YouTube launches its first-ever Recap: how to see yours and the new feature everyone’s talking about

YouTube has launched its first-ever Recap, giving users a personalised look back at everything they watched in 2025. The new feature marks the platform’s biggest year-end update since the now-retired YouTube Rewind era, and arrives as a direct rival to Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay.

Recap went live on 2 December in North America and will roll out globally this week. Users can view their personalised breakdown on the YouTube homepage or under the “You” tab on both mobile and desktop.

What YouTube’s first-ever Recap includes

YouTube Recap acts as a highlight reel built from your 2025 watch history. You’ll get up to 12 themed cards showing:

• Your top channels
• Your favourite interests
• Your most-watched topics
• A personalised “personality type”
• Deep-dive viewing moments
• How your habits changed month by month

Those who used YouTube Music also receive additional cards, including their top artists, songs, genres and podcasts, along with any international listening they explored this year.

The new feature everyone’s talking about: an AI-powered upgrade

This year’s Recap comes with a major twist for YouTube Music Premium subscribers. The platform has introduced Ask Music, an AI tool that can turn your personal data into instant, hyper-customised playlists.

Users simply type a prompt and the AI generates a full station based on their listening history. Examples include:

• “Create a station with my top 15 songs of 2025.”
• “Play the 2000s tracks I listened to most this summer.”
• “Make a playlist of the alternative songs I played the most this year.”
• “Show how my listening changed month by month.”

Reviewers have described Ask Music as one of the most accurate AI recommendation tools available. The feature is exclusive to YouTube Premium members.

YouTube also reveals the biggest creators, songs and trends of 2025

Alongside Recap, YouTube published its annual End-of-Year Lists, highlighting the cultural moments that defined the platform.

Top Trending Topics of 2025

• Squid Game
• User-Generated Roblox Experiences
• KPop Demon Hunters
• Brainrot
• Charlie Kirk
• Labubu
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Cookie Run Kingdom
• Blue Lock
• KATSEYE

Top Creators

(based on subscribers gained in 2025)

• MrBeast
• CaylusBlox
• IShowSpeed
• Double Date
• Cadel and Mia
• Charlie Kirk
• Law by Mike
• CoryxKenshin
• Zack D. Films
• Outdoor Boys

Top Podcasts

(based on US watch time)

• The Joe Rogan Experience
• KILL TONY
• Good Mythical Morning
• Rotten Mango
• The MeidasTouch Podcast
• 48 Hours
• Shawn Ryan Show
• Smosh Reads Reddit Stories
• This Past Weekend with Theo Von
• The Diary of a CEO

Top Songs on Shorts

• “YOUR WAY’S BETTER” – Forrest Frank
• “Passo Bem Solto (Slowed)” – ATLXS
• “Rock That Body” – Black Eyed Peas
• “Pretty Little Baby” – Connie Francis
• “chess” – Joyful
• “Anxiety” – Doechii
• “Doot Doot (6 7)” – Skrilla
• “Soda Pop” – Saja Boys
• “Confess your love” – Jiandro (feat. ola.wav)
• “Ocean Eyes” – Billie Eilish

Top Songs of 2025

• “Die With a Smile” – Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga
• “APT.” – Rosé, Bruno Mars
• “Golden” – HUNTR/X
• “Soda Pop” – Saja Boys
• “Your Idol” – Saja Boys
• “El Mayor de los Ranas” – Victor Valverde, Jr Torres
• “How It’s Done” – HUNTR/X
• “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
• “Luther” – Kendrick Lamar, SZA
• “tv off” – Kendrick Lamar

How to see your YouTube Recap 2025

You can now view your personalised cards:

• On your YouTube homepage
• Under the “You” tab
• Via YouTube Music for music-specific stats

All cards are easily shareable across platforms.

Aasiya Nazir