Why We Need More Music Sketch & Essay YouTubers

 

When you scroll through YouTube, some categories feel overstuffed. Gaming is massive, with countless Let’s Plays, comedy sketches, and challenge videos. Movie analysis has grown into an entire subculture, with video essayists breaking down everything from camera angles to character arcs. Comedy sketches thrive everywhere, from long-running channels to TikTok crossovers.

But music? It’s strangely underrepresented in those same creative formats. Sure, music is everywhere on YouTube — but the type of content we mostly see is narrow: covers, reactions, tutorials, and performance clips. What’s missing are music sketch creators and music essayists who bring humor, depth, and unique perspectives to the conversation around music.

There are a couple of standout names, but they’re rare.

The Exceptions: Daniel Thrasher and David Bennett

One of the only truly recognizable music sketch YouTubers is Daniel Thrasher. His short, comedic skits about pianos, musicianship, and the awkwardness of music lessons are brilliant. He’s shown that music sketch comedy works — his audience is massive, and his content resonates with musicians and non-musicians alike. But here’s the thing: he’s practically alone in that lane. You can count other music sketch creators on one hand, and most don’t get much traction.

On the essay side, David Bennett Piano creates thoughtful videos that explore theory and history. He’ll break down songwriting tricks, chord progressions, and compositional styles with clarity. Alongside him, you might find channels like Polyphonic or Middle 8, but compared to the hundreds of film essayists on YouTube, the music essay corner feels tiny.

In other words, the blueprint exists. We have proof that music sketches and music essays can work. The problem is that not enough creators are doing it.

The Current State of Music YouTube

Right now, the “music” category on YouTube is dominated by:

• Reaction videos – popular but often surface-level.
• Covers and performances – talented, but not unique compared to other platforms.
• Tutorials/lessons – useful for musicians, but niche.
• Music news & commentary – industry updates, celebrity gossip, or quick takes on new releases.

Nothing wrong with these — they serve audiences well. But it’s a limited vision of what “music content” can be. Compare this to film YouTube: not just reviews, but deep-dive essays, comedy sketches, cultural commentary, and more. Music deserves that same richness.

Why Music Sketches Matter

Music is full of quirks and humor just waiting to be turned into sketches. Daniel Thrasher proves it with his “piano student nightmares” and “awkward audition” videos. But think of all the other possibilities:

• A sketch about Spotify’s oddly specific playlists (“Songs to Cry in a Walmart Parking Lot”).
• A mockumentary about the world’s most unhelpful drummer.
• A parody commercial for “budget orchestras” that use ridiculous instruments.

Comedy sketches about music work because they connect both musicians and casual listeners. You don’t need to play piano to laugh at the universal frustration of practicing scales or forgetting a lyric. And sketches are highly shareable — perfect for short-form platforms like TikTok and Reels, as well as long-form YouTube uploads.

The Case for More Music Essays

On the more serious side, music essays can transform the way people hear songs. David Bennett has built an audience by explaining how music works, but there’s so much more ground to cover:

• Why certain songs become generational anthems.
• The psychology behind why sad music feels good.
• The evolution of music length — why streaming is making songs shorter.
• Forgotten genres that still influence today’s sound.

Video essays don’t just explain — they add depth. They let us experience music not just emotionally but intellectually. And while a handful of creators are exploring this space, there’s no reason it couldn’t explode the way film essays did.

Why Aren’t There More?

There are a few reasons why music sketches and essays haven’t taken off yet:

1. Copyright challenges – Music essays often need song clips for analysis, and copyright claims scare off many creators. But with fair use commentary and careful editing, it’s possible to work around this.
2. Assumption of niche appeal – Some creators assume only musicians care about in-depth analysis or jokes about practice rooms. But Daniel Thrasher’s millions of subscribers prove that’s not true. Music is universal.
3. Effort vs. quick payoff – Reactions and covers are easy to make and get views fast. Sketches and essays take more planning, scripting, and editing. But that extra effort is exactly what makes them stand out.

The Potential for Growth

If more creators explored these formats, the impact could be huge:

• Diversity of content – Music YouTube would expand beyond reactions and covers.
• Cultural conversation – Sketches and essays could capture what music means in everyday life.
• Bigger communities – Fans could connect not just over songs, but over shared experiences, jokes, and insights.

Music is more than something we listen to; it’s something we live. Sketches and essays can capture that in a way other formats can’t.

Final Thoughts

Daniel Thrasher and David Bennett are proof of concept: people do want music sketches and music essays. But they shouldn’t be the exceptions. Music is rich with stories, humor, and ideas waiting to be explored in creative video formats.

So if you’re a creator out there looking for a niche, here’s the opportunity: bring music to life in new ways. Make us laugh with sketches. Make us think with essays. Expand what “music YouTube” can mean.

Because music deserves not just to be heard, but to be joked about, analyzed, and celebrated in ways that go beyond the usual reaction or cover. And the audience is already here, waiting.