Hey, I’m gonna let you finish but, these are the top 10 YouTube videos of all time.
If you don’t get that reference from the 2009 Video Music Awards, that’s okay. It just goes to show how no two generations have experienced the same viral moments. New content is released by the minute, and we’re all doing our best to keep up.
In an effort to keep you in-the-know, I’ve compiled this list of the top 10 YouTube videos of all time. How do we know they’re the top 10? Because they have somewhere between millions and billions of views from media consumers all over the world.
In other words, they’re the most-viewed videos on all of the internet. And here I am, feeling popular after maybe 200 people view my Instagram story.
Let’s dive in!
YouTube is so much more than a place for tweens to post videos of themselves dancing at their latest sleepover, a statement I only feel right making because I, in fact, have done that.
It’s now a place where musicians can publish official music videos, and where influencers can make serious bucks when their videos pick up enough traction.
All that to say, don’t underestimate the cultural power of a free platform. To put things in perspective, let’s go over YouTube’s most-viewed videos.
If you use YouTube as part of your marketing strategy, write a review!
1. Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee
The official Despacito music video, which was published on January 13, 2017, currently has a whopping 6,404,561,719 views.
This music video, filmed entirely in Puerto Rico, features vibrant local scenery and a dance style called “cumbia.” Overall, it’s just fun. There are dance sequences in eclectic nightclubs, attractive people dancing on cars, and fun rhythm met with talented Spanish rappers.
It’s no surprise this video takes the number one spot on the list. It topped music charts in 2017, leading people to flock to YouTube once the video was released.
The numbers: 34 million “thumbs up” reactions, 4.1 million “thumbs down” reactions, and more than 3 million comments. |
2. Ed Sheeran – Shape of You [Official Video]
Perhaps surprisingly, an Ed Sheeran music video claims the number two spot on this list, with 4,368,308,740 views. Sheeran, who is typically known for slower, romantic ballads, took a departure from the norm. Shape of You is sort of a pump-up song, with a video to match.
This video tells the story of two kickboxers (one played by Sheeran) falling in love through their mutual love of this cardio workout. Sheeran is never seen singing the song, but is a character in the story arc.
While Despacito was listed as number two on Billboard’s Hot 100 Songs of 2017, Shape of You came in at number one. Just goes to show that the cultural zeitgeist can love one song, but can love a different music video even more.
The numbers: 20 million “thumbs up” reactions, 1.1 million “thumbs down” reactions, and more than 900 thousand comments. |
3. Wiz Khalifa – See You Again ft. Charlie Puth [Official Video] Furious 7 Soundtrack
In the number three spot is — you guessed it — another music video, and this one was published on April 6, 2015. See You Again by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth is an unexpectedly emotional tune for an action series, and it currently boasts 4,214,408,139 views.
The emotion is undoubtedly invoked as a reverent goodbye to Paul Walker, a Fast and Furious actor who tragically died before the movie was released. Many fans pay Walker tribute in the comments section of this video.
It is perhaps for the memory of Walker that viewers return to this video; the most recent comment was left just two days ago.
The numbers: 25 million “thumbs up” reactions, 806 thousand “thumbs down” reactions, and more than 1 million comments. |
4. Masha and The Bear – Recipe For Disaster (Episode 17)
As a parent, you’ll turn anything on the TV if you feel it’ll occupy your child’s attention for the time being. YouTube is no different. It has a plethora of child-friendly TV shows and shorts that my niece, for example, would consume for hours if we let her.
Masha and the Bear is a Russian-made cartoon with English dialogue. This particular episode has 49,035,213 views. It features a young girl, Masha, cooking some sort of pink stew (reminiscent of cubby custard from the Teletubbies) that multiplies and starts to take over her entire home.
All the while, a bear is figuring out how to play chess with himself. It’s not exactly educational programming, but much like cartoons of olde, it’s good for a laugh.
The numbers: 67 thousand “thumbs up” reactions, 37 thousand “thumbs down” reactions, and 615 comments* (it’s worth remembering that, as a channel for children, there probably aren’t many viewers leaving comments*). |
5. Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars
The Uptown Funk music video was published on November 19, 2014. This song is the sound of my junior year in college: it was, and often still is, EVERYWHERE; it does not surprise me that the video has 3,643,186,390 views.
Bruno Mars is a skilled dancer and performer known for upbeat songs and this one is no different. The video gives you the feeling of sitting in the back of a jazz club, vibing with your friends.
