In the world of the Internet, where news and publications follow each other at a frenetic pace, there is a category of videos that invite us to focus on their content and enjoy the mental and physical relaxation they offer. This is a new digital trend on YouTube – the so-called “ASMR videos”. The acronym ASMR comes from the words Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response .
These videos have been around for several years and are becoming increasingly popular , as a large portion of people find them so relaxing that they use them to fall asleep or to combat anxiety, panic attacks, and even post-traumatic stress disorder. There are millions of such videos on YouTube – both foreign and Greek – while there is a dedicated community on Reddit , where users share their favorite videos.
Notably, ASMR is the third most popular search term on YouTube worldwide. It was only in September 2020that ASMR was officially added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Now, more apps and celebrity-specific video content are being created in this video category. But despite ASMR being extremely popular, many still don’t fully understand what it is.
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So what is ASMR?
The “ASMR” phenomenon can be defined as that strange but sweet sensation that “runs” from your head, down your back, to the tips of your hands, and is usually created by strange, insignificant sound triggers, such as when someone whispers next to your ear, or while you brush your hair. The feeling is described as a tingling sensation that starts at the crown of the head, which can spread to the neck and extremities. This sensation comes in waves and is an exciting “trance-like” state accompanied by feelings of euphoria and relaxation. When watching certain videos or listening to certain sounds, viewers of ASMR videos report a pleasure that runs down the spine and reaches the feet, a sensation similar to but stronger than meditation.
Interest in ASMR has skyrocketed in the past decade since the term was coined. What started as a short whispering video on YouTube in 2009has now gone viral. ASMR creators – so-called “ASMRtists” – are racking up millions of views on their videos.
What do these videos show?
The answer is “a lot.” ASMRtists have created a wide variety of videos across all platforms that cover almost every sound imaginable. Here are some examples of what you might see: Someone whispering sweet, calm words while looking at the viewer, a woman combing or cutting someone else’s hair, someone folding towels, leafing through magazines, playing with toys, crumpling plastic, a cat eating its can, and even hearing the sound of rain. A wide variety of calm, simple, and everyday activities that are recorded with professional cameras and high-sensitivity microphones can be characterized as ASMR, lasting from several minutes to an hour and magnetizing the viewer into sleepy relaxation. Some people get the characteristic ticklish sensation watching videos of people eating (a lot of) food or toys being crushed in steel crushers, videos of make-up tutorials, Chinese calligraphy and gourmet pastry.
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A well-known “mistaken” ASMRtist is the painter Bob Ross. Surely at some point in your life you have watched with great pleasure as Ross placed a tree here, a holly there, a cloud over there – this is exactly the feeling that fans of these videos seek.
Psychologists who have studied this phenomenon have found that the elements that mainly trigger this response are whispering and the impression of personal address or care, as the announcer/ASMRtist looks into the eyes (through the screen) of the viewer, thus creating a sense of security and altruistic concern for the viewer.
Naturally, ASMR videos have not gone unnoticed by marketing executives at major companies . Actress Zoë Kravitz whispered while promoting Michelob Ultra beer at the 2019 Super Bowl. Additionally, IKEA , in an ad for its bedroom products, featured a pair of hands slowly and calmly folding sheets, producing ambient sounds for 25 minutes. The Japanese Pokemon channel uploaded two ASMR videos, where Charmander sleeps peacefully by the fire and Chespin eats colorful treats. Even new pop personality Billie Eilish uses ASMR sounds in her music.
Someone said that perhaps these videos function as a means of managing the pressing and uncontrollably hurried everyday life of our time, in the same way that science fiction distracted the mind from the hazy reality of the Cold War and reconciled it, through the alien threat, with the idea of an external danger. In the same way, ASMR videos, beyond the blissful peace of mind they create, familiarize us with the idea of static time that does not chase us and of being cared for by someone else, things that tend to be lost in the era of narcissistic competition and alienation.
Many different subcategories of the broader ASMR genre have emerged . In general, ASMR videos can fall into several categories, with some of the most popular being whispering, gentleness, tapping, head scratching, incomprehensible speech, and playroles . However, you can find an ASMR video for almost anything you search for on the Internet . There are also various microphones and audio settings that can change the way the sound is transmitted to the listener. All of this helps to turn the most ordinary objects or tasks into full sensory experiences through sound and movement.
As we mentioned previously, the “ASMR” phenomenon has gained immense popularity in recent years, with more and more YouTubers uploading such content.
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Top 5 Most Popular ASMRtists
SAS-ASMR is the most popular ASMR Artist. The top five most popular ASMRtists are ASMR Darling, Gibi ASMR, Gentle Whispering ASMR and FrivolousFox ASMR.
SAS-ASMR
SAS-ASMR has over 8.99 million subscribers on its YouTube channel. Here are the biggest ASMR artists on YouTube. If you like ASMR videos where YouTubers eat food, then you will already know SAS. It has been creating MUKBANG videos since 2016 when it joined YouTube.
SAS ASMR Net Worth: Approximately $3 – $7 million per year.
ASMR Darling
ASMR Darling has over 2.51 million subscribers. The girl behind ASMR Darling is “Taylor Darling”, known for roleplay videos . ASMR Darling has been creating videos since 2014.Her videos of makeup, hair brushing and more are still some of the best videos ever made.
ASMR Darling Net Worth: Considering the number of average views and number of subscribers, ASMR Darling's estimated net worth exceeds $900,000 per year.
Gibi ASMR
Gibi ASMR has been gaining a lot of attention in the last year. She has been making videos since 2016, having amassed over 5 billion total views and more than 2.88 million subscribers. She has not revealed her real name for privacy reasons, nor her net worth.
Video type: Gibi is known for her ASMR roleplays, cosplays, and other "crazy" videos.
Gibi ASMR Net Worth: More than $1.3 million annually.
Although she has not disclosed her income, taking into account the average number of viewers per video, combined with YouTube Red and her Patreon account, where users can send her money, it is estimated that she earns more than $1.3 million annually.
Gentle Whispering ASMR
Although there were many such channels before 2011, Gentle Whispering ASMR with its excellent content has gone far ahead of them. She is a Russian-born artist and her real name is Maria Viktorovna. She started her ASMR channel by making whispering videos that attracted a lot of attention.
Gentle Whispering ASMR Net Worth: More than $1.4 million annually.
FrivolousFox ASMR FrivolousFox is an Australian-born ASMR artist whose real name is Lauren . She also hosts ASMR live streams on Twitch under the username frivvifox . She joined YouTube in 2016 and has amassed nearly 1 million subscribers to date . She is best known for her mouth sounds, kissing, and whispering videos .
FrivolousFox ASMR Net Worth: Estimated to be over $1 million annually.
