List of most-viewed YouTube videos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
YouTube is an American video-sharing website headquartered in San Bruno, California. The site indicates view counts of each uploaded video, making it possible to keep track of the most viewed, many of which continue to exist while others are no longer available on the site. Although the most-viewed were initially viral videos uploaded by amateur content creators, such as "Evolution of Dance" and "Charlie Bit My Finger", they have increasingly become music videos produced on behalf of professional recording artists. Since Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" in 2009, every video that has reached the top of the "most-viewed YouTube videos" list has been a music video.
In November 2005, a Nike advertisement featuring Brazilian football player Ronaldinho became the first video to reach 1,000,000 views.[1] The billion-view mark was first passed by Gangnam Style in December 2012. On January 13, 2022, Pinkfong's "Baby Shark" became the first video to hit 10,000,000,000 views.[2]
Views represent how many times a video is watched. To ensure that traffic is coming from actual humans and not scripts or other deceptive methods, YouTube has a secret algorithm to separate legitimate views from illegitimate ones, and only legitimate views are included in the view count.[3] Specifically, to count as a legitimate view, a user must intentionally initiate the playback of the video and play at least 30 seconds of the video (or the entire video for shorter videos). Additionally, while replays count as views, there is a limit of 4 or 5 views per IP address during a 24-hour period, after which point, no further views from that IP are counted until the 24-hour period expires.[4][5]
Top videos
Summarize
Perspective
The following table lists the top 30 most-viewed videos on YouTube, with each total rounded to the nearest 10 million views, uploader, and publication date. Note that some videos may not be available worldwide due to regional restrictions in certain countries.[6]
| Video name | Uploader | Views (billions) | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby Shark Dance[7] | Pinkfong Baby Shark - Kids' Songs & Stories | 15.84 | June 17, 2016 | [A] | |
| Despacito[10] | Luis Fonsi | 8.71 | January 12, 2017 | [B] | |
| Wheels on the Bus[18] | Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes | 7.42 | May 24, 2018 | ||
| Bath Song[19] | Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes | 7.08 | May 2, 2018 | ||
| Johny Johny Yes Papa[20] | LooLoo Kids - Nursery Rhymes and Children's Songs | 7.05 | October 8, 2016 | ||
| See You Again[21] | Wiz Khalifa | 6.65 | April 6, 2015 | [C] | |
| Shape of You[26] | Ed Sheeran | 6.45 | January 30, 2017 | [D] | |
| Phonics Song with Two Words[29] | ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs | 6.43 | March 6, 2014 | ||
| Gangnam Style[30] | Psy | 5.56 | July 15, 2012 | [E] | |
| Uptown Funk[35] | Mark Ronson | 5.55 | November 19, 2014 | ||
| Learning Colors – Colorful Eggs on a Farm[36] | Miroshka TV | 5.26 | February 27, 2018 | ||
| Axel F[37] | Crazy Frog | 5.18 | June 16, 2009 | ||
| Dame Tu Cosita[38] | Ultra Records | 5.03 | April 5, 2018 | ||
| Masha and the Bear – Recipe for Disaster[39] | Get Movies | 4.64 | January 31, 2012 | ||
| Shree Hanuman Chalisa[40] | T-Series Bhakti Sagar | 4.56 | May 10, 2011 | ||
| Baa Baa Black Sheep[41] | Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes | 4.45 | June 25, 2018 | ||
| Lakdi Ki Kathi[42] | Jingle Toons | 4.41 | June 14, 2018 | ||
| Sugar[43] | Maroon 5 | 4.23 | January 14, 2015 | ||
| Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)[44] | Shakira | 4.22 | June 4, 2010 | ||
| Counting Stars[45] | OneRepublic | 4.15 | May 31, 2013 | ||
| Humpty the train on a fruits ride[46] | Kiddiestv Hindi - Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs | 4.15 | January 26, 2018 | ||
| Roar[47] | Katy Perry | 4.13 | September 5, 2013 | ||
| Dark Horse[48] | Katy Perry | 3.97 | February 20, 2014 | ||
| Sorry[49] | Justin Bieber | 3.96 | October 22, 2015 | ||
| Perfect[50] | Ed Sheeran | 3.93 | November 9, 2017 | ||
| Thinking Out Loud[51] | Ed Sheeran | 3.88 | October 7, 2014 | ||
| Baby Shark[52] | Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes | 3.86 | November 21, 2017 | ||
| Girls Like You[53] | Maroon 5 | 3.82 | May 31, 2018 | ||
| Let Her Go[54] | Passenger | 3.81 | July 25, 2012 | ||
| Faded[55] | Alan Walker | 3.81 | December 3, 2015 | ||
| As of April 26, 2025 | |||||
Billion-View Club
Summarize
Perspective
