Technology, Economics And The Harlem Shake

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Perhaps you've already grown sick of it: "The Harlem Shake" is a song that exploded in popularity on a global scale recently. Created by dance music producer Baaeur, the song spawned a comical dance craze among YouTube users.

Kevin Driscol, a Phd. candidate at USC Annenberg, sat down with Annenberg Radio News to discuss the most recent twist in the ongoing evolution of internet meme dances.  He has spent years studying popular dance trends tied to digital videos, previously completing a Master's thesis on the phenomena surrounding Soulja Boy's "Crank That."

The most important change to come in the last year, he explains, is that YouTube memes have transformed from being mere tools for marketers to standing as a tremendous economic force in their own right.