Update + please vote in the Song vs. Song poll

I’m just here for One Hit Wonderland and TrainWreckords. I started biking to work last year and the only songs I knew in the top 10s were ones you reviewed, lol.

Sarah Schumm

I’ll admit it, I am one of those folks that loves your top 10 lists. Each year, there’s always some moment that comes when January is around the corner where I remember “Oh yeah, Todd’s going to have his top 10s soon!” You’re a victim of your own talent. But I hope they aren’t a destructive drain on your passion and motivation. Content you make will always be better when you enjoy making it. If you end up changing the format, or even not doing any kind of top 10 at some point, you can rest assured that even us top 10 super-fans will understand. We’re here for your eloquence and creativity, whatever form it takes.

WolfRising

Todd, you know we'd all still love you even if all you did was sit at home doing nothing but flicking V's. Which obviously you're much too talented and brilliant to limit yourself to. Big-time appreciation from Vienna.

Albert Farkas

Frankly I couldn’t care less about the top 10’s because I don’t listen to top 40 radio. It all sounds like garbage to me. I’m just waiting for more Trainrecords and 70-90’s one-hit wonders.

Is there a way you can get some of the income/views from the Top 10 without having to do the whole thing every year? A top 5, doing a top and bottom 5 in one video, etc?

Katherine Elmore

Seconding others here to say that we really appreciate you and don't want you to be miserable. I get that the Top 10 lists are great for views (and I love them enough to rewatch all of them about once a year as comfort food), but the timing doesn't matter to me. If there was one in late Jan, other videos in between, and the other in like March, and you got to enjoy the holidays more, I say go for it. Hope people leave you the hell alone about this on Twitter.

Ignifer

Personally, if you stopped doing the top tens altogether, I'd be totally fine with it.

user no. g_{64}

I like your top 10's because they are excellent wrap ups of the year, but you definitely have the skills to do it in different format as well. Maybe something like Good trends/Bad trends, Moments to Remember or Acts of the year.

Reena Setälä

Your happiness is our happiness! I'd rather you make something you enjoy and feel interested in instead of feeling miserable doing the lists. If you still wanted to do some kind of yearly roundup you could try something less formatted that would allow you to step outside of the list box. Either way, do what makes YOU happy, and if that means dropping the lists then do it. I'd love to see what else you might have in store!!

Todd you beautiful human, take as long as you need and know that whatever decision you make on continuing the lists or stopping them we support you

Comet

I love ya dude and I'm sorry it's stressing ya out. I'm down to workshop with ya tho cuz yeah 😅 I love your top 10's, best part of your channel. Like what of you changed up the parameters or something. Doesn't have to be EVERY song that cracked the hot 100, just the yearly end.

Jeremy Tyler

Sorry it's such a bummer to do. If you feel like you had to drop it, that's totally understandable. Sucks that we're all chasing the dollar.

KBucky

We appreciate you thinking of us, and we think of you, too! I patreon cuz I like ALL of your content so if it ever becomes too miserable, please make sure to take a break from the top ten lists, it's okay! But I get that the top ten lists are hard to let go due to [money] and [ppl love them a lot] so fwiw, I think it's okay if you did like a top 5 or maybe a different category like top 5 artists you think we should look out for cuz I imagine that gives you a little more freedom. People just like lists, even if its not the top 10 songs of 202X. Either way, I think it's worth it to at least experiment and try something else for a change, if it'll make you happier. Love you, Todd, hope you can finish soon and get back to the fun stuff!! I look forward to it.

Celi

Yeah, you can definitely stop doing the top ten if you want and you'll still have lots of support. If you wanted a year end recap video, anything that's easier for you works for us. Maybe just a rambling video discussing like and dislikes, or maybe a mock awards show called The Shadows where you discuss nominees and winners of categories you choose.

i agree you can stop--but if you don't want to, alternatively, would it help to do just an arbitrary number (less than 10) instead? or a non-numbered summary of the year (good and bad)?

surasshu

I'm going to agree with everyone else and say that I don't like seeing my favourite creators being made miserable. I hear that the algorithm is pushing for YouTubers to contribute to Shorts, so maybe you could swap them out for running short updates on a Best/Worst song for that week?

Another patron saying that I think it would be fine to stop doing top 10s if it’s that stressful. I love your deep dives way more and find them so interesting and well done - they fill the hole that early 00s VH1 Behind the Music left in my heart - I’ve rewatched most of them, which I rarely do on YouTube.

Lauren Wilde

Another in the chorus for stopping the 10 lists if they suck that bad for you. I know metrics might say otherwise.

Greg Walters

I’d love for you to not being doing top 10 lists. And it’s a shame how they are so popular and well performing that you can’t not

M Bresnahan

Hey Todd, I Love your work so much. I want you to be happy with what you do so you feel inclined to make content for many years. If that means no more top 10 lists, this is one patron who would understand the sacrifice.

