YouTube cancels its annual 'Rewind' celebration for 2020

YouTube today announced that it is canceling its annual end-of-year Rewind celebration for 2020. Rewind, a summation of popular videos, trends, milestones, and a sort of a celebration of YouTube creators debuted in 2010 and has been ongoing annually for almost a decade. This year, the company says, has been “different” and that it “doesn’t feel right to carry on as if it weren’t”.

The annual event has seen a mixed reception, with the most infamous one being ‘Rewind 2018: Everyone Controls Rewind’ that went on to become the most disliked video on YouTube. The firm was criticized for making the event more of an advertisement of the platform rather than highlighting eventful moments and the community itself. The company even acknowledged the criticism as part of the Rewind 2019 video after promising something different for the year. Today’s announcement itself includes a pun about the event from 2018.

The firm adds that it is “taking a break from Rewind this year” and thanks its creators for having found ways to “lift people up”. The post does not suggest if the “celebration” will return next year. Considering that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a difficult year for many, it makes sense for the firm to not go ahead with the usual celebration.