The pair also had the ultimate marketing event for this song, being that 2014 is the year Bruno Mars performed at the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show. Sports fans around the country were subjected to this tune, which may have something to do with its popularity and its status at the number one song of 2015.
The numbers: 13 million “thumbs up” reactions, 822 thousand “thumbs down” reactions, and 485 thousand comments. |
6. PSY – Gangnam Style (Official Music Video)
If you haven’t seen the Gangnam Style video by this point, I don’t know where you’ve been. It was published on October 23, 2012, and has since amassed 99,903,569 views. Back in 2012, we were just starting to understand the effect a “viral sensation” could have. This video was the first ever to hit one billion views.
I’m not sure what I saw more of: this official video, or all the remakes that people followed up with. This song, which refers to a South Korean style of living, was originally produced for k-pop fans but quickly appealed to a much wider audience. The dance moves to this song caught on with middle-schooler enthusiasm, as artist Psy started a Gangnam-style revolution.
While this song was once the most-viewed video of all time, sixth place isn’t a bad spot to hold after seven years.
The numbers: 368 thousand “thumbs up” reactions, 70 thousand “thumbs down” reactions, and 19 thousand comments. |
7. Justin Bieber – Sorry (PURPOSE : The Movement)
Sorry by Justin Bieber is another classic that came out in my college years, and I can remember parting various dance floors to make room for my attempt at the dance moves. This video, with 3,182,832,472 views, features choreography by the famous New-Zealand dancer, director, choreographer, and actress Parris Goebel.
Bieber did something unique with this album: allowing various dance crews and partnerships to be the sole focus of each music video. Published on October 22, 2015, this particular video is one of the most-remembered, with an all-female dance crew in neon outfits whose energy and fun are contagious.
The numbers: 11 million “thumbs up” reactions, 1.5 million “thumbs down” reactions, and 800 thousand comments. |
8. Maroon 5 – Sugar
It’s easy to see why Maroon 5’s Sugar video amassed 3,019,542,406 views. Published on January 14, 2015, the height of flash mob popularity, they used the video as an opportunity to do drop-in performances at various weddings around Los Angeles.
The set-up made it clear that wedding guests, brides, and grooms had no idea what was going on. That is, until a sheet dropped to reveal Maroon 5 behind it, singing their newest hit. Although there was a lot of speculation that the stunt was fake (which the band denies), who really cares?
It made for a good watch, and I still get a little teary-eyed imagining these couples receiving such a fun surprise on their special day (Keith Urban, are you listening? Please crash my wedding).
9. Katy Perry – Roar (Official)
Katy Perry’s Roar video has a clear theme, claiming from the beginning to be filmed in “Junglescope.” This 2,893,464,978 view-video is the story of a woman overcoming the damage done by a narcissistic boyfriend…. in the jungle.
Perry becomes Georgina of the Jungle, slicing bananas with her spear and bathing by the trunk of an elephant. Perry is notably the first female artist on this list, lest we count Masha from Masha and the Bear.
Being that this was a single off of her album “Prism,” this video definitely had a big budget, which perhaps accounts for its success. Perry also just generally has a large fanbase, with upwards of 34 million subscribers to her official YouTube channel.
The numbers: 9.9 million “thumbs up” reactions, 809 thousand “thumbs down” reactions, and 600 thousand comments. |
10. Taylor Swift – Shake It Off
Wow, we are truly just powering through my college party playlist. Shake it Off by Taylor Swift came out on August 18, 2014, and has 2,814,651,922 views. As with many things Swift does, this video received a good deal of negative criticism – this time due to cultural appropriation and depictions of stereotypes attributed to black people.
The intended purpose of the video seems to be to encourage viewers to shake off criticism, and portrays Swift being unskilled at certain activities while surrounded by professionals. Ie, one scene depicts her struggling at ballet while the other ballerinas pirouette flawlessly.
This video tops the charts for many reasons: Taylor’s large fanbase, the song’s popularity and catchiness, and people who came to see what others were so upset about. No matter why people watched it, it’s certainly earned its way onto the top 10 list.
The numbers: 8.6 million “thumbs up” reactions, 941 thousand “thumbs down” reactions, and 516 thousand comments. |
Thanks for watching
As you can see here, the best way to get on the most-viewed video list is to already be a celebrity. It’s incredibly challenging to compete with A-list names such as Katy Perry and Bruno Mars.
But don’t let that deter you from making your own creative content! You may never beat out Despacito, but it’s worth a shot.
To read more on getting your YouTube account started, check out what your YouTube banner size should be.