Founded in 2001, the British-based site b3ta has had its finger on the pulse of the Web’s newest trends and fascinations since the Internet was just a smattering of green and black pixels.
Since then, the community has grown to over 100,000 members, many of whom actively contribute videos, memes, and other Internet oddities in hopes that site cofounder Rob Manuel will include them in the community’s prestigious weekly newsletter, which arrives in inboxes every Friday.
Last week’s newsletter delivered an extra special dose of curated content, however, when Manuel prominently featured an animated music video he made in conjunction with community members @peepholecircus and Oliver Hindle (@superpowerless). Titled “Internet Internet,” the video is an ode to the Internet and its rapid evolution.
Manuel posted it to YouTube on popular animation channel MondoMedia, best known for the hit web series “Happy Tree Friends.”
“I first met you Internet in ’92, you were green on black on a texty VDU,” he sings, before launching into a detailed recount of all the ways in which he loves the Internet, things like Paul Weller fan groups, Doom downloads, and the advent of t-shirts that prominently feature emoticons.
The ode’s lyrics play out much in the same vein as Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”: a rapid fire history of all the notable developments that have taken place on this adventurous abyss we call the Internet.
In Friday’s newsletter, Manuel referred to the video as “part one of my existential rock opera about technology” and “complete genius.”
“I won’t accept different opinions on this,” he added.
Fortunately, 76,000 people who have watched it on YouTube have been wholeheartedly in agreement.
“I can’t stop watching this video!!!” YouTuber greiger1000 wrote in a post that’s since become a top comment. “Please I beg of you, MAKE MORE.”
“Pretty good!” added MrThekalde123. “I want more [of] this stuff. Good, Mondo!”
Odds are that Manuel will, so long as he can step away from the Internet for long enough to track some backing vocals.
Photo via YouTube