Happy Way-Back Wednesday! This week is all about music - because if there's one thing that sketch artists and YouTube creators love, it's setting stuff to music.

Back when it wasn't so easy to get your music on Spotify (or when there was no Spotify and you either had to use iTunes or buy a CD), YouTube was one of the only places up and comers could go to get exposure - and boy did they. Comedy music arguably wouldn't be as popular as it is today without the help of these great innovators, and others like them.

These eight classic YouTube videos were all at the forefront of Silly Internet Culture in their own time thanks to their catchy tunes and great visal accompaniment. Enjoy your trip on the Way-Back Machine!

The Potter Puppet Pals: Mysterious Ticking Noise

This was literally one of the first viral YouTube videos ever. This might have been the first thing I ever saw on YouTube period. And GOD was it funny. We may be used to random chaotic internet humor now, but back in 2007 every second of this was unexpected.

Potter Puppet Pals continued to put out hilarious, quotable sketches after this one (Wizard Angst was the best.) Even still, this original one was the catchiest. (You know it's good if they cared enough to redo it in 4K.)

Chocolate Rain

Tay Zonday didn't mean to become one of the most viral internet videos of all time when he posted his song Chocolate Rain, about all the obstacles and issues facing Black people in America in 2007, but there was something about his deep, rich voice that made it irresistable to people.

Zonday is still working to fight for equality in the US, and he ALSO posted a 10-Year Anniversary addition of his song. It's acoustic!

The Bed Intruder Song

People loved this song so much that they started selling it on iTunes - which was a much bigger deal back then than it is now. It also inspired a whole slew of other remixes in its wake. 

Not only that, the news remixes became such a trend that the song, and Antoine Dodson was even parodied in the opening (and one episode) of Tina Fey's 2013 sitcom Ubreakable Kimmy Schmidt. 

The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny

Yet another song to be popular enough to have merited a 4K remaster, Ultimate Showdown first landed on YouTube around the same time that people started using the word "epic" to describe everything - and this most certainly was epic.

Anyone else remember what a badge of honor it was to have this even partially memorized in middle school?

Beauty and the Beat

Todrick Hall may have been a finalist on American Idol, and he may even be an occasional judge or choreographer on RuPaul's Drag Race, but before any of that, he was a YouTube star. This was by far one of his most popular videos; it had an amazing concept (What if Belle were out of place in the hood, instead of the French countryside?), plus the lyrics are ridiculously clever.

Epic Rap Battles of History

Epic Rap Battles of History actually had a TON of classic videos, some of which cool college professors even later used to explain concepts like Eastern versus Western Philosophy. They also just did fun random matchups - but this particular video was actually part of a slew of videos on YouTube (and internet quizzes, blogs, et cetera) that marked the start of mainstream online political activism.

Friday

Good god. "Friday." The ultimate love-to-hate it song of high school. "Friday" was an objectively terrible number, composed by some record mogul trying to cash in on the popularity of Justin Bieber's "Baby" without actually putting any effort into the lyrics or video details. (Rebecca, why are you spending so much time debating what seat to take when there is literally only ONE AVAILABLE SEAT LEFT IN THE CAR?!)

Rebecca Black actually went on to continue making (much better) music after the viral hate from this song died down. (Did anyone else's friends set it as their Friday morning alarm during school trips just to annoy the crap out of everyone? (Mine didn't. Because I'm the one who did it.))

Ratchet Girl Anthem

Rappers (and people from Shreveport, Loiusiana) have been using the word Ratchet since the 90's, but this video was part of what brought the word into mainstream use in 2012 - mostly because the lyrics defined it so clearly. 

Emmanuel and Philip Hudson are still on YouTube, answering questions and doing sketches and parodies for their fans.

Bonus: My Heart Will Go On (Recorder)

Just watch it. You're welcome.

(Shout out to my best friend's little sister who used to crack us up by running around the house doing this routine when we were teenagers.)

Tags: Antoine Dodson todrick hall rebecca black