An early metric of a video's popularity was the so-called Billion-View Club, denoting videos which had succeeded in reaching over 1 billion views since their initial upload.[56]
In December 2012, "Gangnam Style" became the first video to reach one billion views.[32] By June 2015, only "Baby" had also managed to pass this threshold, but, by October 2015, a total of ten videos had done so,[56] and the number grew further to over 400 in 2024.[57]
Older videos that pre-dated the launch of YouTube in 2005 but were added later to pass a billion views are as follow:
- "November Rain" by Guns N' Roses became the first video made prior to 2005, YouTube's foundation year, to reach this threshold by July 2018.[58]
- "Numb" by Linkin Park was the first 2000s video predating YouTube to reach 1 billion views in November 2018.[59]
- "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen was the first 1970s video (and pre-1990s video) to reach 1 billion views in July 2019.[60]
- "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses was the first 1980s video to reach 1 billion views in October 2019.[61]
With numerous videos readily clearing one billion views by 2018, more interest has been on two- and three-billion-views-and-higher metrics. In May 2014, "Gangnam Style" became the first video to exceed two billion views.[33] "Despacito" became the first video to reach three billion views in August 2017,[12] four billion in October 2017,[13] five billion in April 2018,[14] six billion in February 2019,[15] and seven billion in October 2020.[16] "Baby Shark Dance" became the first video to reach eight billion views in February 2021, nine billion views in July 2021, and ten billion views in January 2022.[8] As of March 2025, it has more than fifteen billion views.
As of May 2023[update], thirteen videos have exceeded four billion views, eight of which exceed five billion views, five of which exceed six billion views, and two of which exceed eight billion views. "See You Again" became the second video to reach three billion views in August 2017,[24] followed by "Gangnam Style" in November 2017.[34] "Shape of You" became the second video to reach four billion views in January 2019,[27] followed by "See You Again" in February 2019.[25] "Baby Shark Dance" became the second video to reach five billion views in April 2020,[62] followed by "Shape of You" in October 2020. "Baby Shark Dance" became the second video to reach six billion views in July 2020, and seven billion views in October 2020.
The majority of these videos in the Billion-View Club have been commercial music videos by popular artists, but the list has included oddities, typically programs aimed at children. Such videos include two episodes of the Russian animated cartoon Masha and the Bear, a version of "The Wheels on the Bus" by the British animation studio Little Baby Bum, and "Johnny Johnny Yes Papa" from children's stations LooLoo Kids and ChuChu TV.[63] Various versions of the song "Baby Shark" in total amassed more than five billion views by January 2019, with the original version posted by Pinkfong having exceeded two billion views previously.[64] The original "Baby Shark" video by Pinkfong is now the most viewed video on the site. On October 29, 2020, Baby Shark surpassed 7 billion views, and on November 2, 2020, it passed Despacito to become the most viewed video on YouTube. On February 23, 2021, Baby Shark surpassed 8 billion views, becoming the first video to do so. On July 20, 2021, Baby Shark surpassed 9 billion views, becoming the first (and currently only) video to do so. On January 13, 2022, Baby Shark became the first (and currently only) video to surpass 10 billion views.[8]
On July 14, 2022, YouTube made a special playlist and video celebrating the 317 music videos to have hit 1 billion views and joined the "Billion Views Club".[65][66]
On April 1, 2024, the communications app Discord incorporated a short trailer video into their in-app April Fools' Day prank regarding loot boxes. The video automatically looped for anyone with Discord open, even if the notification had not been opened yet. This had the inadvertent effect of massively increasing the trailer's view count, causing it to reach a billion views in less than 24 hours and becoming the most-viewed video in that timeframe on the platform, surpassing Grand Theft Auto VI's trailer which gained over 90 million views in a single day.[67][68] The video later had its view count adjusted to the low millions.[citation needed]
Historical most-viewed videos
Summarize
Perspective
The following table lists the videos that became YouTube's most-viewed video, from October 2005 to the present.
