Top 5 most popular ASMR channels on YouTube
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a genre of content designed to induce relaxation and subjective euphoria. Whether you’re an ASMR veteran or simply intrigued by the idea, we’ve broken down the top 5 most popular ASMR YouTube channels.
Typically characterized through a tingling sensation that starts near the scalp, ASMR provides a passive sense of ‘brain massage’. The phenomena initially gained traction in 2010 and snowballed into a trend that is now safeguarded by its own corner of the internet, where it is lapped-up by fans of the sedative technique worldwide.
Known as ‘ASMRtists’, content creators typically post their ASMR–triggering videos to YouTube to intentionally stimulate the soothing effects associated with the practice. Given that ASMR has exploded into its own genre, here are the top five most popular channels on YouTube as of October 2019, filtered by subscriber count.
Bob Ross arguably coined a genre from unintentionally inducing the effects of ASMR in his videos.5. Gentle Whispering ASMR (1.76 million subscribers)
One of the original ASMRtists, Maria ‘Gentle Whispering’ Viktorovna is a Russian practitioner who paved her way into the scene through her sleep aid videos. Viktorovna also simulates different roles in her videos, from a masseuse to a librarian in an effort to change the pace from video to video.
Having taken to ASMR after experiencing depression following a divorce, Maria gives a sense of tranquility in her videos to elicit a calming sense of well-being — thus seeing her channel reach almost 670 million views since its inception. Viktorovna also boasts a second channel which gives a ‘behind the scenes’ into the ASRMtist’s life.
4. ASMR PPOMO (1.93 million subscribers)
PPOMO is a Korean ASMRtist who initially started in 2013 by posting gaming content. Now exclusively publishing ASMR videos, PPOMO practices relaxing techniques in a bid to induce those all-important forty winks. Staying true to her roots, PPOMO now posts gaming and technology content to her second channel.
Her most popular video showcases various scalp massaging and hair brushing techniques through the use of her hands, brushes and shampoo.
3. Gibi ASMR (2.26 million subscribers)
Having gained over 2 million subscribers in her short tenure as an ASMRtist, Gibi ASMR sits just behind Darling on the list. Known for her soft-spoken roleplay and makeup videos, Gibi ventured into the genre as someone who absorbed content to alleviate her recurring sleep issues, before deciding to post her own take on her YouTube and Twitch channel.
Gibi also has a strong passion for cosplay, something that is reflected in the creation of characters which she uses during her roleplay videos.
2. ASMR Darling (2.42 million subscribers)
Taylor ‘ASMR Darling’ Darling, started ASMRing back in 2014. Popularized by her use of ear-to-ear whispering, Darling specializes in sleep-related ASMR that is achieved through various noises (such as whispering, tapping and scratching).
Having developed a following on YouTube, Taylor decided to expand her horizons in 2016 by showcasing her other hobbies through vlogging and gaming on her second channel.
1. SAS-ASMR (7.84 million subscribers)
Specializing in food-related ASMR, SAS-ASMR currently ranks as the number one ASMRtist in the community by some margin. Having become renowned for her ‘mukbang’ shows (where people indulge in a copious amount of food), SAS also reaches her large following on her vlog channel, where she typically posts challenge video featuring her family and friends.
SAS’ most popular video has amassed over 39 million views, which shows her eating an “extremely sticky” honeycomb for over 12 minutes.
While the scientific support behind the use of ASMR is somewhat lackluster, it is evident that the notion has captivated a huge (and still growing) audience. Plenty of anecdotal evidence surrounding the benefits – alongside an ever-expanding fanbase – suggests that ASMR is here to stay.