YouTube is testing out a new feature for artists called Top Fan Videos, giving Official Artist Channels a new way to share exclusive content with their most loyal viewers.
With this feature, artists can upload videos that are only available to their top 1% of viewers, determined by watch time on their channel over the last 28 days. Here’s everything you need to know…
YouTube Top Fan Videos: A New Way to Reward Your Most Loyal Fans
What Are Top Fan Videos?
Top Fan Videos are exclusive videos artists can create for their most loyal supporters on YouTube. These can be anything you want to share with your top fans on YouTube.
For example:
- “Thank You” & Personal Messages: Direct, friendly videos thanking top fans for their loyalty. e.g., an artist might say, “I just want to thank you for being my Top fan on YouTube”.
- Behind-the-Scenes Footage: Sharing exclusive, “casual” clips from the road during a tour, or the set of a music video shoot.
- Alternate Versions: Giving top fans a first listen to alternate mixes of popular songs.
- Surprise Drops & Pre-Release Teasers: Sending an exclusive promotional message to alert top fans about an upcoming release, a secret show, or a surprise drop before the general public.
- Exclusive Events Invitations: Invite Top Fans to exclusive events, share sign-up links or venues, and access code information.
The feature is designed to help artists reward fans who consistently spend time watching their content. Instead of sharing a video publicly, artists can choose a new “Top fans” visibility setting during upload, making that video available only to their top viewers.
For fans, this creates a more personal experience. For artists, it adds a simple way to recognize and connect with the people who are already showing up the most.
How It Works for Artists
Artists with an Official Artist Channel will see Top fans as a new option in the Visibility step when uploading a video. This appears alongside other visibility options like private, unlisted, and public.
From there, artists can:
- Select Top fans during the upload process on desktop or mobile.
- Change or remove the Top fans visibility setting later from the video details page.
- Manage published Top Fan Videos in the channel content hub, where “Top fans” will appear in the Visibility column.
How Do Fans See These Videos?
Eligible top fans will be notified when they unlock an exclusive video. Depending on their settings, fans may see:
- A push notification if they have notifications turned on.
- A notification in their YouTube inbox.
- A special promotion in their YouTube Home Feed letting them know they’ve unlocked an exclusive Top Fan Video from the artist.
When watching the video, fans will also see a badge identifying it as a top fan exclusive. If they tap the badge, YouTube will show more information about the video and why they have access.
Top fans can also comment on exclusive videos. If they do, their top fan status may be visible to others in the comments section. YouTube will show users a disclosure before they post so they know their status may be shown.
This adds another layer of recognition for fans who are part of that top viewer group.
Why This Matters for Artists
For artists focused on building stronger fan relationships, this is a small feature with a clear purpose: give your biggest YouTube supporters something just for them. ✨
If someone is consistently watching your videos, spending time on your channel, and keeping up with your content, Top Fan Videos could give you an easy way to acknowledge that without asking them to join another platform or sign up for anything extra.
It also gives artists a simple way to make exclusive content feel more personal. A quick thank-you video, behind-the-scenes clip, unreleased preview, or special update can go a long way when it’s shared with the people who are already most engaged.
