Well, that went fast. One moment you’re basking in the light of new year's resolutions, the next you’re watching Shrek twerk to Feliz Navidad. 2025 was a year of big change for Uppbeat. From the release of motion graphics and LUTs to our brand refresh, there’s lots to celebrate. But how did the year look for creators like you? In this Uppload we’re diving into 5 trends that defined 2025, plus giving you our predictions for what’s coming next... And because acquaintances should never be forgot 😉, we’ll see you in 2026!
The 5 creator trends that defined 2025
Matcha fever, labubus and Katy Perry in space… 2025 hasn’t been short of viral moments. But when it comes to what truly defined this year for creators, there are a few standout trends that’ll ripple well into 2026. Let’s take a look.
1. The year of the podcast
Podcasting had a multi-million pound rebrand in 2025. Shows like Call Her Daddy and The Joe Rogan Experience cashed in their 2024 deals, Spotify paid out $100 million to podcasters 4 months into its new Partner Program, and Netflix signed a deal to stream video podcasts. Basically, if your 5-year-old niece says she wants to be a doctor when she grows up, tell her no. At this rate, she’ll be better off starting a podcast instead.
2. Substack steals the show
In the words of Fleetwood Mac, sometimes you just have to go your own way. And in 2025, creators did. Long-form writing on platforms like Substack emerged as a popular way to connect with audiences, and an alternative to slot-machine social media feeds. It’s slow, it’s considered… and dare we say, pretty cool? Read more in Issue 7 of The Uppload.
3. Creators on the couch
Jack Edwards ft. Cilian Murphy. Brittany Broski ft. Paul Mescal. Thomas Duke ft. The Stranger Things Cast. Where once Hollywood actors only graced the sets of creators on occasion, this stately visit is now seen as a necessity. Creators hold the keys to visibility. If you’re not on the couch of a YouTuber or Podcaster, your film’s tanking in the box office. We don’t make the rules.
4. Slop till you drop
Remember Italian Brain Rot? Turns out that was just the start of AI’s grip of the feed. Affectionately termed ‘AI slop’, it’s hard to know the amount of new content online is AI-generated. But with platforms embracing generative tools (like Sora and Nano Banana), it’s a good chance that the video you’re watching could at least in part be a product of AI.
5. Back to… the past
If you haven’t heard, Gen-Z has gone analog. From camcorder style footage and early 2000s nostalgia, to trending TikTok sounds dominated by 70s and 80s records, content in 2025 has been awash with the past. And it makes sense. In an increasingly futuristic and uncertain world, trends like these are comforting reminders of where we came from.
So 2025 was a big year - but what does 2026 hold for creators? It might not be what you expected…
AI vs Human - who will win the battle for your attention next year?
Having a hard time telling real from fake recently? You’re not alone.
2025 gave us Open AI’s Sora 2, Google’s Veo 3 and now Byte Dance’s Seed Dream - all video generation tools with scarily realistic outcomes. The result of these sophisticated tools is twofold:
- We’re fending off AI-generated cat videos from older relatives on a daily basis.
- Our own personal feeds are being flooded with AI content.
Over 1.3 billion TikTok videos are AI-generated and, on YouTube, AI channels are dominating subscriber leaderboards. With AI, creators can produce more content at a faster rate, flooding algorithms that in the past valued posting frequency as a key indicator for pushing content.
But is something shifting?
Creators are increasingly expressing fatigue over AI-generated content and platforms are listening. TikTok recently announced it will give users control over the amount of AI they see in their feed. And as the short-form trendsetters, we expect Meta and YouTube to follow suit in 2026.
With this appetite for human-made content comes a new (but older) addition to the ring: Vine.
Founded in 2012 and shut down in 2017, Vine was the OG short-form king focussed solely on 6-second looping clips. But in 2025, its reboot by co-founder of Twitter Jack Dorsey looks a little different.
diVine launched in its Beta stage last month, with some interesting ethos. Not only is it banning AI entirely, it will become the first high-profile app to use Guardian tech to verify that uploaded videos are human-made.
Jack Dorsey wanted to create an “era of social media” where you have “control of your algorithms, [...] who you follow, and [..] you know that it’s a real person that recorded the video.”
In early 2025, this would have felt like a pipe dream, but not any more. Who will win your attention in 2026? That’s completely up to you.
What are we watching?
We asked our Growth Manager Alex Duncalf which creator he’s been loving recently and why.
What’s your favorite channel right now?
WHATMORE (@whatmoreeee) the New York City based hip-hop collective who are DIY-ing some of the coolest music promo content on Instagram, and just released one of 2025’s best debut albums.
3 words to describe them? Fresh. Cool. Unpredictable
Why do you love them? It’s like a group of best friends decided to break out of their group chat and take over the New York music scene. They’ve gigged in Chinese restaurants, shot music videos in fried chicken shops and it’s all on their Instagram. I love when artists go all-in with social content to find new audiences, it’s like the rebirth of MTV and these guys are doing it in a way that feels really exciting and authentic.
We think they would love… I can imagine WHATMORE collabbing with some of our jazzhop artists and beatmakers like 92elm and Night Drift.
Elsewhere on the web
- Enough of us. YouTube releases its top trends of 2025.
- Is newer, better? The Short’s algorithm shift that could affect your stats.
- The battle for Hollywood. Netflix and Paramount compete for ownership of Warner Bros.
- TikTok releases its top music and artists of 2025. One word: gnarly.
- European Union to investigate whether Google is wrongly using online content to train AI models.
- Get them early. VidCon 2026 tickets are now live.
Latest Uppdates
Something big has landed on Uppbeat. Bold, sleek and built for you, our new brand is a reflection of all we stand for. And to celebrate its launch, we’re giving you the chance to win a GoPro and free Uppbeat subscription!
Sophie Newell, Head of Brand
You know we’re bringing this energy right into 2026. Want to keep tabs? Follow us on Instagram for regular updates.
