YouTube’s Year in Video, Viral Hit by Viral Hit

Yes, you can learn a lot about the Internet, and our culture in general, by checking out the annual lists of top search terms. But I like this year-end list better: YouTube’s “most memorable” videos of 2009, which it is unveiling Advent-style throughout the month.

Unlike other Web lists, Google’s (GOOG) video site makes no bones about the fact that this one is curated rather than purely data-driven. So we’ll obviously be seeing the likes of “United Breaks Guitars” and “JK Wedding Dance,” but the list is bound to have some stuff you haven’t seen before.

For instance, both of the clips YouTube has highlighted so far are new to me. The guitar one I get–YouTubers love guitar videos. I’m not sure, though, how the sleeping/spasming dog caught the fancy of video watchers, but I guess it takes all kinds. In any case, enjoy: