a really simple, no-frills UI that’s incredibly easy to navigate.
5/11 Try out new features
You can test upcoming and experimental features early by signing up to YouTube TestTube.
6/11 Read
When you want to watch a YouTube video but don’t have your headphones and don’t want to disturb anyone around you, turn on Captions. They’re also really handy if you’re trying to watch a video in a foreign language.
Transcriptions, meanwhile, break down exactly when certain things take place, so you can skip to the part you want to watch accurately and easily. In the More tab under the video title, launch the dropdown menu and select Transcript.
7/11 Use shortcuts
You can lean back in your seat and control YouTube videos with your keyboard if you want to. J and L let you rewind and fast-forward 10 seconds, K is pause/play, M is mute/unmute and the 0-9 keys let you jump through various stages of the video, from 0 per cent to 90 per cent.
On the app, you can fast forward or rewind 10 seconds by double-tapping the right or left side of a video.
8/11 Limit data use
If you’re on a limited mobile data plan, there are easy ways to save yourself some money. In Settings on the YouTube app, hit General and enable Limit Mobile Data Usage and disable Autoplay.
9/11 Keep things private
Unless you make them private, other people can see your Liked videos, your saved playlists and subscriptions. If you want to hide them, go to Settings and Privacy.
You can also clear or pause your History. On either desktop or the mobile app, go to History and select Clear All Watch History or Pause Watch History.
10/11 Make sharing clearer
Sometimes you want to share a video with a friend, but want them to watch a specific part, rather than the whole thing. Instead of sending the timestamp through as a separate message, make the video automatically play from the right place. Just pause it at the right moment, click the Share button, tick the Start At box and copy the URL.
11/11 Get nerdy
Stats for Nerds shows you technical data for YouTube videos, including video format, audio format and bandwidth. On desktop, you can find the info simply by right-clicking the video player and selecting Stats for Nerds.
On mobile, you have to enable it first in General Settings. Once that’s done, open a video, hit the menu button in the top-right corner and tap the Stats for Nerds option.
1/11 Play in the background
One of the YouTube app’s most frustrating shortcomings is the inability to play music videos in the background or when you’re phone’s locked. There is a way around this, but only on iOS.
Open the YouTube website in Safari, play a video and then press your iPhone’s home button. After that, launch the Control Centre by sliding up from the bottom of the screen and tap play.
2/11 Loop videos
YouTube’s looping option on desktop is really useful, but nowhere near as easy to find as it should be. To loop a video, right-click it while it’s playing and select Loop. Even if you have Autoplay enabled, your video will replay itself as soon as it finishes.
3/11 Enable Dark Theme
YouTube recently introduced a black-and-red Dark Theme on the desktop, which is much easier on your eyes than the regular version of the site. Enable it by clicking the account symbol, selecting Dark Theme and turning Activate Dark Theme on.
4/11 Simplify YouTube
Another alternative YouTube user interface is available to access at youtube.com/tv. It’s a really simple, no-frills UI that’s incredibly easy to navigate.
5/11 Try out new features
You can test upcoming and experimental features early by signing up to YouTube TestTube.
6/11 Read
When you want to watch a YouTube video but don’t have your headphones and don’t want to disturb anyone around you, turn on Captions. They’re also really handy if you’re trying to watch a video in a foreign language.
Transcriptions, meanwhile, break down exactly when certain things take place, so you can skip to the part you want to watch accurately and easily. In the More tab under the video title, launch the dropdown menu and select Transcript.
7/11 Use shortcuts
You can lean back in your seat and control YouTube videos with your keyboard if you want to. J and L let you rewind and fast-forward 10 seconds, K is pause/play, M is mute/unmute and the 0-9 keys let you jump through various stages of the video, from 0 per cent to 90 per cent.
On the app, you can fast forward or rewind 10 seconds by double-tapping the right or left side of a video.
8/11 Limit data use
If you’re on a limited mobile data plan, there are easy ways to save yourself some money. In Settings on the YouTube app, hit General and enable Limit Mobile Data Usage and disable Autoplay.
9/11 Keep things private
Unless you make them private, other people can see your Liked videos, your saved playlists and subscriptions. If you want to hide them, go to Settings and Privacy.
You can also clear or pause your History. On either desktop or the mobile app, go to History and select Clear All Watch History or Pause Watch History.
10/11 Make sharing clearer
Sometimes you want to share a video with a friend, but want them to watch a specific part, rather than the whole thing. Instead of sending the timestamp through as a separate message, make the video automatically play from the right place. Just pause it at the right moment, click the Share button, tick the Start At box and copy the URL.
