YouTube Is Saying Goodbye to Its ‘Trending’ Section — Here’s What It Means for Viewers and Creators
In a major shakeup that will impact millions of users around the world, YouTube has announced that it is officially retiring its long-standing “Trending” section. The decision comes as part of a broader strategy to modernize how people discover popular content on the platform. Instead of a single list of viral videos, YouTube will now offer a more personalized experience through its newly introduced “YouTube Charts” feature.
This marks the end of an era for YouTube. The “Trending” tab has been a core part of the platform’s discovery system for nearly a decade. Launched in 2015, it provided a quick look at videos gaining rapid popularity across the site — from viral clips and celebrity content to breaking news and music videos. But as the company explained in a recent blog post, the way people watch and engage with videos has changed significantly since then. A one-size-fits-all approach to showcasing popular videos no longer reflects the wide range of interests among users.
Now, YouTube wants to serve up trending content in a way that better matches viewers’ personal tastes and online habits.
Why Is YouTube Making This Change?
The decision to eliminate the “Trending” tab wasn’t made overnight. YouTube says it has been closely observing user behavior over the years and has found that today’s audiences consume content in a far more diverse and fragmented way than they did a decade ago.
Back in 2015, internet culture had a narrower focus. Viral videos often became part of a global conversation because everyone was watching the same things at the same time. But in 2025, with the explosion of niche communities and interest-based content, what’s “trending” is no longer the same for everyone.
Someone interested in K-pop might want to know which music videos are trending in Korea, while another person might be looking for the top gaming walkthroughs or popular movie trailers in their region. A single page that attempts to cover everything just isn’t cutting it anymore.
YouTube’s solution? “YouTube Charts.”
What Is ‘YouTube Charts’?
The new “YouTube Charts” section is designed to provide a more categorized and relevant experience for viewers. Rather than having one generic list of trending videos, users will now be able to explore top-performing content by category.
At launch, YouTube Charts will include sections for:
-
Top Music Videos
-
Popular Podcasts
-
Trending Movie Trailers
-
Gaming Highlights
-
Creator Spotlights
-
Shorts Trends
More categories are expected to roll out in the coming months as YouTube continues to develop this new feature.
For example, gaming enthusiasts will now find trending gaming content by scrolling down to the bottom of the “Gaming Explore” tab. Music lovers can head directly to the music section to see what songs and music videos are topping the charts globally and in their own countries.
A More Personalized and Relevant Experience
One of the main goals behind this shift is to offer users a more tailored experience. YouTube’s leadership team emphasized that with the rise of personalized algorithms and recommendation systems, users now expect to see content that resonates with their personal interests rather than a global popularity list.
“YouTube Charts will help viewers follow what’s trending in a way that feels more relevant to them,” the company stated. “Whether you’re a fan of cooking tutorials, vlogs, tech reviews, or fashion hauls, there’s a chart for you.”
This reflects the broader direction YouTube is heading in — focusing more on individual engagement, creator niches, and specialized communities.
How Will This Affect Creators?
For content creators, this change carries both opportunities and challenges.
Previously, landing on the Trending page could be a huge moment for a video. It offered mass exposure and could drive a massive wave of new views, subscriptions, and engagement. However, the competition to get featured was fierce, and many smaller creators felt that the Trending tab favored celebrities, large media organizations, and already-popular influencers.
With YouTube Charts, there’s a new chance for creators to be noticed within their category. For example, a fitness trainer posting home workout videos could now trend in the “Health and Fitness” category, rather than being lost among viral comedy skits or global news stories. This gives creators a more level playing field within their niche.
It also helps YouTube recognize rising stars within specific communities rather than always spotlighting the same names.
A Reflection of Global Trends in Digital Consumption
This isn’t just a YouTube issue. Across the tech industry, platforms are shifting toward more segmented content delivery. TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify have all developed highly personalized feeds and category-based discovery tools. YouTube’s move mirrors this evolution and shows how the definition of “trending” has become more nuanced in the digital age.
Moreover, the way people use platforms like YouTube has changed. Instead of browsing through a list to see what’s hot, users are now relying more on AI-generated recommendations, subscription feeds, and interest-specific Explore pages.
By introducing Charts, YouTube hopes to align more closely with these usage patterns.
What Happens to the Old Trending Tab?
The Trending section won’t disappear instantly. YouTube says the feature will be removed over the next two weeks, giving users time to adjust to the new system. During this period, visitors may still see the Trending tab in their apps or browsers, but it will slowly be replaced by the Charts interface.
