[Tubefilter Charts is a periodic rankings column from Tubefilter with data provided by GospelStats. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a top number ranking of YouTube channels based on statistics collected within a given time frame. We use data directly from YouTube and in terms of subscribers, YouTube rounds that data to the first three significant figures. Check out all of our Tubefilter Charts with new installments every week right here.]
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December 2024 was a great month for individual creators in the U.S. Top 100. Of the six channels that got the most subscribers during the 31-day measurement period, five feature creators’ names (or screen names) in their titles: MrBeast, The Stokes Twins, Topper Guild, Vlad and Niki, and Mark Rober.
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Each of those creators hauled in at least 1.9 million new subscribers during the final month of the year. Does that give them a rosy outlook for 2024? Based on our data, those influencers might want to start creating more games.
YouTube Shorts is a sandbox full of sandboxes
We’ve talked at length about the experimental nature of Gen Alpha content. Many of the creators who appeal to today’s kids do so with nonsensical skits that make sure to name drop as many pop culture characters as possible.
Some games get similar treatment. In this month’s U.S. Top 100, there are appearances from the worlds of Roblox (The Noob Roblox, #72), Minecraft (Beeevids, #67), and the physics engine BeamNG (BeamNG Heroes, #46). All three of those games are sandbox tools that allow players to create their own experiences with few limitations or restrictions.
The bizarre stylings of Gen Alpha creators help us understand why these sandbox titles are so popular. Those creators aren’t drawn to particular gameplay mechanics; they’re enticed by the ability to create their own worlds. That’s why videos on The Noob Roblox and BeamNG Heroes have so little to do with the properties mentioned in their respective channel names. Roblox and BeamNG are little more than means to an end, even for creators who reference Roblox’s iconic Noob avatar in their titles.
Luckily for us old-school gamers, the Minecraft community on YouTube Shorts still offers some semblance of order. Beeevids had a breakout year in 2024 with content that offers the best of both worlds. The 67th-ranked channel in the U.S. Top 100 added 690,000 new subscribers in December 2024 by uploading recognizable Minecraft gameplay full of references to the latest memes.
What’s next for the creators? Will 2025 offer any room for actual Minecraft creators, or will the meme masters run the show? One thing’s for sure: Minecraft content isn’t going anywhere. Mojang’s title has endured for 15 years and is still going strong.
Channel Distribution
This month, 73 channels in the Top 100 are primarily active on YouTube Shorts.
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