YouTube Introduces New Scrolling Experience through 'Charts' Algorithm
YouTube has officially retired its Trending page and the "Trending Now" list as of July 2025, replacing them with a new system called YouTube Charts. This change reflects the platform's response to evolving online trends, which are now more niche-driven and diverse, making a single trending list less relevant.
The new YouTube Charts system presents dynamic, category-focused rankings such as Trending Music Videos, Weekly Top Podcast Shows, and Trending Movie Trailers. This change aims to help users find popular content within specific categories rather than through a generalized list.
In addition to the Charts, YouTube is introducing several new features to aid creators in understanding audience consumption patterns and promoting their content more effectively.
The YouTube Studio will feature an "Inspiration" tab, offering creators personalized insights and ideas to spot emerging trends and the "next big thing" for their channel. Another feature, called "Hype", allows viewers to amplify new videos they like, boosting discoverability. Artists on the rise will also have a dedicated spot on the Music Explore page to help new musicians gain more visibility.
These new features emphasize transparency and fairness, similar to the previous Trending algorithm, which balanced viral potential with content appropriateness, excluded paid promotion, and ensured diversity of creators. However, now this is more granular by category, likely providing better opportunities for niche creators to gain exposure within their specific audiences.
Users will still be able to see their personalized recommendations alongside non-personalized general content in the traditional Explore menu or through their subscription feed. The existing Gaming Trending page will remain separately maintained to cater to the unique behavior of gaming audiences.
The new YouTube Charts and features, including the Inspiration tab and Hype feature, are expected to take effect in the coming weeks. This shift towards category-specific rankings is a significant step in better matching how people discover trending content today.
The shift towards category-specific rankings on YouTube Charts, such as Trending Music Videos and Weekly Top Podcast Shows, reflects the platform's aim to cater to users seeking popular content within specific niches, rather than generalized trends. In addition, the new Inspiration tab in YouTube Studio will help creators spot emerging trends and the "next big thing" for their channel, while the Hype feature allows viewers to amplify new videos they like, potentially increasing their discoverability.