Current record of days held (⁂)
Former record of days held (*)
Indicates the video has since been removed from YouTube or privatized (‡)
| Video name | Uploader | Views at achievement* |
Publication date | Date achieved | Days after upload |
Days held |
Takedown date | Ref | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Baby Shark Dance"[7] | Pinkfong Baby Shark - Kids' Songs & Stories | 7,046,700,000 | June 17, 2016 | November 2, 2020 | 1600 | 1,636 | |||
| "Despacito"[10] | Luis Fonsi | 2,993,700,000 | January 12, 2017 | August 4, 2017 | 206 | 1,186 | [11] | [B] | |
| "See You Again"[21] | Wiz Khalifa | 2,894,000,000 | April 6, 2015 | July 10, 2017 | 826 | 25 | [22] | ||
| "Gangnam Style"⁂[30] | Psy | 803,700,000 | July 15, 2012 | November 24, 2012 | 134 | 1,689 | [31] | [E] | |
| "Baby"*[69] | Justin Bieber | 245,400,000 | February 19, 2010 | July 16, 2010 | 149 | 862 | [70] | [F] | |
| "Bad Romance"[73] | Lady Gaga | 178,400,000 | November 24, 2009 | April 14, 2010 | 143 | 93 | [74] | [G] | |
| "Charlie Bit My Finger"[77] | HDCYT | 128,900,000 | May 22, 2007 | October 25, 2009 | 887 | 171 | July 2021 (made available again January 2024) | [78] | |
| "Evolution of Dance" (3rd time as most viewed video)[79] | Judson Laipply | 118,900,000 | April 6, 2006 | May 2, 2009 | 1062 | 176 | [80] | ||
| "Girlfriend"‡[81][82] | RCA Records | 92,600,000 | February 27, 2007 | July 17, 2008 | 508 | 289 | November 2009[83] | [84] | [H] |
| "Evolution of Dance" (2nd time as most viewed video)[79] | Judson Laipply | 78,400,000 | April 6, 2006 | March 15, 2008 | 651 | 124 | [86] | ||
| "Music Is My Hot Hot Sex"‡[87] | CLARUSBARTEL72 | 76,600,000 | April 9, 2007 | March 1, 2008 | 327 | 14 | March 15, 2008[88] | [89] | [I] |
| "Evolution of Dance"*[79] | Judson Laipply | 10,600,000 | April 6, 2006 | May 19, 2006 | 16 | 652 | [91] | [J] | |
| "Pokemon Theme Music Video"‡[92] | Smosh | 4,300,000 | November 28, 2005 | March 12, 2006 | 105 | 68 | June 2007[93] | [94] | [K] |
| "Myspace – The Movie"‡[97][98] | eggtea | 2,700,000 | January 31, 2006 | February 18, 2006 | 18 | 22 | mid-2006[99] | [100] | |
| "Phony Photo Booth"‡[101] | mugenized | 3,400,000 | December 1, 2005 | January 21, 2006 | 50 | 28 | February 14 to 18, 2006[102] | [103] | [L] |
| "The Chronic of Narnia Rap"‡[107] | youtubedude | 2,300,000 | December 18, 2005 | January 9, 2006 | 22 | 12 | February 14 to 17, 2006[108] | [109] | |
| "Ronaldinho: Touch of Gold"‡*[110] | Nikesoccer | 255,000 | October 21, 2005 | October 31, 2005 | 10 | 70 | July to August 2009[111] | [112] | [M] |
| "I/O Brush"‡*[116] | larfus | 247,000 | October 5, 2005 | October 27, 2005 | 24 | 4 | January to April 2007[117] | [118] | |
| "tow chinese boys:i want it that way" | cow | 142,000 | June 26, 2005 | August 28, 2005 | 63 | 60 | [119] | ||
| "Money, get a way!"‡ | DekKu | 27,400 | July 16, 2005 | July 21, 2005 | 5 | 38 | June 2006[120] | [119] | |
| "Under the Bridge!"‡ | jawed | 700 | June 11, 2005 | June 14, 2005 | 3 | 37 | February - June 2006[121] | [119] | |
| As of April 26, 2025 | |||||||||
* The approximate number of views each video had when it became YouTube's most-viewed video.
