I have a small confession to make.

I am a bit of a YouTube addict.

I think it must rank with fire, the wheel and shifting spanners as the greatest inventions ever.

I cannot get over that any time I want to I can watch old video clips, find instruction on how to change a tap washer, get an in-depth analysis of Napoleon’s military campaigns, laugh at Abbot and Costello (the American comedians, not the Australian politicians…but then again…) or any of a dozen other diverting ways to entertain or inform myself.

I make this confession as a way of explaining the theme of this week’s column.

Because it was while meandering through YouTube that I found a most astonishing thing.

On the American Apple music charts this week, the number two ranked song was quite the left field option.

Now for the uninitiated, music charts that used to measure the sales of records, cassettes and CDs are largely defunct.

The success of songs is now largely measured in “streams”.

This is taken from internet websites that specialise in providing songs. Spotify, Apple Music and the like allow their users to simply listen away. Either for a small fee, or because you get to listen to the occasional advertisement.

It is a very cheap and hugely convenient way of consuming music.

No longer do you have to wait until the local music store has the song or album in stock, you simply type it in and away you go.

Also, you can access almost anything ever released.

It is amazingly quick and convenient.

At least for the consumer.

For the musician it is more problematic.

But nothing is perfect.

Well, after that rambling and barely coherent introduction, I get to the point.

That being, on YouTube this week I found out that the second most popular song on these said “streaming services” was first released in 1981!

Now you and I both know that the music released pre-2000 is superior to that released this century in every possible way.

The Beatles are still amongst the biggest sellers of music 50 years after releasing their swan song, Let It Be.

But there is a little bit more to this story.

The reason why Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” has been so popular, is because of a “reaction video” on YouTube.

Reaction videos follow the “Gogglebox” concept.

People simply film themselves reacting to a song, or some other presentation, often a comedian or similar. There are actually people who make a living reacting to things on YouTube! It’s a strange world, I know.

Well, a pair of African American twins “TwinsthenewTrend” to be exact, recorded their first time listening to “In the Air Tonight” on YouTube and 5,687,916 views and counting later, a song from almost 40 years ago is now at number two on the charts. Apparently, a lot of people liked Phil’s song, either again, or for the first time.

Of course, the high point of the whole thing is when the drums come in, you know the Phil Collins drum fill that sounded like it was recorded in the middle of the biggest 44-gallon drum ever.

Naturally, the twins had never heard anything like it and neither have we before, or since.

Now in 2020, the twins “go viral” (and I accept in the current climate, this may not be the best metaphor) and Phil Collins has another hit on his hands with the same song he first released in the same year as Prince Charles married Lady Di.

So, there you go.

A reaction video from 22-year-old twins about a song 17 years older than they are has taken Phil Collins to the top of the charts again.

As for me I think I just strained my shoulder air drumming!

Bill Doyle, The Courier’s occasional guest columnist

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