Every minute, people upload 500 hours of content to YouTube. You would need to watch videos for almost 21 hours straight to be able to watch what’s been uploaded just within the last minute. The truth is that many of these videos won’t get many views.
Why?
That’s the $1 million question. Learning what works and doesn’t work on the platform requires you to study the most viewed YouTube videos for hints at what they did right. Also, there’s just a ton of amazing content to watch that will keep you entertained for days in our list below.
30 Most Viewed YouTube Videos of All Time
30. Enrique Iglesias – Bailando
Enrique Iglesias is a household name in the music industry, and his official video for Bailando surpassed expectations. He uploaded the song in 2014 to some controversy. However, the video exploded, with its sensual dancing and a bit of football mixed in.
Despite the crazy virality of the video, it sold “only” 8 million units and was the 10th best-selling song.
29. Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On
Major Lazer & DJ Snake uploaded the Lean On video in 2015, and it skyrocketed to one of the most popular videos on YouTube of all time. Throughout the years, there has been a lot of commentary on the video, with the directors attributing an international fan base, especially India, and cultural appropriation to the video’s success.
The song was also named the most streamed song of all time in 2015 by Spotify.
28. Maroon 5 – Girls Like You
Just five years ago, Maroon 5 released “Girls Like You,” and the video, for the most part, is unremarkable. The video does feature multiple girls, including Cardi B, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot and others, but none are scantily dressed or the real reason for the video’s success.
Instead, the song was just relatable and was helped by celebrities sharing it among their followers.
27. Passenger | Let Her Go
Passenger’s Let Her Go is another catchy song that didn’t have a remarkable video. In fact, the song is considered a “sleeper hit,” and it sold 1 million copies in the UK and 4 million in the US in the first two years.
However, the sales fall far short of the 3.5 billion views that the song’s video has racked up.
26. Alan Walker – Faded
Alan Walker’s video is a better example of stunning videography, and you can see the despair in the video that meshes perfectly with the song’s “Where are you now” chorus. The song was highly popularized thanks to Spotify and Shazam, and it helped drive video views.
25. Ed Sheeran – Perfect
Perfect shows Ed Sheeran walking through town while he finds the love of his life. Ed Sheeran is one of the world’s most famous musicians, and this song became relatable to couples everywhere. Many couples get married with the song playing in the background.
24. Humpty the Train on a Fruits Rid | Kiddiestv Hindi
Nursery rhymes are insanely popular among parents worldwide. Hindi is spoken by 585 million people, yet this video has been viewed 3.6 billion times. Chances are, parents keep replaying the video for their kids because of its bright colors, talking fruits and trains and more.
23. Katy Perry – Dark Horse ft. Juicy J
Dark Horse was released 9 years ago and has 3.6 billion views. The song shows Katy Perry as an Egyptian goddess, and it went on to win MTV’s Best Female Video award. The song reached the top charts for four weeks and stayed in the top ten for 22 weeks.
The video?
It became one of the most watched on YouTube of all time.
22. Lakdi ki Kathi – Jingle Toons
Hindi children’s songs are a major hit, thanks in part to the large population of Hindi speakers. Stunning visuals and anything children-related do amazingly well on YouTube. The song is catchy – although I don’t know what they’re saying. You’ll see animated kids dancing, along with their stunning horses.
21. Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran cracks the list again with Thinking Out Loud. Sheeran is a superstar with a lot of “likeability.” His mastery of lyrics and vocals attracts viewers, but the videography is spectacular, too. He adds dancing, a beautiful woman and lyrics that helped him attract 3.7B views in 9 years.
20. Justin Bieber – Sorry
Justin Bieber knows how to become a YouTube success, but everything at the time was perfect for the video’s release. Bieber’s popularity was huge, but the “Sorry” lyrics drummed up a lot of curiosity. Who was he saying sorry to in the song? Turns out, it was a song to the mega-famous Selena Gomez.
19. Shakira – Waka Waka
Waka Waka starts off showing people playing “soccer or football,” and the entire video highlights some of the game’s best players. The song benefitted greatly from the superstar that is Shakira and became the official song of the FIFA World Cup 2010 – which certainly helped make the video a wild success.
