Most-viewed YouTube videos

thumb|280x280px|Baby Shark Dance by Pinkfong is currently the most viewed video on YouTube.
Below you can find a list of the 10 most viewed videos of all time. Currently, the most viewed video is "Baby Shark Dance" with over 14 billion views. The video has held this position since November 1, 2020 after surpassing "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee. All the videos in the top 10 currently have over five billion views.
The oldest video in the top 10 most viewed is PSY's "Gangnam Style", which was uploaded on July 15, 2012, and the youngest being Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" which was uploaded on January 30, 2017. So far 331 videos have reached over one billion views, 44 videos have reached two billion views, 16 videos have reached three billion views, at least 10 videos have reached four billion views, 7 videos have reached five billion views, and 2 videos have reached seven billion views, both being Despacito and Baby Shark. 
Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes holds the record of having the most videos exceeding 1 billion views, with a total of 17. Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran hold the tied record as the only people and artists to have 3 videos exceeding two billion views. Katy Perry was the first female artist to reach one billion views on a video, while Taylor Swift was the first female artist to reach two billion views on a video.
==Top 10 Most Viewed Videos ==
# 	Video Name 	Uploader 	Views (billions)	Upload Date 	Video ID 	
1. 	"Baby Shark Dance" 	Pinkfong 	14.3 	June 17, 2016 	https://youtu.be/XqZsoesa55w	
2. 	"Despacito" 	LuisFonsiVEVO 	8.4 	January 12, 2017 	https://youtu.be/kJQP7kiw5Fk	
3. 	"Johny Johny Yes Papa" 	LooLoo Kids 	6.8 	October 8, 2016 	https://youtu.be/F4tHL8reNCs	
4. 	"Bath Song" 	Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes	6.6 	May 2, 2018 	https://youtu.be/WRVsOCh907o	
5. 	"Shape of You" 	Ed Sheeran 	6.23 	January 30, 2017 	https://youtu.be/JGwWNGJdvx8	
6. 	"See You Again" 	Wiz Khalifa 	6.22 	April 6, 2015 	https://youtu.be/RgKAFK5djSk	
7. 	"Wheels on the Bus" 	Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes	6 	May 24, 2018 	https://youtu.be/e_04ZrNroTo	
8. 	"Phonics Song with TWO Words"	ChuChu TV 	5.7 	March 6, 2014 	https://youtu.be/hq3yfQnllfQ	
9. 	"Uptown Funk" 	MarkRonsonVEVO 	5.18 	November 19, 2014	https://youtu.be/OPf0YbXqDm0	
10.	"Gangnam Style" 	officialpsy 	5.10 	July 15, 2012 	https://youtu.be/9bZkp7q19f0	Gangnam Style held the position of most viewed video for the longest amount of time of any video on YouTube, maintaining the spot between November 2012 and July 2017 before being passed by Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again"
==History of the Most Viewed Videos On YouTube==
Since the YouTube most viewed video charts appeared for the first time on the site on October 29, 2005, about 24 channels have had the privilege of having one of their videos as the most viewed video on YouTube. On August 4, 2017, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's "Despacito" music video became the most viewed on YouTube with over 7 billion views. It would remain the most viewed video until November 1, 2020 when Baby Shark Dance by Pinkfong surpassed Despacito as the most viewed video.
The only video that has been the most viewed video on YouTube more than once is Judson Laipply's "Evolution Of Dance" video which has been the most viewed video three times. Larfus' I/0 Brush video is the YouTube video that has been the most viewed the least amount of time which was only two days back in October 2005. "Gangnam Style" currently holds the record for longest time as the most viewed YouTube video with 1,689 days (4 Years, 7 Months, 2 Weeks, and 1 Day).
Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" video is the first video to become the most viewed which is owned by VEVO, Justin Bieber and Luis Fonsi being the only other artists to have one of his VEVO music videos be the most viewed on YouTube.
Including the ones above, seven music videos have become the most viewed on YouTube with two comedy sketches, two music sketches, one Dance-a-long, one vlog, one digital painting video, and one sports related video which is also the only video to become the most viewed video on YouTube which is a commercial. In addition to being a music video, Baby Shark Dance is also the only kids video to become the most viewed video on YouTube. 
