Most of you probably know that PewDiePie, also known as Felix Kjellberg, is the most subscribed channel on YouTube. But what you don't know is that T-Series, an Indian record label, has been battling with Pewds for the top spot on YouTube for a few weeks now. Both PewDiePie and T-Series have over 73 million subscribers at the moment, and are rapidly gaining hundreds of thousands of subscribers every day. This may be sort of shocking to most that PewDiePie is going to be overtaken, given that he has been the most subscribed to channel on YouTube since 2013. But other than that, people are mostly desensitized to what this potential overtaking means.
The battle of PewDiePie versus T-Series is much more than just a battle for the top spot of YouTube. For the most part, PewDiePie is an independent creator, obviously aside from his editors and whatnot. The PewDiePie channel is a person in Felix Kjellberg, and no one else. T-Series on the other hand, is a popular Indian music record label and a massive corporation based in India — not a single person. So, if T-Series overtakes Pewds, it is more than just a change in who the most subscribed channel is.
It represents the industrialization of YouTube and corporate dominance on the social media platform, coupled with the death of independent creation.
As of now, out of the top 10 most subscribed to channels on YouTube, only four are independent and not part of a network. And that is a stretch considering both Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran are on the list, major musicians signed to record labels already. YouTube is becoming more company based, as it shifts away from independent creation. And that's not to say independent creators do not exist; they do, and some have success, just not to the degree they deserve. And that's why if T-Series overtakes PewDiePie, it represents the weakening of independent creators' power and the increasing dominance of corporations on YouTube.
Even myself as an Indian, I cannot support T-Series. We simply cannot let this happen. Even other major YouTubers, such as Markiplier, Jacksepticeye and Mr. Beast have taken up arms in this battle, because they know very well that PewDiePie represents what they stand for. Without him at the top, that the hope for the salvation of YouTube may very well be lost.
I am not saying you have to like PewDiePie as a person or as a content creator. Many took a disliking to him, especially with controversies he has had in the past. Sure, Pewds has made a few ill-advised jokes, but he is no longer trying to force comedy, and he is himself. He is making an attempt to be himself. And he is not just a comedian or a gamer; he creates content talking about news topics where he expresses his views thoughtfully and respectfully, with lots of research and in a serious manner.
He truly embodies the spirit of an independent creator, and that is how YouTube should be. I hope you subscribe to PewDiePie in this struggle against T-Series.