18. Baa Baa Black Sheep | CoComelon Nursery Rhymes
CoComelon knows how to get views on YouTube. The production includes a baby running through a meadow after a black sheep. The “Baa Baa Black Sheep” nursery rhyme plays in the background and has led to millions of parents playing the song before their kid’s bath time.
17. OneRepublic – Counting Stars
OneRepublic released the song Counting Stars 10 years ago. The song shot to the top of the charts in 20+ countries and is the first by a band to hit 1 billion views. The video is interesting, with the band playing when the ceiling collapses and a religious group falls through. An alligator can also be seen crawling around.
16. Katy Perry – Roar
Katy Perry is on the list again, but this time she’s in the jungle in the song Roar. The video is funny and shows some people being attacked by lions. But the song focuses on Perry being a sort of “queen of the jungle.” She roars in a tiger’s face and really turned the song into a mega-hit for women worldwide.
Heavy promotions certainly helped the video become a success, including:
- Performing under the Brooklyn Bridge
- A gig at the Syndey Opera House
- Airtime on The X Factor Australia
15. Maroon 5 – Sugar
Maroon 5’s Sugar peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent at least 20 weeks in the top 10. The song’s YouTube video has gained more than 3.9 billion views over the last eight years.
14. Crazy Frog – Axel F
Crazy Frog is an earworm with silly lyrics, but it’s the catchy tune that made it such a popular video on YouTube. Of course, the video also features the Crazy Frog character created by Erik Wernquist. Since its upload in 2009, the video has gained more than 4.2 billion views.
13. El Chombo – Dame Tu Cosita feat. Cutty Ranks
A bizarre dancing alien and a catchy melody are two reasons why El Chombo’s Dame Tu Cosita video ranks on this list. Since its upload in 2018, the video has received more than 4.4 billion views on YouTube.
12. Masha and The Bear – Recipe for disaster
Masha and the Bear’s Recipe for Disaster is a popular YouTube video made for preschoolers that has more than 4.5 billion views. The video was first uploaded in 2012 and was created for Russian children.
11. PSY – GANGNAM STYLE(강남스타일) M/V
PSY’s Gangnam Style video is the eleventh most viewed video on YouTube, with more than 4.9 billion views. The combination of the wild visuals and the infamous horse dance are just two of the reasons why the video gained so much popularity.
Today, the video still averages nearly a million views a day.
10. Learning Colors – Colorful Eggs on a Farm
The Colorful Eggs on a Farm song helps kids learn colors in Russian to the tune of Old MacDonald Had a Farm.
The cute graphics and song made this video a hit with kids, generating more than 5 billion views since its release five years ago.
9. Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars
Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk was released in 2014, and it quickly topped the Billboard Hot 100. Since its release, the song’s YouTube music video has received more than 5.1 billion views.
The catchy lyrics and tune aren’t the only reasons this video and song were so popular. The choreography and vintage style make it a video worth watching.
8. Wheels on the Bus | CoComelon Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs
CoComelon’s variation of the popular kid’s song Wheels on the Bus has gained more than 5.7 billion views since its upload.
The animated graphics and catchy lyrics made this a popular video with children.
7. Phonics Song with TWO Words – A For Apple – ABC Alphabet Songs with Sounds for Children
The Phonics Song is an educational video for kids that teaches them phonetics. The 4-minute-long video goes through the alphabet and teaches kids how to make each sound. Parents love it and replay it often for their kids.
The video has been on YouTube for nearly a decade, and since its upload, has received more than 5.6 billion views.
6. Wiz Khalifa – See You Again ft. Charlie Puth [Official Video] Furious 7 Soundtrack
Wiz Khalifa’s See You Again became one of only 33 songs to reach number one for at least ten weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The song’s YouTube music video, which was also featured on the Furious 7 soundtrack, has gained more than 6.1 billion views since its release.
5. Ed Sheeran – Shape of You (Official Music Video)
Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2017 and became the most streamed song for audio and video combined. Pop lyrics and the ability to stick in virtually anyone’s “mind” are just two reasons for the video’s popularity.
The YouTube music video for his hit song gained more than 6.1 billion views since its upload six years ago.