A majority of these videos have been from the United States with every video except "Gangnam Style" and "Despacito" being in English. Every channel on the list are active except for Larfus, YouTubedude, mugenized, eggtea, CLARUSBARTEL72, and RCARecords.
Video Summary: https://youtu.be/3zXZzIQO1NY
List of Videos Make More Views for being Famous
Not Confirmed (*)
Video Name 	Uploader 	Views at time of reaching #1	Upload Date 	Date Achieved 	Days Held	Video Type 	Video ID 	Mirror (if deleted or private)	Notes
Me at the zoo 	jawed 	1 	April 23, 2005 	April 23, 2005 	36-52 	Animals 	https://youtu.be/jNQXAC9IVRw	 	
Good Times!!! 	zubazpants 	300 	May 18, 2005 	May 29, 2005 	4 	Music Related 	https://youtu.be/9_wU0qhEPR8	 	
First Back Flip on Youtube! (House dismount)	COBALTGRUV 	1,000 	May 24, 2005 	June 02, 2005 	10 	Sports 	https://youtu.be/VaLXzI92t9M	 	
Under the Bridge! (*) 	jawed 	2,000 	June 11, 2005 	June 12, 2005 	27-38 	Sports 	https://youtu.be/vy8evhya_9E	https://youtu.be/hPNKOAyROp4 	
Swedish Helicopter Crash 	slvgdvg 	20,000 	June 28, 2005 	July 09, 2005 	11 	Sports 	https://youtu.be/vrcv_AxuV70	 	
Money, get a way! (*) 	DeKkuw 	26,000 	July 16, 2005 	July 20, 2005 	85 	Viral Video 	https://youtu.be/EiBBudoC5iQ	https://youtu.be/enik1TlRvU0 	
Chinese Backstreet Boys: That Way 	ewo 	184,000 	June 25, 2005 	October 13, 2005 	11 	Music Related 	https://youtu.be/x1LZVmn3p3o	https://youtu.be/N2rZxCrb7iU 	
Invisible Boards 	skateracl 	221,000 	October 11, 2005 	October 24, 2005 	5 	Sketch 	https://youtu.be/vsJ-w38IBD4	https://youtu.be/dM1BapTFnXM 	
I/O Brush 	larfus 	247,000 	October 5, 2005 	October 29, 2005 	2 	Technology 	https://youtu.be/vwl98dU0kY8	https://youtu.be/04v_v1gnyO8 	
Ronaldinho: Touch of Gold 	Nikesoccer 	255,000 	October 21, 2005 	October 31, 2005 	70 	Advertisement 	https://youtu.be/lsO6D1rwrKc	https://youtu.be/KNwLn85I75Y 	
SNL - The Chronic of Narnia Rap 	youtubedude 	2,300,000 	December 18, 2005	January 9, 2006 	12 	Sketch 	https://youtu.be/zLElfJ9YCh0	https://youtu.be/sRhTeaa_B98 	
Jay Leno Phony Photo Booth 	mugenized 	3,400,000 	December 1, 2005 	January 21, 2006 	28 	Sketch 	https://youtu.be/vEWLwz6JRNE	https://youtu.be/4PiPPAJuKBg 	
Myspace - THE MOVIE! 	eggtea 	2,700,000 	January 31, 2006 	February 18, 2006 	22 	Comedy 	https://youtu.be/nFT-lyFN3BM	https://youtu.be/rBOfD2JBv0w 	
Pokémon Theme Music Video 	smosh 	4,300,000 	November 28, 2005	March 12, 2006 	68 	Music Related 	https://youtu.be/0XxI-hvPRRA	https://youtu.be/MkE2lxkw00w 	
Evolution of Dance 	judsonlaipply 	10,100,000 	April 6, 2006 	May 18, 2006 	652 	Music Related 	https://youtu.be/dMH0bHeiRNg	 	
Music is My Hot Hot Sex 	CLARUSBARTEL72 	76,600,000 	April 9, 2007 	March 1, 2008 	14 	Fan Video 	https://youtu.be/-N3OrZzPud8	https://youtu.be/8_7ZE7hguLY 	View manipulated
Evolution of Dance 	judsonlaipply 	77,393,650 	April 6, 2006 	March 7, 2008 	58 	Music Related 	https://youtu.be/dMH0bHeiRNg	 	
Disculpa los Malos Pensamientos (Evangelion)	deuxjg 	85,000,000 	August 10, 2006 	May 12, 2008 	99 	Fan Video 	https://youtu.be/bFytHZHFXhA	https://youtu.be/sNUdoRqJFFY 	View manipulated
Girlfriend 	RCARecords 	92,600,000 	February 27, 2007	July 17, 2008 	289 	Music Video 	https://youtu.be/cQ25-glGRzI	https://youtu.be/Bg59q4puhmg 	
Evolution of Dance 	judsonlaipply 	105,695,658 	April 6, 2006 	November 30, 2008 	176 	Music Related 	https://youtu.be/dMH0bHeiRNg	 	
Charlie bit my finger - again! 	HDCYT 	106,279,879 	May 22, 2007 	July 7, 2009 	171 	Vlog 	https://youtu.be/_OBlgSz8sSM	https://youtu.be/0EqSXDwTq6U 	
