Top 20 Old YouTubers in 2024: ‘OG’ YouTubers

Today, a few old YouTubers were among the first stars on this platform. These OG YouTubers are pioneers in making money from their online channels by creating content about anything they like. 

In 2005, when YouTube started, it became one of the first chances for online creators to make money from YouTube content. There are lots of YouTubers who have become popular on YouTube and then faded away, and different trends have appeared and disappeared. But, many fans really miss the early days of YouTube and the creators who were famous back then.

So, if you’re a brand owner looking for old famous YouTubers for your influencer marketing or a fan who has been nostalgic for the creators who shaped a huge part of your childhood, This article is for you! Here we’ll provide a list of old YouTubers you forgot about!

Let’s get started!

The List of Old & Nostalgic YouTubers 

In 2024, YouTube has been around for 19 years, influencing the childhood memories of two generations, Millennials and Gen Z. In this section, we’ll offer a list of old YouTubers from old gaming YouTubers to old beauty YouTubers.

1. Smosh – (@smosh)

• 26.7 Million subscribers

Even if you didn’t like Smosh’s videos, most people on YouTube knew they had a big impact. Anthony Padilla started a website called smosh.com in 2002, and later he and his friend Ian Hecox joined YouTube. They were known for making comedy and entertaining videos.

Anthony played a big part in making the Smosh YouTube channel popular. But in 2017, he left, and new people started showing up in their videos. Just before VidCon, Anthony and Ian announced that they were getting the Smosh channel back. Some viewers really liked the original members, but everything changed as people left, and new ones were replaced. Now, the channel has 26.5 million followers.

They upload videos almost once a week, and they get thousands of views the moment they are posted. If you want to get to know them better and learn how they became YouTubers, you should watch their oldest videos, which are from 18 years ago.

2. Mathew Tyler Oakley – (@TylerOakley)

• 6.71 Million subscribers.

Most old YouTubers eventually return to YouTube after dropping it for a while. The same happened to Mathew Tyler Oakley as well. Tyler Oakley, a 35-year-old American YouTuber, actor, activist, and author, is known for his work supporting LGBTQ youth and social issues. He was one of the older YouTubers you forgot about and who left the platform three years ago.

He uploaded a video and explained everything about why he was leaving three years ago, and then a year later, he came back with another video explaining that nothing bad had really happened to him and that he was alive.

Mathew started his YouTube channel in 2007, and over time, he built a large family on the platform. With millions of views, he connected with fans by sharing his culture and humor. Before he shut his account three years ago, he used to post fun videos about everything. Now that he’s back, his sense of humor has returned as well. He loves cheering up his audience with his creativity.

3. Ryan Higa – (@ryanhiga)

• 20.9 Million subscribers

If you’re looking for old nostalgic YouTubers, Ryan Higa is a name you can’t miss! Ryan Higa is one of the old popular YouTubers, American comedians, and actors. He goes by the username NigaHiga on YouTube. Ryan is famous for making funny videos, and they’ve been watched more than 3 billion times. 

From 2009 to 2011, this funny YouTuber had the most subscribers on YouTube, second only to PewDiePie. Currently, he has more than 20 million subscribers. While he still makes videos on his main channel, he has also broadened his content and launched a new channel called HigaTV.

Now, let’s explore some old Minecraft YouTubers below!

4. Adam Dahlberg – (@SkyDoesShorts)

• 10.9 Million subscribers

Adam Dahlberg is one of the old popular Minecraft YouTubers, a video game commentator, and a former YouTube animator. His fame began with Minecraft videos, where he called the gold ingot ‘budder’ and expressed a strong dislike for squids in the game. 

At Minecon 2013, he performed a Minecraft parody song called ‘New World.’ In addition to his gaming content, he is a musician named NetNobody. He played a significant role in popularizing the ‘budder’ trend and squids-hating in Minecraft, making him a favorite among both young Gen-Z and older Minecraft players. He currently boasts over 10 million subscribers on his YouTube channel!

Additionally, Adam has not been very active as a YouTuber; his most recent post was three years ago and has gained over 800K views.

Now, let’s look at one of the old Fortnite Youtubers who has the most subscribed YouTube channel among the Fortnite community!

5. Richard Tyler Blevins – (@Ninja)

• 23.8 Million subscribers

With his energetic gaming style and fierce Fortnite skills, Ninja stands out as one of the most popular and old gaming YouTubers and Twitch streamers. He’s famous for playing Fortnite on platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Ninja has a massive following, with 19 million fans on Twitch and almost 24 million subscribers on YouTube. 