Timeline of most viewed videos (October 2005 – January 2024)
Other milestones
YouTube announced that cumulative views of videos related to Minecraft, some of which had been on the platform as early as 2009, exceeded 1 trillion views on December 14, 2021, and was the most-watched video game content on the site.[122]
See also
- List of most-disliked YouTube videos
- List of most-liked YouTube videos
- List of most-subscribed YouTube channels
- List of most-viewed YouTube channels
- List of viral music videos
- List of Spotify streaming records
- List of most-viewed Indian YouTube videos
- List of most-viewed Pakistani YouTube videos
- List of most-viewed Arabic music videos on YouTube
- List of most-viewed Chinese music videos on YouTube
- List of most-viewed French music videos on YouTube
Notes
- "Baby Shark Dance" was the fifth video to reach 4 billion views on November 25, 2019; second video to reach 5 billion views on April 3, 2020; second video to reach 6 billion views on July 16, 2020; second video to reach 7 billion views on October 29, 2020; first video to reach 8 billion views on February 23, 2021; the first video to reach 9 billion views on July 20, 2021; first video to reach 10 billion views on January 13, 2022;[8] first video to reach 11 billion views on July 24, 2022; the first video to reach 12 billion views on December 29, 2022, the first video to reach 13 billion views on June 20, 2023, the first video to reach 14 billion views on January 26, 2024, and the first video to reach 15 billion views on September 1, 2024. It surpassed "Despacito" on November 1, 2020 to become the most-viewed video of all time.[9]
- "Despacito" surpassed "See You Again" as the most viewed video on August 4, 2017;[11] first video to reach 3 billion views on August 4, 2017;[12] first video to reach 4 billion views on October 11, 2017;[13] first video to reach 5 billion views on April 5, 2018;[14] first video to reach 6 billion views on February 24, 2019;[15] first video to reach 7 billion views on October 10, 2020;[16] second video to reach 8 billion views on November 6, 2022.[17] YouTube's most liked video with over 52 million likes as of January 2024[update].
- "See You Again" surpassed "Gangnam Style" as the most viewed video on July 10, 2017;[22] second video to reach 2 billion views on September 3, 2016;[23] second video to reach 3 billion views on August 6, 2017;[24] third video to reach 4 billion views on February 7, 2019; fourth video to reach 5 billion views on March 7, 2021;[25] and the third most liked video with over 42 million likes as of January 2024[update].
- "Gangnam Style" surpassed "Baby" as the most viewed video on November 24, 2012;[31] first video to reach 1 billion views on December 21, 2012;[32] first video to reach 2 billion views on May 30, 2014;[33] third video to reach 3 billion views on November 25, 2017; eighth video to reach 4 billion views on March 4, 2021.[34]
- Approximately ten million views per month as of 2007.[85]
- "Evolution of Dance" became the first video to reach 20 million views on June 5, 2006 and the first video to reach 50 million views on June 7, 2007, and received approximately five million views per month.[90] It is the only video on this list to hold the No. 1 spot on more than one occasion.
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.