Bad Romance 	LadyGagaVEVO 	178,400,000 	November 24, 2009	April 14, 2010 	93 	Music Video 	https://youtu.be/qrO4YZeyl0I	 	
Baby 	JustinBieberVEVO 	245,400,000 	February 19, 2010	July 16, 2010 	862 	Music Video 	https://youtu.be/kffacxfA7G4	 	
Gangnam Style 	officialpsy 	301,000,000 	July 15, 2012 	September 28, 2012	1689 	Music Video 	https://youtu.be/9bZkp7q19f0	 	
See You Again 	Wiz Khalifa 	1,497,000,000 	April 6, 2015 	February 27, 2016 	25 	Music Video 	https://youtu.be/RgKAFK5djSk	 	
Despacito 	LuisFonsiVEVO 	2,993,700,000 	January 12, 2017 	August 4, 2017 	1185 	Music Video 	https://youtu.be/kJQP7kiw5Fk	 	
Baby Shark Dance 	Pinkfong! Kids' Songs & Stories	4,464,000,000 	June 17, 2016 	February 26, 2020 	515+ 	Nursery Rhyme/Kids Music Video	https://youtu.be/XqZsoesa55w	 	
==Reactions==
===Pokemon Theme Music Video===
When Ian Hecox's and Anthony Padilla's Smosh's "Pokemon Theme Music Video" became the most viewed video on YouTube, it made the early channel become the most subscribed on May 17 of that year, as well making their channel become the most viewed throughout 2006.
Due to the overexposure and good reception of the video, the Smosh duo, who were 18 at the time, first gained media attention from online news articles such as the New York Times and Times Magazine and being on the evening news in the late summer of 2006 and was inspired to make sketch comedic videos and upload them on their channel, including Pokémon-related videos on occasion.
In 2007, YouTube first opened it's AdSense program in turn having Smosh paid to make these videos, it since becoming a career rather than a hobby for them.
The Pokémon Theme Video however was deleted on June 2007 after it received over 24,6 million views. On April 1, 2008, as a part of an April Fools joke to their fanbase, Smosh pretended they were getting sued by Nintendo's Pokémon company for copyright infringement (the reason the video was taken down) in a video and on their website, Smosh.com.
In November 2010, as a part of their five-year anniversary since joining YouTube, they made a video explaining the whole story behind making the video, its deletion, and how they felt about it in the tune of the Pokémon Theme (to not get infringed like last time). Today, the video has over 30 million views, making it one of the most popular videos on their channel, like other Pokémon-related videos they have made since then.
In 2015, Smosh released their first featured film, Smosh: The Movie where Hecox and Padilla go into YouTube to delete an embarrassing video of Padilla horribly singing and then backflipping to the Pocket Slave Theme Song (a parody to the Pokémon Theme Song) in a High School talent show to not only be reminded of at his High School reunion but to live a normal life as the video went viral and to get his crush since High School, Anna, to like him.
Smosh has since been one of the most popular and successful YouTube channels of all time, has gotten many actors and actresses to join the channel along with an abundant crew, and is currently the 75th most viewed channel with over 9 billion views and the 20th most subscribed channel on YouTube with over 25 million subscribers, being the most subscribed three times from May 17, 2006, to June 12, 2006, and April 26, 2007, to September 24, 2008, and January 12, 2013, to August 15, 2013.
Since its deletion, many copies of the original video have been uploaded to YouTube with the video also being on other websites, some being from Smosh themselves.