He’s a big deal in the Fortnite community and holds the record for the most subscribers on YouTube in that gaming niche.

6. Joseph Michael Graceffa Jr. –(@JoeyGraceffa)

• 9.38 Million subscribers

Ready to meet one of the most nostalgic YouTubers? Joseph Gracía is a 33-year-old YouTuber who has several channels, each focused on specific content. He has a main account with 9.39 million subscribers, along with gaming, vlogging, and reaction channels.

In his main channel, all you will see is his love for dogs and puppies. He makes vlogs and videos about how he spends his life with his 10 huskies. From their playful challenges to their growing process and the bad things that happen to them, he has them all on tape.
This gaming YouTuber has a mix of fun content, like vlogs, lifestyle tips, animal videos, social experiments, and more for everyone, including the LGBTQ community! If you are a pet lover who enjoys videos about dogs and cats, interesting vlogs, and a variety of gaming tips, this channel is perfect for you!

7. Blair Fowler – (@juicystar07)

• 1.65 Million subscribers

From sharing makeup tips to inspiring young women with her beauty tutorials, Blair Fowler, also known as juicystar07, was one of the old beauty YouTubers and lifestyle influencers, who began her channel in 2008. Many young women learned from her how to style their hair and apply makeup. After more than ten years of making videos, she stopped in 2020. In July, Fowler returned to YouTube and said she wanted to make videos again. 

This female YouTuber shares updated makeup routines and her morning and nighttime routines. She also hoped that filming room tours of her new house would motivate her to finish decorating. Funny! The old YouTuber didn’t respond to requests for comments. Fans were excited about her possible comeback and talked about how much she influenced them as an early influencer.

Now that she is back, she posts makeup and fashion content for her fans every month. When it comes to old makeup YouTubers, the name of Jeffree Star is the first one!

8. Jeffree Star (@jeffreestar)

• 15.7 Million subscribers

With a vibrant personality and a flair for creativity, Jeffree Star is more than just an old YouTuber, he’s also dabbled in music, acting, and cosmetics, and has been a successful entrepreneur overall. People really like Jeffree for his personality and content, making him one of the most beloved old makeup YouTubers.

Jeffree began his YouTube channel in 2006, and now, he has over 15 million subscribers. Furthermore, he owns Jeffree Star Cosmetics, a makeup brand that sells over $100 million of products annually.

Let’s introduce one of the old YouTubers you forgot about!

9. Lucas Cruikshank (@Fred)

• 3.37 Million subscribers

When you refer to the old days of YouTube, there was a popular and energetic YouTuber named FRED, also known as Lucas Cruikshank. FRED was a fictional character played by Lucas, and he became famous in the early years of YouTube. Lucas decided to retire the character in 2013 because he couldn’t do the unique FRED voice anymore. Besides YouTube, FRED also gained exposure on Nickelodeon.

Starting in 2008, FRED was a big deal on YouTube, and whether you liked him or not, he became a significant part of 2000s nostalgia. Lucas even made a trilogy of FRED movies from 2010 to 2012. Although he’s not as popular as he used to be, FRED remains a well-known name on YouTube, leaving a lasting impression on millions of people. The last video on the FRED channel was posted several years ago, but his impact is something many won’t forget.

Right now, Lucas is still active on YouTube and creates fun videos at least once a week. His videos are as cool as when he first started, even though there have been many new YouTubers in his niche. He gets thousands of views whenever he posts content.

10.Charlie McDonnell (@charlieissocoollike)

• 2.1 Million subscribers

From the moment Charlie McDonnell, known as Charlieissocoollike, stepped onto the YouTube scene, she made history as the first British YouTuber to reach more than 2 million subscribers She started making videos in 2007, where she did sketches and created ‘Fun Science’ videos. In 2019, she left YouTube to concentrate on writing for the screen.

In October 2022, McDonnell shared on Instagram that she is a transgender woman and prefers to be referred to using she and they pronouns. In a video in January, she talked about her experience of coming out and how YouTube played a role in that journey. Now that she’s done that, she mentioned feeling positive about returning to YouTube because she can now show her authentic self on the platform. 

She deleted all of her posts on YouTube and kept only two in which she fully transformed into a female. She explained about the clues of her being transgender and then stopped posting after that, but she is still active on Twitch. That video gained over 500k views.

11. Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg (@PewDiePie)

• 110 Million subscribers

Imagine being the star of YouTube for nearly six years, holding the title of the platform’s most-subscribed creator. Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg is an old popular YouTuber known for his Let’s Play videos and Vlogs. He held the record for the most subscribers on YouTube for almost 6 years, but Mr. Beast has now surpassed him with 327 million subscribers. As of March 2023, PewDiePie has nearly 110 million subscribers.

In January 2017, PewDiePie made a significant change in his content and attitude with a video titled ‘Forced Positivity.’ In the video, he honestly discussed the topic, admitting his own mistakes and weaknesses with self-awareness and humility. Now he’s focusing on Comedy, Reaction Videos, Meta-Commentary, and Satire, with less emphasis on Gaming content.

12. Mark Edward Fischbach (@markiplier)

• 37 Million subscribers

He’s one of the old gaming YouTubers who is famous for his cheerful and fun personality in his videos. While he mainly makes videos about video games, over time, he started to show a more genuine side of himself. People really like Markiplier’s friendly personality and the endless entertainment in his videos.

His YouTube channel has more than 36 million subscribers and features over 5,000 videos for viewers to enjoy. Markiplier started his YouTube channel in 2012, and from the beginning, his videos have always been pretty funny. Even though he now makes different types of content, he hasn’t changed the entertaining personality that fans have come to appreciate.

Check out his channel and enjoy!

The List of Old YouTubers over 30

By now, we’ve introduced top experienced and old YouTubers who started sharing videos from YouTube’s early days. Now, it’s time to explore the senior and the oldest YouTubers by the age who also created their channel back to the beginning of the platform.

13. Judy Graham (@knittingtipsbyjudy)

• 59.2K subscribers

From everything you could imagine a grandma could be, being a YouTuber would seem the least of the options.

Judy is an 80-year-old knitting enthusiast who runs the YouTube channel ‘knittingtipsbyjudy’. He started sharing her knitting expertise on November 23, 2007 and is still active with a growing fan base of over 58K subscribers.

She has been knitting since she was 13 and even owns a successful company, Topaz Knitwear, known for creating knitted clothing for celebrities and popular shows. Judy’s journey into YouTube began when her son wrote about seniors using the internet and social media.

Right now, our lovely grandma hasn’t really been active, and her last post is from 10 months ago. While her fans are worried about her health condition, her audience is still growing.

14. Casey Owen Neistat –(@casey)

• 12.6 Million subscribers

If you’re a fan of adventure vlogs that reveal hidden places and facts around New York City, you’re going to love this. Casey Owen Neistat is a 43-year-old with a wide range of work, from being a YouTuber and filmmaker to a vlogger and entrepreneur. He does it all.

Casey has used his YouTube channel to creatively highlight social issues and the odd places of city life. In one of his latest videos, he created a video about “New York City’s Controversial Fire Hydrant Fish Pond,” showing people and interacting with them through humor and laughter.

Neistat posts videos every couple of months, and thanks to his popularity, the moment he posts them, he gets millions of views. Those millions of views are just for 5 to 12-minute videos, and his videos are not that long.

15. Shirley Curry (@ShirleyCurryTheOlderGamer)

• 1.31 Million subscribers

Shirley Curry is 88 years old and has a YouTube channel under her name. As one of the oldest YouYubers, she started uploading videos on July 8, 2015, and she is still active. Her first video showcased pictures from her holiday at Cedar Hill, but it was the second video, a Let’s Play of Skyrim, that brought her fame with 1.4 million views.

Her channel has gained over one million subscribers. Although she initially focused on Skyrim, Shirley now plays various games with good 3D graphics and realistic human characters. This old YouTuber uploads several videos each week, and her channel continues to grow in popularity.

As an 88-year-old YouTuber, she is quite active. She usually posts twice a week, often recording herself playing games to create content for her audience.

16. Elizabeth Shaila Koshy –(@lizakoshy)

• 16.8 Million subscribers

Although she is mostly known as a YouTuber, Elizabeth is also a skilled actress. Like many other OG YouTubers, she started her career on Vine. After that platform shut down, she moved on YouTube, continuing to grow her audience.

Elizabeth Shaila Koshy, nicknamed “Lizzza,” is a YouTuber, media personality, and actress from Texas. Our cowgirl here became known on YouTube for her comedic spirit and insight on serious issues.

Like every other important social media creator, she faced some social problems. In 2020, she faced criticism after some old videos came to light where she used Asian accents in a bad offensive way. She posts every few months, and her last video is about a tour of her closet, which is not bad after disappearing for a month.