Hi Todd! As someone who's been watching your videos for ages, I always appreciate the dedication and care you put into your work - I'd rather you focus on what is most fulfilling for you. My favorite videos are the One Hit Wonderlands and Trainwreckords ones, I've rewatched them multiple times and always find something new or interesting out of them. Please don't feel like you need to burn yourself out for us. 💜

Mia Dallas

Here’s an unwarranted suggestion: instead of top 10 maybe you could do a ramble type video where you talk about songs from the year that you liked and disliked

Andrew Lenahan

A Dose of Buckley switched to giving out "awards" (positive and negative) last year in place of a list, and it worked pretty well. It gave him more room to focus on whatever aspect of music that year that interested him.

Specter Koen

Im sure i'm joing the choir on this but i would be more then ok to see more time put into videos you care about. Truthfully, i do love hearing about what music you are enjoying currently, but the podcast has sort of helped fill that niche. The videos i truly love our OHW and Trainwreckords, and would be more then ok if you stopped doing the lists. Obviously it also has to do with numbers and given how hard im sure it is to even make money on your videos through YT's ad system and winning the battle against the algorithm, i cant blame you for pressing on, but all of your work year-round is appreciated here.

Adam Nelson

Thanks for telling us how you're feeling <3 I love the top ten lists but if they're causing you pain, I think you should take at least next year off doing them, if not longer or forever. You're my favorite YouTuber and I would hate to lose you because you're burned out making something you don't enjoy. I will continue to rewatch old top ten videos, old one-hit-wonderlands, and old trainwreckords once or twice a year as well as whatever else new you make that you actually want to make!! Please take care <3

Kay

TBH, Todd, you should for sure feel free to stop if you don't enjoy it. If I recall correctly, the only top 10s I ever anticipated were when you looked back at older years and showed off all the shitty tracks that somehow were hits. And if you did those again, they could just be showases and not top tens.

Blair (Rinzler)

hey todd, i just want you to know that i’ve been watching all your videos for almost 10 years, you’re one of the best youtubers i’ve ever seen and you’ve shaped my music taste. it really sucks to hear that you’re not happy making the formulaic top 10 videos, and i really hope your motivation problems are cleared up once the video’s done. if it means anything, the trainwreckords series, and any of your videos about forgotten musical history, i think are definitely the best of your videos, the ones that i recommend to friends and the ones that set you apart from every other critic. as top 10 lists become less relevant as time goes on, depending on the views these ones get, maybe it’s worth phasing them out? they’re not your most important videos and especially if you hate making them and they don’t make much more money (especially given the fact they take twice as long), maybe you should phase them out next year? whatever you do, i hope you do what’s best for you, you’re a fucking incredible content creator and i get so excited every time you upload

Stefan Ristic

Honestly, if you hate doing them so much then you really should stop. I enjoy them but no more than the rest of your videos (and personally my favorites are the one hit wonderlands and trainwreckords). Yeah they're neat little pop culture artifacts for that particular year, but it's just not worth the stress and burnout. Especially when you're other videos are just as enjoyable, if not more so. I can't speak for everyone who supports you on patreon, but lord knows I'm not going anywhere if this was the last year with them. You're a great creator and you should do what you want to do. We're here because we love the voice your videos are written and edited with, regardless of the particular subject matter.

Devin Brewer

Hang in there Todd. I would also understand if you stopped the top 10 lists; I enjoy all your videos regardless of the style. You have an amazing gift for criticism and comedy that is much appreciated!!

Summer Woods

To be honest, I'm sure that it's budget pop-psy but even without (waves out window) all this, this time of the year is when it's really understandable to be at your lowest ebb. It may be "The most wonderful time of ... whatever" for some people, but for others it's just energy sapping. I wish I had a better answer for you more than it now just being you feeling "New Year, New Meh" vibes.

Paul McA

honestly i know like you said they are heavy hitters but if there’s another format for the end of the year videos that isn’t so arduous than try that or just stop. I think i speak for a lot of people when I saw we’d rather you be happy about what you’re making and not dread it.

Will E.

Hang in there bud. Love your content and we’d all understand if you stopped the lists.

Ian Stolmeier

As much as I enoy the Top 10s, I just want to watch what you want to make. Hope everything else goes smoothly!

Trevor

Sorry the Top 10 are so miserable to do. FWIW, you do an excellent job with them and I'd never even suspect that you hated them.

NYC Pigeon

I would understand if this was the last year you did the lists. I enjoy them but I don’t want to be the reason a creator has a burnout and I’m sure several agree. We love you and support you no matter what and we would all watch whatever you put out because of your enthusiasm and passion. Put yourself first and know we will always support and love you.

I’m cool with you stopping the top 10 lists if they cause that much pain for you.

KHMakerD