11/11 Get nerdy
Stats for Nerds shows you technical data for YouTube videos, including video format, audio format and bandwidth. On desktop, you can find the info simply by right-clicking the video player and selecting Stats for Nerds.
On mobile, you have to enable it first in General Settings. Once that’s done, open a video, hit the menu button in the top-right corner and tap the Stats for Nerds option.
PewDiePie built his online following through video game commentary videos and comedic vlogs, which saw him become the most-subscribed user on YouTube in 2013.
T-Series, in contrast, is a major Indian record label and film production company that amassed its millions of followers by posting music videos and film trailers.
T-Series actually first began a YouTube channel in 2006, four years before PewDiePie, but its initial growth was stifled by India's relatively small online population.
"It’s incredible to see how media companies like T-Series are flourishing in this space," said a spokesperson for Tubular Labs, a video analytics platform that has been measuring the rise of T-Series' channel over the last couple of months.
"Whilst YouTube continues to be a pivotal platform for influencers like PewDiePie, media companies have really doubled down on the platform this year. T-Series and its sister channels now see well over 4 billion views per month, making it YouTube’s most viewed media company globally."
Data from Tubular Labs shows T-Series growth to be rapidly outpacing that of PewDiePie, with the Indian channel averaging 120,000 new followers in October compared to PewDiePie's 27,000. The firm estimates that T-Series will officially overtake PewDiePie on Monday, 29 Octobe.
PewDiePie answered questions about T-Series on his YouTube channel this week (PewDiePie/ Screenshot)
In a recent Q&A session on his YouTube channel, PewDiePie answered questions from his fans about his time as a YouTube star, as well as his plans for the future.
When asked where he saw himself in 10 years, he replied: "Hopefully I'm in Japan. Other than that, I don't know."
Another question asked: "Do you think you'll be doing youtube your whole life?"
PewDiePie responded: "How would I know, do you think you will do anything your whole life? Stop asking me this deep question."
He continued: "I remember six years ago, I thought 'OK, maybe if I'm lucky I can do another year, or maybe two years of YouTube. The lifespan of a YouTuber a few years ago was so quick. Most other YouTubers, they're not making videos anymore, that's just the case.
"I was constantly following the path of other YouTubers before I was where I am today. But now I've kind of had to set my own path and it's being going well so far, I'm happy that I'm still able to make videos."
Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent Minds
Later on in the video, PewDiePie was asked a question relating to T-Series and the perceived shift neglect on YouTube's part of so-called indie YouTubers, in favour of supporting corporate channels.
"What are your serious opinions on T Series?" One person asked on Twitter. "Do you think it's unfair that a corporation like T Series is surpassing you, as an indie YouTuber? Does it make you feel bad?"
PewDiePie replied: "It's already a heated subject now that a company is taking over. Everyone is going on the rant, 'YouTube is not really becoming YouTube' and, 'it's never going to be the same now'.
"I don't really care about T-Series, I genuinely don't, but I think if YouTube does shift in a way where it does feel more corporate, [then] something else will take its place. I think people enjoy this connection so much, I think something else will just show up, if it feels too corporate.
"I think what bother me more than things becoming too corporate is YouTubers shilling corporates, if that makes sense. YouTubers just buying into this image that companies want them to be for the sake of being lifted up by them. I mean it's a great business move, and I totally understand why anyone would do it, but to me it's inauthentic."
Subscribe to Independent Minds to debate the big issues
Want to discuss real-world problems, be involved in the most engaging discussions and hear from the
journalists? Try Independent Minds free for 1 month.
Subscribe to Independent Minds to debate the big issues
Want to discuss real-world problems, be involved in the most engaging discussions and hear from the
journalists? Try Independent Minds free for 1 month.
Independent Minds Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Minds.
It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss
real-world solutions, and more. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when
they can to create a true meeting of independent minds. The most insightful comments on all subjects
will be published daily in dedicated articles. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies
to your comment.
The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to
Independent Minds. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post
the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Please
continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates.
Comments
Share your thoughts and debate the big issues
Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines.
You can find our Community Guidelines in full here.
Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines.
Community Guidelines
You can find our Community Guidelines in full here.
Follow comments
Vote
Report Comment
Subscribe to Independent Minds to debate the big issues
Want to discuss real-world problems, be involved in the most engaging discussions and hear from the journalists? Try Independent Minds free for 1 month.
Already registered? Log inReport Comment
Delete Comment
Subscribe to Independent Minds to debate the big issues
Want to discuss real-world problems, be involved in the most engaging discussions and hear from the journalists? Try Independent Minds free for 1 month.
Already registered? Log inAbout The Independent commenting
Independent Minds Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Minds. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent minds. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment.
The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Minds. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates.