ASMR stands for “autonomous sensory meridian response” and refers to the tingling sensation that certain sounds can generate in your body. For example, the tender whisper of a lover in your ear may send shivers down your spine — that’s ASMR.
Vox reported in 2018 that there is really no science or sound research on the phenomenon, and the term can be traced back to a 2010 Facebook group. While whispers and soft voices are usually the most common triggers of ASMR, things like fingernails tapping glass, someone typing on a keyboard, the clips of scissors, and the sound of chewing can trigger the tingles if done correctly.
ASMR took the Internet by storm just a few years ago, and while it’s not the mainstream juggernaut it once was, there are plenty of odd and niche videos on the topic. ASMR creators are sometimes referred to as ASM-tists (like “artists”) and have created a whole plethora of different sounds and environments for those sounds to occur in, typically involving POV (point-of-view) videos and role play.
While ASMR typically relies on intimate settings and soft voices, it is not an inherently sexual thing, some ASMR videos are just bizarre and funny to watch as much as they are relaxing. ASMR has also stopped taking itself so seriously in recent years, with several ASMR videos playing into how peculiar and outlandish the genre has become — here are 17 examples.
Dean ASMR (Part 1) – Amelia Earhart
No one knows what really happened to Amelia Earhart’s fateful flight across the Pacific, but one thing’s for sure, she probably wasn’t doing anyone’s makeup.
Literally any of Zach Choi’s TikToks
Zach Choi is a TikToker known for his extravagant and bizarre food creations, which are typically coated in bread crumbs/batter and deep fried. With that said, his videos feature a very well done ASMR sound commentary.
Aubrey Plaza
White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza joined W Magazine in their ASMR exploration series and it went about as wild as you’d expect.
An Old-Timey Barbershop
Sweeney Todd who? There’s a new gimmicky barber in this eighteenth century town, and her schtick is whispering to you while she trims your hair.
Dean ASMR (Part 2) – In the Womb
Please just watch this.
An Oddly Informative IKEA ASMR Endeavour
Brands are no stranger to hopping onto trends to push their own name and products, but something about this IKEA ASMR video is just top tier. Their run down of bed spreads is actually very crucial information.
Mikaela Long Tries ASMR
The former Vine star turned YouTuber tried her hands at ASMR in 2018 with chaotic results.
An ASMR Sci-fi Journey
Interstellar, The Martian, Dune, and 2001: A Space Odyssey don’t come anywhere close to giving you the tingles the way this sci-fi themed ASMR video does.
Mic Pumping and Spoolie Noms
A “spoolie nom” is an ASMR trigger that involves using your mouth to generate sounds using makeup tools — either by chewing on them or biting them. “Mic pumping” refers to the process of rapidly rubbing a microphone’s foam windscreen over the microphone itself. Make of those what you will.
Mini Purple Mattresses
AllStar ASMR spends 12 minutes squeezing, rubbing, and tapping samples from Purple Mattress and never looks back.
Dinner Two Centuries Ago
In some ways, cooking was made for ASMR and in that sense, ASMR transcends time the way preparing a nice meal does.
Identity Theft Is Not a Joke
Phantasm ASMR demonstrates just how easy it is to hack someone with a few questions about their personal life.
Phoebe Bridgers
Grammy award nominated singer-songwriter has now officially collaborated with Taylor Swift, SZA, Maggie Rogers, and ASMR-tist YouTuber itsblitzzz. One of these things is not like the other.
Karens Can Whisper Too
Probably the best thing to come out of the Karen craze is this ASMR video, which features some clicky mouth noises I have literally never heard anyone make ever.
Incredibly Unsettling (and Short) Peppa Pig ASMR
No comment.
Funky Kong
If there’s anything that this ASMR taught me, its that Funky Kong is a great host and Cars remains and underrated movie.
Dr. Phil Breaks Up With You in the Woods
This funny, albeit very creepy, ASMR video was generated with different audio clips from Dr. Phil’s show creatively edited into a high-stakes narrative. Take it about as seriously as you should take his show, which is not very much.