Chris Brown and Susan Boyle may have more in common than you thought. Though their chosen genres are about as far on the musical spectrum as possible, both have been the lucky (albeit perhaps unintended) recipients of YouTube viral video fame.



Tina Fey's impression of Sarah Palin’s colloquialisms would have been seen only by an (undeniably shrinking) audience of SNL—were it not for YouTube. Like Susan Boyle and her shocking vocal range or Filipino prisoners and their recreation of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the often-unintentional moments of impressive talent, sheer coincidence, or well-timed filming can now be watched (and replayed) across the country with the click of a button. Moreover, as Boyle has so aptly shown us, the implications of an instant viral video can reach far beyond one’s internet screen.



For Boyle, her success on Britain’s Got Talent quickly pushed the quiet, gray-haired singer into the starlight (and, perhaps, caused her consequent nervous break-down as well.) For Palin, Fey’s painfully accurate impression may have negatively contributed to an already weakening political campaign in 2008. And today, as the viral video of a man and wife’s less-than-conventional wedding procession surpasses 10 million views, the unintended effects of their chosen soundtrack reverberate beyond YouTube’s miniature TV screens as well.
In the past few months, Chris Brown has been in the headlines far more often for his less-than-civil relationship with singer Rhianna than for his somewhat stalled singing career. Yet when Jill Peterson and Kevin Heinz uploaded a video of their wondrous wedding dance to Brown’s new single, “Forever,” an instant viral hit shot Brown’s own song out of anonymity as well. While Peterson and Heinz enjoy their momentary spotlight, Brown is suddenly reveling in un-Rhianna related publicity as well. As an added bonus, Chris Brown is reaping the monetary benefits of this viral sensation on itunes; “Forever” has quickly climbed back up the top-10 list to the #6 spot.