17. Peter Oakley (@geriatric1927)

• 105K subscribers

Peter Oakley, an 87-year-old man from England, started a YouTube channel called geriatric1927 in 2006. Even though he is no longer active, his videos are still popular. Peter shared stories from his life, especially about his experiences during the war and his younger days. His first video, uploaded on August 5, 2006, has over 3.2 million views.

Unfortunately, he passed away from cancer on March 23, 2014. Despite his absence, people still watch his videos, and he is remembered as the grandfather of the Internet.

18. Tim Rowett (@grandillusions)

• 2.07 Million subscribers

Tim Rowett, who is 73 years old, runs a YouTube channel called Grand Illusions. He is one of the old YouTubers who started uploading videos on July 9, 2008, and he’s still active. 

Tim has been collecting cool and unusual toys for over 30 years, and his channel is all about showcasing these quirky games and fascinating trinkets from his collection.

In Tim’s videos, he introduces a toy, demonstrates how it works, and often explains its features. One of his most popular videos is called ‘Tim Whistles,’ where he showcases some unique whistles in interesting shapes. Grand Illusions has over 2M subscribers. Tim usually uploads a new video at least once a week.

19. Rosanna Jeanne Reardon –(@RosannaPansino)

• 14.6 Million subscribers

While most people believe Asians never age, sometimes women like Rosanna seem ageless as well, becoming even more beautiful and youthful with each passing year. At 39 years old, Rosanna Jeanne Reardon is an old generation YouTuber, actress, author, businesswoman, and singer. She is the definition of unstoppable.

Rose started her YouTube channel in 2010 after friends constantly told her to become a camera person. Her baking videos quickly gained popularity, which inspired her to create the Nerdy Nummies series. Although she had to choose between acting and YouTube, she decided to stick with her channel, even when she wasn’t making any money at first.

She creates content in a humorous way, with laughter, and loves to try new things in front of the camera. Alongside that, this old YouTuber loves nostalgic stuff and buys them to see if they really work. Rossana now has more than 14 million subscribers and over 1 billion views. She posts every few days, and her videos gain millions of views for each piece of content.

20. Lill Droniak (@thiskidneedsmedicine)

• 515K subscribers

An 87-year-old woman named Lill Droniak, also known as Grandma Lill, is part of a YouTube channel called Kevin and Lill. They make vlogs and reaction videos together, with Lill’s grandson Kevin handling the filming, editing, and uploading.

The channel started on October 7, 2011, with Kevin posting the first video. Lill joined the channel a year later in a car vlog, and their popularity soared between 2013 and 2014 due to Grandma Lill’s funny personality and their close relationship. 

Right now, they are not active anymore, and their last video is from three years ago. While they are no longer active, their family on YouTube is still growing.

Note: If you want to find and collaborate with old YouTubers to promote your brand, here’s an all-in-one influencer marketing platform that helps you out. Let’s break down its features for you. 

Ainfluencer: The Best Influencer Marketing Platform

With every older generation of YouTubers we’ve told you about, as a brand, you might want to know a way to collaborate with them. Based on their subscriber numbers, you might guess how professional they are, and what your brand will need is a professional marketplace to arrange everything for you. If you’re on Shopify, you’ll have a head start connecting with these creators easily.

Ainfluencre is a completely free marketplace that connects Shopify users with over 1 million active influencers on Instagram and TikTok.

With Ainfluencer, you can easily create great content and reach more people on popular social channels like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Our smart AI tool helps you find the right influencers for your brand, so you can make deals directly with them. Plus, Ainfluencer’s Escrow system and support center keep your money safe throughout the whole process.

Using Ainfluencer, you have complete control and can easily:

• Create Unlimited Campaigns: Start as many campaigns as you want, at no cost.
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• Get Unlimited Proposals: Receive proposals from different influencers without paying anything.
• Close Unlimited Deals: Finalize collaboration agreements without any extra charges.
• Unlimited Content Creation: Have influencers create and share as much content as you need for free.

As you explore the platform, you’ll find even more exciting options. If you want to discover what else is available and become a part of our community.

Conclusion

Considering that YouTube has been around since 2005, you can see how much early YouTubers have evolved. The old YouTubers became important figures in the community and left a lasting impact on the platform. Though some of these YouTubers may no longer be active, their impact is still felt on the platform, and some of them are often called the grandma and grandpa of the internet. This article will highlight 20 old popular YouTubers in different niches from gaming to beauty and makeup.

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