===Evolution of Dance===
When Judson Laipply's "Evolution of Dance" video surpassed Smosh's "Pokemon Theme Music Video" on May 19, 2006, he then surpassed Smosh's channel in subscribers on June 12, 2006, to become the most subscribed person on YouTube.
Although holding the spot for a short time, Judson immediately after the video did interviews, went on television as a guest host or to reenact "Evolution of Dance", and attended YouTube events as one of its prime guests. This helped his motivational speaking and dancing career be more respected and seen by more people.
For a while, the video was the most liked on YouTube until being surpassed by on. Since then, Judson has uploaded "Evolution of touchdown Dance" and 2 sequels to his "Evolution of Dance" video.
===Girlfriend===
Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" music video became the second YouTube video ever to reach 100 million views in September 2008, helping her single get many album buys as well as topping charts and lists.
Though the song and music video was very popular amongst the general public, due to AvrilBandAids, a fan site of Lavinge, having a link where the YouTube video would gain a view every fifteen seconds if clicked on, the video was removed by RCARecords in November 2009 to avoid more controversy.
The original video received around 130 million views at the time of its deletion. VEVO channels debuted on May 11, 2009, with her channel being created on September 2, 2009. A month later, the video was uploaded with it now having over 500 million views as of July 2020.
===Charlie Bit My Finger ===
When "Charlie Bit My Finger" became the most 
viewed video on YouTube in early July 2009, the two boys who starred in the video, Harry Davies-Carr and Charlie Davies-Carr along with their parents who uploaded the video had articles written about them and their video, appeared on television as well as news stations.
Due to fans wanting to see more videos of Charlie and Harry, their father, made a schedule for uploading videos on their YouTube channel every six weeks so fans can know more about how Harry and Charlie had grown up. Due to business, eventually stopped the scheduled vlogs.
The Carr brothers were somewhat relieved as they said in interviews that they were shy when the conversation struck against their peers, family, and strangers. The Carr brothers have since said that now the situation is not discussed as much with them and others.
In 2012, Time ranked "Charlie Bit My Finger" as the greatest viral video of all time, beating 49 others. In 2014, the video was named "Motion Video of 2014" by MTV.
In 2017, Charlie said in an interview that he would like to pursue vlogging, however, Harry said he would like to move on to other things. As of 2017, the Carr family has been estimated to have made over 1 million dollars in ad revenue from "Charlie Bit My Finger".
=== Baby===
When Justin Bieber's "Baby" music video surpassed Lady Gaga's outstandingly popular "Bad Romance" on July 16, 2010, Bieber expressed his thankfulness to his fans on Twitter, saying that the success of the video was "crazy" and that it was great how he started on YouTube and now one of his music videos had the most views.
This song is the lead of the latter half of his first album in his career, titled "My World 2.0"'s viewership propelled Bieber to become one of the most popular and successful pop singers stars of all time. Although the video did receive its share of applause, the video is the second-most disliked on YouTube, with nearly 8 million dislikes as of July 2017.
Due to the backlash of Bieber's songs from then on and unpopular decisions he made throughout his life since Bieber remains one of the most hated celebrities of all time as well.
===Gangnam Style===
When PSY's Gangnam Style became the most viewed video on YouTube in November 2012, many were grateful it surpassed Bieber's "Baby". Gangnam Style became the most viewed video of all time as well as propelled the South Korean pop singer to be known in many places around the world rather than his native country.
The song became one of the most famous internet meme phenomena of all time, having millions across the world, famous or not acknowledging and even imitating "Gangnam Style" and it's dance. This resulted in PSY attending prestigious events due to his online success as well as meeting important figures and celebrities.
The song topped multiple charts all over the world for a time, as well as being the most liked video and holding the title for the longest.
Although well-received it also faced criticism from a considerably large and vocal audience (although it was still the minority) saying that the video was inappropriate for young ages and how both PSY and the video is quote-unquote "stupid".
Koreans had mixed opinions about the video, though there were more positive than negative reviews as most other nations. Many Koreans were offended over the fact that people of many cultures were enjoying a video from a genre they barely knew anything about (Korean Pop, otherwise known as K-Pop) and that they felt some might now believe that is what most K-Pop videos and songs are like.
PSY since the video has made millions of dollars from it and further projects as well as having many beloved live performances of the song and its dance.
