Grand Rapids LipDub Video Goes Viral

A music video made in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has gone viral since its debut on YouTube one week ago. The Grand Rapids LipDub has received more than 1.6 million hits to date, and that number continues to climb.

When local resident Rob Bliss learned that Grand Rapids was #10 on Newsweek's list of America's dying cities, he wanted to do something about it. Known for organizing large-scale community events such as zombie walks, Bliss took everything to a new level. He decided to organize a lip sync of the live version of Don McLean's "American Pie" and film it in downtown Grand Rapids. Some have questioned the use of the musical tribute to Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper, who died in a plane crash in 1959--"the day the music died." However, Bliss says he chose it because it's an all-American song appropriate for an all-American city.

The music video was filmed on May 22 and is almost ten minutes long, including the credits. It includes more than 5000 participants and features many local celebrities, including Mayor George Heartwell, Storm Team 8 chief meteorologist Bill Steffen, and WTNR-FM's Joe "Flounder" and "Party Paul." The fire department, the police department, cheerleaders, football players, a marching band, business owners, and a wedding party are among the many additional participants.

The video was uploaded onto YouTube on May 26; since then, it has received more than 1.6 million hits and shows no sign that the hits are slowing down. Newsweek has since responded to the video, as well as to the article that prompted Bliss to take action. On Facebook, Newsweek explained that its staff did not write the offending article; instead, it was on the magazine's website due to a content-sharing program with MainStreet. Newsweek would have used different criteria to compile such a list, which probably would not have included Grand Rapids.

Refusing to back down, MainStreet issued an official response to the criticism. The company stands behind its findings but says they were "in no way intended to pass judgment on the people or the quality of life" in any of the ten cities that made the list. In fact, the results were based on the ten-year period from 2000 through 2009; even though New Orleans landed the #1 spot, its decline was due to 2005's Hurricane Katrina, and the city's population is actually on the rise again. As for Grand Rapids, MainStreet commended the residents for supporting their city in such a creative way and stated that other cities should take note.

Since the music video's release on YouTube, it has received a great deal of media attention. McLean's official Twitter account mentioned it, and film critic Roger Ebert pronounced it "the greatest music video ever made." In addition, the video has been publicized on National Public Radio, Today, and Inside Edition.

The video has its detractors, but what doesn't? The Grand Rapids LipDub demonstrates that the residents believe in their city and want the world to know it. By bringing attention to the area and inspiring people to plan future visits, the Grand Rapids LipDub has more than served its purpose.