Once the transition is complete, all trending discovery will be handled through the YouTube Charts section and the category-specific Explore pages.
Why the Trending Tab Faced Criticism
It’s worth noting that while the Trending page was a staple for years, it wasn’t without its critics.
Many users felt that it lacked transparency. There were often complaints that the videos featured weren’t truly trending based on views or engagement, but were being chosen through unclear methods. In some cases, corporate partners or sponsored content seemed to dominate the list, which led to suspicions of bias.
Additionally, the fact that YouTube operates in many countries meant that a single global trending list often featured content that wasn’t relevant to all users. Charts aim to fix this by offering region-specific and category-specific trends.
Regional and Global Charts
One major advantage of the new system is its flexibility. YouTube Charts will allow viewers to see what’s trending not just in their own country, but also globally.
This could be a huge win for international fans who want to follow global sensations in real time. Think of fans of BTS or Taylor Swift — now they’ll have instant access to global music trends. Similarly, movie lovers can track international trailer drops, and podcast listeners can see what’s topping the charts worldwide.
This global vs. local balance is key to making YouTube Charts a more dynamic tool for discovering trends.
The Future of Discovery on YouTube
With the death of the traditional Trending tab, YouTube is signaling a broader shift in its approach to content discovery.
Going forward, we can expect the platform to lean more heavily into data, personalization, and machine learning. Instead of showing the same content to everyone, YouTube will now work harder to show the right content to the right person at the right time.
This means that the homepage, Shorts feed, and Explore tabs will continue evolving as well, integrating features from Charts and other discovery tools. As users interact more with these tools, their content experience will become even more customized.
Final Thoughts
YouTube’s decision to shut down the “Trending” tab and replace it with YouTube Charts marks the end of an iconic feature — but it also opens the door to a more modern and personalized way of discovering content.
In a world where people have widely varied interests and countless content options, a single trending list no longer makes sense. With Charts, users can explore what’s hot in the categories they care about, while creators have a better chance of being recognized within their communities.
As this new system rolls out in the coming weeks, viewers are encouraged to dive into the Charts section, explore their favorite niches, and enjoy a more tailored YouTube experience.
Whether you’re into tech, travel, beauty, sports, or documentaries — YouTube Charts aims to help you find the best of what’s trending, just for you.
YouTube Is Saying Goodbye to Its ‘Trending’ Section — Here’s What It Means for Viewers and Creators
In a major shakeup that will impact millions of users around the world, YouTube has announced that it is officially retiring its long-standing “Trending” section. The decision comes as part of a broader strategy to modernize how people discover popular content on the platform. Instead of a single list of viral videos, YouTube will now offer a more personalized experience through its newly introduced “YouTube Charts” feature.
This marks the end of an era for YouTube. The “Trending” tab has been a core part of the platform’s discovery system for nearly a decade. Launched in 2015, it provided a quick look at videos gaining rapid popularity across the site — from viral clips and celebrity content to breaking news and music videos. But as the company explained in a recent blog post, the way people watch and engage with videos has changed significantly since then. A one-size-fits-all approach to showcasing popular videos no longer reflects the wide range of interests among users.
Now, YouTube wants to serve up trending content in a way that better matches viewers’ personal tastes and online habits.
Why Is YouTube Making This Change?
The decision to eliminate the “Trending” tab wasn’t made overnight. YouTube says it has been closely observing user behavior over the years and has found that today’s audiences consume content in a far more diverse and fragmented way than they did a decade ago.
Back in 2015, internet culture had a narrower focus. Viral videos often became part of a global conversation because everyone was watching the same things at the same time. But in 2025, with the explosion of niche communities and interest-based content, what’s “trending” is no longer the same for everyone.
Someone interested in K-pop might want to know which music videos are trending in Korea, while another person might be looking for the top gaming walkthroughs or popular movie trailers in their region. A single page that attempts to cover everything just isn’t cutting it anymore.
YouTube’s solution? “YouTube Charts.”
What Is ‘YouTube Charts’?
The new “YouTube Charts” section is designed to provide a more categorized and relevant experience for viewers. Rather than having one generic list of trending videos, users will now be able to explore top-performing content by category.
At launch, YouTube Charts will include sections for:
-
Top Music Videos
-
Popular Podcasts
-
Trending Movie Trailers
-
Gaming Highlights
-
Creator Spotlights
-
Shorts Trends
More categories are expected to roll out in the coming months as YouTube continues to develop this new feature.
