YouTube is truly one of the tent-poles of the Internet, being one of the few websites known and loved by all. And with good reason. It's the home to millions of video clips covering all genres, no matter how niche. Sure, there's an overabundance of funny cat videos, but hey, there are also movies and genuinely funny parodies too, so it's all good.

But wait, there are also music videos galore, from professionals and amateurs alike. Who needs MTV when you have YouTube? Not only is it the home to the great and the good of the music industry, it's also home to the unsigned, unsung heroes who take to the video-sharing site with high hopes of being discovered. Many have gone viral, and a few have gone on to have careers beyond YouTube.

Here are five singers who first found fame on YouTube despite clearly not being able to sing, because the general public are clearly suckers for punishment.

Rebecca Black

Rebecca Black is a YouTube legend, and she's only 15 years old (at the time of writing). When her big moment arrived, with the release of Friday, she was only 13 years old, but that didn't stop the Web community piling in and ridiculing her for the song and her singing. Friday was written and recorded by a vanity label, with Black's mother paying $4,000 for the services of Ark Music Factory.

Friday racked up hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, and also a record number of dislikes. However, it made Black a household name overnight, and she has since released another song called My Moment. Her experiences so far haven't dulled Black's desire to be a singer, and she's now thought to be working on her debut album. God help us all.

Jenna Rose

After Rebecca Black came Jenna Rose, who was just 12 at the time My Jeans appeared on YouTube. If anything the lyrics to My Jeans were even more shallow and insipid than those of Friday, and that's saying something. Still, the song gained millions of views and made Rose somewhat of a viral video star, though nowhere near as big a one as Black.

Rose has since released two more songs, and has appeared in several television shows and commercials. Her personal website suggests she isn't ready to give up on hopes of a long music career, even though most people clearly recognize her lack of any discernible talent.

Double Take

Double Take are less well known than either Rebecca Black or Jenna Rose, but as far as terrible singers on YouTube go they're up there with the best (worst). The duo consists of Drew Garrett and Lauren Willey, who attended high school together before releasing Hot Problems. The pair have suggested the lyrics to this song were meant to entertain rather than be taken seriously, but I'm not convinced.

Garret and Willey have since released two more songs, Like A Princess and The Stalking Song, neither of which has been received with anything but negativity. A career in music may therefore be unlikely, but then you don't necessarily need any talent to be a YouTube star, so perhaps they'll maintain their viral quality for a long time to come.

Thamys

Thamys (pronounced Famous) is the newest entry into this hall of shame fame. The song, Party @ Ur House, was uploaded to YouTube in October 2012, but only became a viral hit in December 2012. It features what has to be the most overdone autotune of any song ever released. She can't sing but it is very catchy.

If you're a Lady Gaga fan then I blame you for this. Yes, you. Entirely. She's made the world think that all it takes to be a popstar is an unusual look and an ounce of talent. Unfortunately Thamys can only boast of being blessed with one of those two things. And it isn't the talent. Her personal website is a joy to behold, with the content suggesting she's already a household name. She isn't... yet.

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber is by far the most successful singer to have been discovered on YouTube. And I doubt he'll lose that title any time soon. In fact, he's the only one on this list that is likely to enjoy any great success in the longterm, with the others more likely to be spotted busking on the street in years to come.

However, that doesn't change the fact that he isn't a great singer. Unless you're a tween who's just starting to become interested in boys and likes the look of this androgynous young Canadian. In which case Justin Bieber is the best singer in the world. Scrub that, he's the only singer in the world, or at least the only one that matters.

It's a well known fact that Bieber was discovered on YouTube, with the video below being the first one of him uploaded to the site. Scooter Braun noticed him, and he and Usher signed Bieber. The rest, as they say, is history. A history that many of us wish would come to an end sooner rather than later.

Conclusions

These five singers represent merely a soupçon of the bad singers you can see and hear on YouTube. There are undoubtedly even worse singers than this little lot, even though between them they haven't yet managed to hit the right note. Starting with Bieber and working down, this selection of bad singers are at least known outside of the geeky sphere of individuals who watch YouTube a little more than can be considered healthy.

What do you think of these singers? Are they actually the worst singers on YouTube or have you seen any that top even these caterwauling cretins? Are you a Justin Bieber fan who has somehow found their way to MakeUseOf and is currently spitting bile that the Biebernator made the list? As always let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.