Back in 2018, I started making fun, silly YouTube reaction videos. I was bored, missing my fiends, missing sharing music and crucially missing the conversation around music. Of course I’d come across the phenomenon of reaction videos on YouTube first hand and had personally discovered a wealth of new music as a result of them. It was a strange concept to me. Watching a complete stranger probably in a distant part of the world hearing a song for the first time and sharing their emotional responses in real time on camera. Why was I even watching? But the more I watched, the more I wanted to watch, and the more I wanted these familiar but completely alien faces to hear the music that I loved and agree that the tunes they were now hearing were indeed the greatest pieces of music in history! I was hooked.
And then it dawned on me that I could actually have a bit of fun and showcase some of the new music I’d heard as my own reaction videos and present them to my own friends and family. I had a plan, to make a couple of videos and to then move on with my life. It didn’t quite work out like that.
Devin Townsend – The Death Of Music
I really had no idea what I was doing, how to do it or whether my very modest selection of tools was sufficient to produce a YouTube video. I was using the inbuilt webcam on an ancient iMac computer and capturing my voice through a cheap stage mic. The software was Apple’s bundled Photo booth
I chose a Devin Townsend song for my first video. I had never heard of him until maybe a month before I made this video but his incredible talent seemed to be indicative of exactly what in was looking for in new music. It wasn’t the obvious “Kingdom live at EMGTV” that every single reaction channel seems to do. But somehow, this track “The Death Of Music” had totally gotten under my skin. On 10th March 2018, I shot and uploaded my first reaction video. I was terrified. I was terrified of the response I’d get from my friends. I was terrified of the response of YouTube. I was terrified that I’d have a knock at the door from lawyers representing Devin Townsend.
Looking back at this, I think I got completely carried away in the moment and I find watching this now rather cringeworthy! However, we all have to start somewhere. And the emotional response to the song was completely genuine and visceral.
I only ever intended to share the video with about 5 or 6 people, to have a laugh about it and to move on. After all, I was not a YouTube creator, I had a proper job and had never had ambitions to be in front of cameras! Strangely enough, I never got a response one way or the other from my friends.
However, something extraordinary and completely unexpected happened. Complete strangers started to comment on my video. People from all corners of the world. People were interacting with my content and generally saying nice things! I was unsure what to make of it…. Was it a clever joke that I was the butt of and didn’t get? Was I supposed to reply? Should I act on the many kind and informative suggestions?
I took a deep breath, and started replying. The conversation started. Five days later, I made another video….
Jim’s Adventures In Music 
I never “got” reaction videos until a Key of Geebz breakdown for a Tool song showed up in my recommended videos. I clicked more out of curiosity than anything. I spent that entire afternoon watching every Tool video he’d done, then started searching other reaction channels. I was instantly hooked.
Incidentally, that’s how I found your channel. Wings for Marie was the first video of yours that I’d seen and I appreciated that your reaction was somber and respectful of the subject matter. In short order I’d watched all of your other Tool videos and started delving into other rabbit holes as well.
Genuine reaction videos, for me, are a way to regain a bit of that first-time experience of discovering a new song or artist for yourself. After a while it feels like those good old days of sharing new music with your friends; something I don’t feel most adults do much of anymore outside these communities.
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I agree so much about the “good old days of sharing new music….” and that’s exactly why I love doing it so much! Thanks for checking out the blog Craig, thanks for being an indispensable part of my community!
Jim
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Thoughts on listening to reaction channels.
M< very first introduction to reaction channels was Doug Helvering, "The Daily Doug" which someone posted on Facebook, when he reacted to Close To The Edge. He commented on the musical content and structure of the song whilst playing the song, which was both interesting and annoying at the same time (I wanted to hear the music). Once this was on my You Tube feed I was fed to other channels some of which became favourites of mine. Wilburn reactions, Just JP, Nick and Lex, Popenyco, and of course your channel Jim.
What I like about the channels, is I love people reacting to music I know well, for the first time, it is as if I am listening for the first time. I also admire people open minded enough to delve into music before their time.
I'm glad they do, because I'm very much fixed in what I like and don't incorporate much that I have not heard before into my music. Maybe I was fortunate in being a youth at the peak of the best time in music the early 70s. I have liked a few new things on reaction channels but not much I hav gone for.
However, I admire the people, like yourself JIm, who have had the courage to expose yourselves to music online and record yourself doing it. I also admire as well as the reaction experience, how people constantly try to improve their recordings and equipment to improve the enjoyment from the listeners. I admit I listen to music I mostly already know, but I know their many others listening to the other things I haven't listened too. It's a pleasure and honour to listen to music in this way and I thank you JIm for dedicating some of your precious time to this, for the love of music!
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Doug’s channel is awesome. I think his contribution and value is priceless for those wanting to delve deeper into the technicalities of how the music works. I’m certainly glad you also appreciate the more laid back but inquisitive approach that I take, and I’m very glad to curate some of your listening!
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Reaction videos are a funny thing. During lockdown I had nothing to do. I found myself surfing YouTube (as one does). Tripped on an older black lady reacting to Led Zeppelin. I found her amusing, but not enough to sub. But that few videos put a bunch of reactors in my feed Chase, you, Doug, Temple, Geebs, the ginger voice instructors…. You get the idea.
That was a different thing. These folks were watching music new to them and me. They were almost curating new music for me. It allowed me to discover new stuff. THAT became the point. Yes, there was the ability to “hear my music through your eyes”. But it was much more appreciating your taste. And your community taste, that has made a difference.
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Thank you John, I certainly hope that may videos add value and you seem to enjoy the content! The community is the vital component here, and you have recognised that. Long may it continue!
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Going to try this again. If it comes up twice, go ahead and delete this second version…
I discovered reaction videos during the pandemic. The first reactions I came across were the two African American twins, and at first I was really skeptical if such were genuine reactions. But, I enjoyed them for what they were, sharing them on Facebook along with stating my skepticism but admitting I found them entertaining. Many of my friends responded that yes, these were genuine reactions to first time listens, and I devoted more of my time to watching.
I think the first channel I subscribed to were Andy and Alex; but lately I’m finding I’m not enjoying the music they’re choosing, nor their style of reaction. I appreciate them not pausing the music to comment, but I’m getting to where I like comments made over the music, if all the reactor is going to do is sit and bob their head while the music plays.
I still enjoy JustJP, even if he did start out listening to a piece while muted. But he’s recently changed to commenting over the music yet still going into depth about the piece after. I appreciate that even more.
I discovered Dr. Doug and you through both of your reactions to Close To The Edge. Of course, when I learned your style was to do an entire side of vinyl for your reaction, and that you tended to do full albums over the course of several videos in a row, I became immensely excited, as it meant finally there would be a reactor who would hear side 2 of Going For The One, aka Wondrous Stories/Awaken together in one go. And you did finally get to it. AND, a better reaction video (other than the camera battery dying as the organ built up it’s crescendo) could not be had!
But, while working your way to Going For The One, you played lots of other music. I usually skipped music and artists I didn’t know, but you started including snippets of the album side you were reacting to in your intro, and many of those snippets piqued my interest.
Because of you and your channel, I have been introduced to several neo-prog musicians I didn’t know before, such as Neal Morse and his various associated groups, Mike Portnoy and his various associated groups, Steven Wilson and his various associated groups, etc. Not to mention several modern prog groups, such as Riverside.
These introductions have opened me up to listening to new-to-me music, whereas I had stagnated at the mid-80s until then. Now I’m willing to seek music out based on verbal reviews from The Prog Corner, Sea of Tranquility, and Nathan On Shuffle because you opened my ears to different sounds.
Thank you, Jim. May you, your family, and the channel flourish.
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Hey Pam, so many people have said it was the pandemic that introduced them to the concept of reaction videos. I hope that I’m able to bring something slightly different to the table, as you hint at above. I’m so happy to have introduced you to much more music and broadened your listening! Hope that Riverside gig works out!!!
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I just heard back with how I should go about requesting the accommodations, so I’m about to pull the trigger. $30 US plus fees is truly unheard of here, and even if I find I don’t enjoy most of what they perform live, it is worth the cost to try giving live shows a try again
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