===See You Again===
When Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth's See You Again surpassed Gangnam Style by PSY on July 10, 2017, to become the most-viewed YouTube video, many fans were extremely grateful that Gangnam Style was finally dethroned after being the most viewed video for nearly five years, a record, although many fans of Gangnam Style were disappointed and heavily promoted the song to get it to the most viewed YouTube video again.
Charlie Puth expressed his thankfulness on Twitter with the statement "I remember when I signed up for YouTube in 2007 and had hopes of uploading a video and it reaching 10,000 views. Now a decade later, it feels incredible to be a part of the most-viewed video on YouTube." Khalifa also expressed his thankfulness on Instagram.
After the release of this music video in 2015, its views skyrocketed and it was on the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Charts for 12 weeks. It was the first number-one single produced by Charlie Puth, propelling his career and fanbase and Wiz Khalifa's second after his "Black and Yellow" single in 2011.
It also became on top of other music charts around the globe, capturing the title of the fastest-selling single of all time with nearly 21 million units and track-equivalent streams, also being the best selling song of 2015. Many fans and celebrities loved the message of both artists honoring Paul Walker, a prominent actor in the Fast and Furious Movie Franchise who died in a car accident on November 30, 2013.
The music video was so popular that multiple tracks, covers, and parodies were made of it, including the video and song getting numerous awards.
The song was also used for different purposes besides honoring Paul Walker's life, career, and the relationship between them as it was used to grieve the loss of Christina Grimmie in June 2016 and much more.
The same audience congratulated Charlie and Wiz when the music video became the most viewed on YouTube.
===Despacito===
Many fans of "Despacito" were glad Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's music video became the most viewed video on YouTube, but many expected it's ascension to the top, a big reason being it already being the fastest viewed video of all time.
Shortly prior to it becoming the most viewed video, many people were asking if "Despacito", "See You Again" or "Gangnam Style", the top three most viewed videos at the time, would become the first YouTube video to reach 3 billion views.
Shortly before and after "Despacito" surpassed "See You Again", its views per day skyrocketed and the same day it surpassed "See You Again", the video became YouTube's first video to reach 3 billion views.
Luis, Yankee, the song and music video topped nearly every music chart around the world for months, breaking multiple different records, as well as receiving an overwhelming majority of music critics applause the song and music video.
Due to the success of the song, Justin Bieber collaborated with both Fonsi and Yankee in an English/Spanish version, the remix also topping charts and records, making the original "Despacito" even more popular in the process.
Not only the United States but many other countries found a new interest in Latin music, wanting to know more about Spanish culture, and record companies all over the world wanting to associate more often with Latino music.
This saw Luis Fonsi and Daddy get a larger following, especially Fonsi, the main star in the video who in June 2017 became the most streamed artist on Spotify, the first Latino artist to do so, and the next month, "Despactio" becoming the most-streamed song of all time.
===Baby Shark Dance ===
There were some speculations about how Baby Shark Dance would eventually become the most viewed video months before it surpassed Despacito due to the large amounts of views the video was getting. On November 1, 2020, the nursery song overtook Despacito to become the most viewed video on YouTube. This was unexpected news to some as Despacito was already widely accepted as the "King of Youtube". 
Some opposed this feat, citing that Baby Shark is a nursery rhyme which, since it's a kids song, is unlike the other videos that have reached this spot in the past which were mostly mainstream music videos popular with older audiences. Others praised its overtaking, however, due to them either being fans of the song, disliking Despacito, or simply wanting a change of pace. 
Some have inferred that the reason for its acceleration was the result of parents playing the children's song to distract their kids, combined with the overall appeal towards children which made them replay the song over and over again. Another contribution for this acceleration might be due to the international exposure of the song which appealed to audiences of all ages, and quite likely that Pinkfong has continually uploaded nursery rhymes featuring Baby Shark 
Pinkfong has recognized this achievement on their social media accounts as well as their main YouTube Channel, thanking their fans for their support. One week later after topping the charts, the channel has uploaded an hour-long compilation featuring different kids nursery rhymes and different versions of the main song Baby Shark, likely commemorating Baby Shark Dance's achievement. 
On January 14, 2022, Baby Shark Dance became the first video ever to reach over 10 billion views.
Category:History of YouTube