4. Bath Song | CoComelon Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs
The Bath Song from CoComelon Nursery Rhymes teaches kids all about bath time and getting clean. Since its upload in 2018, the video has gained more than 6.5 billion views.
Kids can sing along with the video, thanks to the lyrics in the description.
3. Johny Johny Yes Papa THE BEST Song for Children
Johny Johny Yes Papa is a child’s nursery rhyme that aims to teach kids about not lying. The popular child’s video has gained more than 6.8 billion views since its release in 2016.
The YouTube channel that uploaded the video – LooLoo Kids – has a large collection of child’s nursery rhymes just like this one that has received billions of views.
2. Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee
Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” was a runaway hit in 2017, becoming the world’s most-streamed song of all time. So, it comes as no surprise that the YouTube video for the song was equally popular.
The video has received more than 8.3 billion views and over 4 million comments.
1. Baby Shark Dance
Baby Shark Dance went viral when the video was uploaded to YouTube seven years ago. The fun dance moves and catchy lyrics made the song and video popular with both kids and adults. After it was released, it was hard to go anywhere without hearing the song.
Over the years, Baby Shark Dance has amassed more than 13 billion views.
What YouTube Video is the Most Viewed in 24 Hours?
Tracking the most popular YouTube videos becomes increasingly difficult when it’s a day or less from the time of uploading. Often, the videos with the most views in this short of a period are from well-known channels that have an easy time going viral.
BTS routinely gets the fastest views in 24 hours, primarily because music videos are replayed over and over again. The top videos from the group include:
- Butter – 108 million views in 24 hours
- Dynamite – 101 million views in 24 hours
- How You Like That (Blackpink) – 86 million views in 24 hours
How does someone like MrBeast compare? His most recent video was uploaded 2 weeks ago and has 115 million views.
What are the Most Viewed YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts have been a runaway success, reaching 50 billion daily views in 2023. But just like with regular YouTube videos, some Shorts have received more views than others.
Some of the Most Viewed YouTube Shorts Include:
- How Zach King Gets Away with Doing Graffiti by Dollarbill – 1.2 billion views
- If Cleaning Was a Timed Sport. Part 2 by Daniel LaBelle – 1.4 billion views
- Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette? by MrBeast – 996 million views
- 😱OMG😱 BEST TEACHER by Dednahype – 825 million views
- Impossible balance #shorts by Xavier Mortimer – 575 million views
What do these shorts have in common? They were all created by YouTubers with millions of subscribers.
What are the Most Liked and Disliked Videos on YouTube?
YouTube users can like or dislike videos by hitting the thumbs-up or thumbs-down buttons. What is the most liked YouTube video and most disliked video?
Videos with the Most Likes👍
- Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee – 52 million likes
- See You Again by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth – 42 million likes
- Baby Shark Dance by Pinkfong – 41 million likes
- Would you fly to Paris for a Baguette? by MrBeast – 41 million likes
Videos with the Most Dislikes👎
- YouTube Rewind 2018: Everyone Controls Rewind by YouTube – 19.94 million dislikes
- Baby Shark Dance by Pinkfong – 14.97 million dislikes
- Sadak 2 Trailer by Star Studios – 13.6 million dislikes
- Baby by Justin Bieber – 12.4 million dislikes
What’s the Most Subscribed Channel on YouTube?
Brand and individual channels need to be differentiated because many brands have a lot more staying power than individuals. With this in mind:
If you’re studying channels to see what works and doesn’t work, be sure to go through the 50 most-subscribed channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the First YouTube Video Ever To Hit the 1 Billion Views Mark?
Gaining a billion views is a milestone very few creators will ever hit. Gangnam Style (yes, really) was the first video to ever hit a billion views and has since hit 4.9 billion views and 27 million likes in its 11 years on the platform.
What’s the Most Viewed Music Video on YouTube?
It’s a song that gets stuck in everyone’s head: Baby Shark Dance, with 13.01 billion views.
Which Video on YouTube has the Highest Comments?
Most videos on YouTube receive 20-25 comments, but there are certainly some exceptions to this rule. The music video Ye Saram Be Ma Bezan from Amir Tataloo has the highest number of comments – more than 19.16 million. Artist Amir Tataloo is an Iranian rapper, singer and songwriter.