For example, gaming enthusiasts will now find trending gaming content by scrolling down to the bottom of the “Gaming Explore” tab. Music lovers can head directly to the music section to see what songs and music videos are topping the charts globally and in their own countries.
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A More Personalized and Relevant Experience
One of the main goals behind this shift is to offer users a more tailored experience. YouTube’s leadership team emphasized that with the rise of personalized algorithms and recommendation systems, users now expect to see content that resonates with their personal interests rather than a global popularity list.
“YouTube Charts will help viewers follow what’s trending in a way that feels more relevant to them,” the company stated. “Whether you’re a fan of cooking tutorials, vlogs, tech reviews, or fashion hauls, there’s a chart for you.”
This reflects the broader direction YouTube is heading in — focusing more on individual engagement, creator niches, and specialized communities.
How Will This Affect Creators?
For content creators, this change carries both opportunities and challenges.
Previously, landing on the Trending page could be a huge moment for a video. It offered mass exposure and could drive a massive wave of new views, subscriptions, and engagement. However, the competition to get featured was fierce, and many smaller creators felt that the Trending tab favored celebrities, large media organizations, and already-popular influencers.
With YouTube Charts, there’s a new chance for creators to be noticed within their category. For example, a fitness trainer posting home workout videos could now trend in the “Health and Fitness” category, rather than being lost among viral comedy skits or global news stories. This gives creators a more level playing field within their niche.
It also helps YouTube recognize rising stars within specific communities rather than always spotlighting the same names.
A Reflection of Global Trends in Digital Consumption
This isn’t just a YouTube issue. Across the tech industry, platforms are shifting toward more segmented content delivery. TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify have all developed highly personalized feeds and category-based discovery tools. YouTube’s move mirrors this evolution and shows how the definition of “trending” has become more nuanced in the digital age.
Moreover, the way people use platforms like YouTube has changed. Instead of browsing through a list to see what’s hot, users are now relying more on AI-generated recommendations, subscription feeds, and interest-specific Explore pages.
By introducing Charts, YouTube hopes to align more closely with these usage patterns.
What Happens to the Old Trending Tab?
The Trending section won’t disappear instantly. YouTube says the feature will be removed over the next two weeks, giving users time to adjust to the new system. During this period, visitors may still see the Trending tab in their apps or browsers, but it will slowly be replaced by the Charts interface.
Once the transition is complete, all trending discovery will be handled through the YouTube Charts section and the category-specific Explore pages.
Why the Trending Tab Faced Criticism
It’s worth noting that while the Trending page was a staple for years, it wasn’t without its critics.
Many users felt that it lacked transparency. There were often complaints that the videos featured weren’t truly trending based on views or engagement, but were being chosen through unclear methods. In some cases, corporate partners or sponsored content seemed to dominate the list, which led to suspicions of bias.
Additionally, the fact that YouTube operates in many countries meant that a single global trending list often featured content that wasn’t relevant to all users. Charts aim to fix this by offering region-specific and category-specific trends.
Regional and Global Charts
One major advantage of the new system is its flexibility. YouTube Charts will allow viewers to see what’s trending not just in their own country, but also globally.
This could be a huge win for international fans who want to follow global sensations in real time. Think of fans of BTS or Taylor Swift — now they’ll have instant access to global music trends. Similarly, movie lovers can track international trailer drops, and podcast listeners can see what’s topping the charts worldwide.
This global vs. local balance is key to making YouTube Charts a more dynamic tool for discovering trends.
The Future of Discovery on YouTube
With the death of the traditional Trending tab, YouTube is signaling a broader shift in its approach to content discovery.
Going forward, we can expect the platform to lean more heavily into data, personalization, and machine learning. Instead of showing the same content to everyone, YouTube will now work harder to show the right content to the right person at the right time.
This means that the homepage, Shorts feed, and Explore tabs will continue evolving as well, integrating features from Charts and other discovery tools. As users interact more with these tools, their content experience will become even more customized.
Final Thoughts
YouTube’s decision to shut down the “Trending” tab and replace it with YouTube Charts marks the end of an iconic feature — but it also opens the door to a more modern and personalized way of discovering content.
In a world where people have widely varied interests and countless content options, a single trending list no longer makes sense. With Charts, users can explore what’s hot in the categories they care about, while creators have a better chance of being recognized within their communities.
As this new system rolls out in the coming weeks, viewers are encouraged to dive into the Charts section, explore their favorite niches, and enjoy a more tailored YouTube experience.
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