Tier lists are ranking formats where items (games, foods, characters, etc.) are sorted into S/A/B/C/D/F tiers, becoming ubiquitous content format across YouTube, Twitch, and social media from 2018-2023. The format’s simplicity and controversy-generating potential made it ideal for engagement-driven platforms, though critics decried it as lazy content.
Tier lists originated in fighting game communities (early 2000s) to rank character strength, using S-tier above A (Japanese grading influence). By 2018, the format exploded across YouTube—every topic got tier-listed: Pokemon, Disney movies, fast food, Marvel heroes, rappers, countries. TierMaker (2019) provided free tier list templates, democratizing creation.
The format’s appeal:
- Easy content: Requires minimal production—just opinions and graphics
- Engagement bait: Controversial rankings generate comments disagreeing
- Universal applicability: Any topic can be tier-listed
- Collaborative potential: Streamers ranking with chat/guests
However, tier lists faced “lazy content” critique—requiring little research or analysis, just subjective rankings. The format’s oversaturation led to parody tier lists (tier list of tier lists, S-tier containing only S-tier letter). By 2022-2023, audience fatigue set in, though tier lists remained common in gaming discourse.
Related: #YouTube Content #RankingVideos #EngagementBait #LazyContent #TierMaker