TwinsthenewTrend is a YouTube channel featuring twin brothers Tim and Fred Williams, who reside in Gary, Indiana, critiquing music videos. In 2020, the channel gained attention when their videos reacting to popular music, heard for the first time by the duo, became the subject of numerous news stories and publicity.[3] Their reaction videos are titled with the prefix, "First Time Hearing."
| TwinsthenewTrend | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Tim and Fred Williams 1998[1][2] |
| YouTube information | |
| Genre | Music |
| Subscribers | 887,000 (March 2024) |
A video showing their reaction to listening to the 1981 song "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins became famous worldwide, garnering more than 6 million views in three weeks.[4][5][6] The publicity caused the song to reach #2 on the iTunes top songs sales for August 18 and 19, almost 40 years after its release.[7] Industry publication Variety reported that the song was the fourth biggest selling song of the week ending August 8, up from number 185 the week before.[8]
The brothers, who say they were raised primarily on gospel and Christian rap music, have reacted to a wide range of music, including rock, country, opera, rhythm and blues and Japanese music.[9]
The YouTube channel's reviews have attracted the attention of the original singers of popular hits. The brothers' reaction to the song "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys, "Jolene" by Dolly Parton,[10] and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Annie Lennox prompted direct social media reactions from the artists.[2][11]
References
edit- ^ Kipling, Ella (August 12, 2020). "Meet twins Tim and Fred Williams: Age and Instagram of viral duo who brought back Phil Collins!". HITC.
- ^ a b Rice, Nicholas. "Alicia Keys Reacts to Video of Twin Brothers Listening to Her Song 'Fallin for the First Time". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
- ^ Garcia, Sandra E. (2020-08-13). "What Phil Collins and the YouTube Twins Tell Us About Music". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
- ^ YouTubing twins lose it while listening to Phil Collins' 'In the Air Tonight' for the first time - CNN Video, 9 August 2020, retrieved 2020-08-19
- ^ Petrusich, Amanda. "The Addictive Joy of Watching Someone Listen to Phil Collins". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- ^ Wood, Mikael (2020-08-12). "These YouTube twins went viral listening to 'In the Air Tonight.' One brother explains". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- ^ Aviles, Gwen (12 August 2020). "Phil Collins' 'In the Air Tonight' back on the charts thanks to YouTubers". NBC News. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- ^ Willman, Chris (2020-08-10). "Phil Collins' 'In the Air Tonight' Is a Sales Hit Again After 39 Years, Thanks to Twins' Reaction Video". Variety. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- ^ Davich, Jerry (14 August 2020). "Column: Gary twins' YouTube sensation taps into a deeper sensation of music appreciation for viewers of all ages". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
- ^ Jackson, Gita (August 7, 2020). "Why These Twins Can Make Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' Trend 47 Years After Release". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- ^ Mamo, Heran (2020-08-14). "Annie Lennox Is Living For the YouTube Twins Discovering 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)'". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-08-19.