It's here. The most highly-anticipated video of the year. The one that everyone loves to hate.

On Dec. 5 (Dec 6. Singapore time), YouTube Rewind 2019 was released, with the title, "For the Record".

Just as we thought that it couldn't get any worse than last year, the 2019 edition of the YouTube Rewind is already the third-most disliked YouTube video in history after barely three days.

Why do people hate it?

In case you're living under a rock, YouTube Rewind is a series of videos which first started in 2010, that give an overview and a recap of each year's viral videos, events, trends, memes, and music.

In 2012, YouTube revised its rewind video format, featuring more YouTubers, most popular music, videos, and internet memes from the year.

While the revised format was well-received, its popularity gradually dwindled as viewers either "couldn't relate", or felt that they didn't include enough YouTube creators.

In 2018, YouTube's rewind video, which featured non-YouTube personalities such as Will Smith, received extensive backlash from both viewers and creators, most deeming it the "worst YouTube Rewind ever".

Several critics called YouTube "out-of-touch" with its viewers, and various media platforms suggested that YouTube was pandering towards advertisers and corporations, eventually becoming YouTube's most disliked video on its platform.

The criticism led to YouTube changing its video format once again, following a list style similar to the early iterations of the series, featuring montages of most-liked videos and YouTubers of 2019.

However, the changes failed to please viewers, with critics of the video calling it "passive-aggressive" and "lazy" as it does not have the same level of production as the previous rewinds.

Several viewers also felt the new format lacked energy and a "soul" as YouTubers were not involved in the production of the rewind video.

Does it really deserve the hate?

To be honest, viewers can be pretty harsh.

The series is titled "YouTube Rewind", and the video did its job, displaying the most-liked videos, creators, artists and musicians of the year.

Heck, it even celebrated the successes of new creators and featured PewDiePie twice.

Sure, it's not a perfect video, as they missed out some groups and didn't get YouTubers to collaborate this time.

However, Philip DeFranco, a veteran YouTuber, mentioned a valid point in his video that the new format actually might've helped creators.

While the rewind video might not have been as entertaining as previous years, no creators had to "waste their time" to work on a video that was ultimately going to be hated by viewers.

Yeah yeah, clip show, top ten list, blah. But also, no creators feeling like their time was wasted, covered in slime, left out in the cold, feeling disrespected, being a part of something they know is going to be hated. And all without getting paid. And you got your Pewds.

— Rebecca Parham (@_RebeccaParham) December 5, 2019

And after all, it was a pretty nice throwback to the first iteration of YouTube Rewind from the start of the decade in 2010.

But you know, haters gonna hate.

Top image via YouTube