Written by: Camryn Johnson
Despite spooky season being seven months away, I still felt the need to slip into spooky mode and share some of my favorite Youtube channels that dabble in the creepy arts. If you are into paranormal investigation, true crime, creepypastas or, interestingly enough, make-up, these five Youtubers might just make your ‘Subscribed’ list by the time you’re finished reading this.
Buzzfeed Unsolved
First up is the sister company to Buzzfeed, the Queen of disney princess quizzes and international food taste tests: the Buzzfeed Unsolved Network. BUN is home to many series that will send a chill down your spine. Shows like How They Were Caught, Haunting History, Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural and Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime chronicle the most notorious cases of heinous crimes and ghoulish sightings. The latter two shows are my personal favorites.
Self-proclaimed Ghoul Boys Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej take viewers on dark adventures through episodes of human treachery, like the renowned Black Dahlia Murder, or paranormal incidents, such as the West Virginian Mothman legend. The duo often investigate these places themselves, all backed by their own comedic tangential commentary to keep it from getting too scary.
Watcher
If you’re already a fan of Buzzfeed Unsolved, then you’ll love the Watcher Network. It’s the Youtube baby of our aforementioned Ghoul Boys Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej, along with another Buzzfeed favorite, Steven Lim. Their two storytelling series, Are You Scared? and Too Many Spirits, take a deep dive into the twisted imaginations of both viewers and frequenters of the subreddit r/nosleep. The only catch is that…not all stories are imagined (Dun…Dun…DUUUNNNN).
Backed by ominous sketches that bring the eerie tales to life, Are You Scared? will especially keep the easily frightened up at night. Too Many Spirits takes spooky season in a much more lighthearted direction as Bergara and Madej sit down with homemade cocktails courtesy of Steven Lim, and read off viewer-submitted ghost stories, all the while getting more and more intoxicated. Their tag line “That’s Too Many Spirits!” is a double entendre that keeps the stories and beverages flowing. But as the Ghoul Boys disclaim, remember to always drink responsibly.
Bailey Sarian
Bailey is her name and makeup and murder mystery is her game. Launching her Murder, Mystery and Make-up Monday series in January 2019, beauty guru Bailey Sarian has brought together an unlikely pair of hobbies: true crime, and eyeshadow. I know, it sounds like it doesn’t work; but trust me, it totally does.
Not only is Bailey a phenomenal makeup artist, but her witty commentary, matter-of-fact personality, and knack for cohesive storytelling can make the most outlandish, frightening, and unbelievable tale of murder, espionage, and conspiracy palatable for the faintest of heart. Not to mention she does all of this while applying a full face of makeup after roping in her audience with a catchy theme song. On her channel you’ll find the cases of Scott Peterson, Casey Anthony and Jodi Arias that took the media by storm in their respective seasons, along with not so known crimes like that of Gerald Stano and John Robinson. As always, viewer discretion is advised.
Matthew Santoro
Next up on our list is Matthew Santoro. This Ontario native is most commonly known for his Top Ten lists and pearly white teeth. Although his channel has briefly expanded past this genre of content, Uncle Matt has a plethora of creepypasta and sinister legends in his repertoire that would be best watched during the day and not alone.
Posts like 5 Urban Legends That Turned Out to be True and 5 SCARIEST Creepypastas That Will Keep You Up At Night have thumbnails alone that fit the bill. But his cooky personality provides some much needed comic relief. Whether or not you can still handle what’s on the other side is up to you.
Sam and Colby
Last but not least we have another dynamic duo of the paranormal investigating variety: Sam and Colby. These two best friends embark on chilling adventures into the world’s most notoriously haunted sites. They take on overnight stays at the likes of Queen Mary’s castle and various haunted hotels.
Their channel also features full-length horror movies, such as The Origin and The Witches’ Forest. Not only do we get the treat of these two ghost junkies exploring the most supernaturally heinous places in history, but they sometimes take our favorite influencers along for the ride. Appearances by Larray, Manny Mua, and LaurDIY make for hilariously hairy footage of adventures in places us viewers wouldn’t dare venture into for a million dollars. But maybe I should speak for myself.
There we have it, five Youtube channels to rattle your bones all year round. There’s something for everyone here, just be sure to keep the lights on while you watch. Or off, if that’s your cup of tea. Who said October got to have all the fun?