2024’s biggest non-music viral moments were basically event-content: creator “mega-productions” (MrBeast-scale challenges), trailer drops that turned into full-week discourse cycles, and street clips / shorts that escaped their original upload and became memes everywhere. The year also doubled down on the “did they really post that?” genre—vlogs and creator vids that got edited, debated, or dragged after the fact (and sometimes became more viral because of the backlash).
MrBeast – 50 YouTubers Fight For $1,000,000
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SNThp0YiU4
A creator Avengers-level crossover: 50 big names in one “last-person-standing” endurance spectacle that pulled absurd views fast.
Deadpool & Wolverine | Official Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73_1biulkYk
A trailer drop that turned into a culture moment—reaction videos, breakdowns, meme edits, and nonstop “pause at 0:xx” frame-hunting.
Hazbin Hotel – Season 1 Trailer | Prime Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLSWVCwy88g
Animated fandom + long-brewing hype paying off: trailer fueled discourse, lore threads, and watch-party energy across platforms.
Tim & Dee TV – “What’s Your Non-Sexual Turn On In A Guy” (contains the ‘hawk tuah’ moment)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11Qj_2sm-6M
The original street interview that detonated into the “hawk tuah” meme—reposted, remixed, argued about, and basically unavoidable for a stretch.
Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) – How My Video Gear is Changing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6qznDLlHRQ
A tech-YouTube upload that went viral because of backlash—sponsorship transparency drama + the speeding clip that sparked the pile-on.
Most controversial viral videos of 2024
MKBHD – How My Video Gear is Changing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6qznDLlHRQ
Controversial because viewers felt it blurred the line between review and ad—and the speeding footage (later edited) triggered a bigger “creator responsibility” debate.
Tim & Dee TV – “What’s Your Non-Sexual Turn On In A Guy” (the ‘hawk tuah’ interview)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11Qj_2sm-6M
Controversial because a real-person street clip got yanked into a massive meme economy—credit disputes, reposting/copyright fights, and “should this have been taken down?” arguments followed.
JENNIE – A Moment in Capri with Jennie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1gb6gNx8JA
Controversial after a vaping-indoors moment sparked backlash; reports say the scene was removed/edited, which only amplified the attention cycle.