Guardians of the Most Watched: YouTube Edition

Top 10 Most Viewed Videos on YouTube of All Time

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Making an incredibly successful YouTube video is the holy grail for any digital marketer. Gaining a place in the most-watched YouTube videos list is a great ambition to have, but you’ll be up against some stiff competition. Below, let’ take a look at the most viewed YouTube music video worldwide in 2021 and see what the secret to their success is.

Interested in the richest YouTubers? Check our pick of Top 10 Richest YouTubers in 2021

What is the Most Viewed YouTube Video?

Over the past couple of years, Despacito music video is undoubtedly been the most viewed video on YouTube. However, the list had changed after 2020 due to the rise of a catchy kid song - Baby Shark Dance. This child song video has reached more than 9 billion views worldwide (still growing) and led to an online dancing fever - Body Shark Challenge.

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You may have expected this, but the majority of the most popular YouTube videos are actually music videos. Most, but not all. Here’s our list based on the latest statistics about the most viewed youtube video ever available right now. If you want to know more about the channels or the YouTubers, you can use InflueNex to get the details of them.

Here is a full list of the most viewed videos on YouTube except for Body Shark Dance.

Despacito - Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee
See You Again - Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
Shape of You - Ed Sheeran
Gangnam Style - Psy
Masha and the Bear: Recipe for Disaster - Get Movies
Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Sorry - Justin Bieber
Sugar - Maroon 5
Shake It Off - Taylor Swift
Roar - Katy Perry

1. Despacito - Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee

Views:5.4B

Despacito, the Spanish word for ‘slowly’, has broken all records in terms of the most viewed YouTube videos, reaching the milestone of two billion views faster than any other video, ever. It went on to reach 2.5 billion views faster than any other and now boasts more than five billion views, making it the most-watched YouTube video of all time.

As a song that’s almost completely sung in Spanish, the immense popularity of this video surprised everyone. Although hugely popular in Hispanic countries, Despacito was also top of the charts in 45 different countries, from Uruguay to Japan to Italy, so what made it so popular? Experts have speculated that its mix of Caribbean, Latin, pop, and rap gave it a broad appeal. Its earwormish nature, danceable beat, and perfectly summery vibe have propelled this fairly mediocre video to the heights of YouTube stardom that the rest of us can only dream about.

2. See You Again - Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth

Views:3.7B

See You Again is a pretty cool song but is it really cool enough to be number two of the most-watched YouTube videos? Sure, the tune is catchy, and the video production is probably better than that of Despacito, but its rapid rise to YouTube stardom was still rather unexpected. Over 800 days after release, the video had clocked up almost three billion views, unseating the reigning champion of YouTube views, Psy and his K-Pop masterpiece, Gangnam Style, and today it’s sitting comfortably in the number two spot with 3.6 billion watches.

So, why did this tune go so viral? Was it the loyal Fast and the Furious fan base craving more time with the Furious 7 soundtrack, or was it the tributary nature of the video paying homage to the late Paul Walker that was bringing in the views? In truth, it was probably both and also neither. The main influencer here was simply that a lot more people were using YouTube. Between 2015 and 2016, YouTube experienced a 17 percent increase in music video viewers and a total 25 percent increase in video streams. See You Again was simply in the right place at the right time.

3. Shape of You - Ed Sheeran

Views:3.7B

If there’s one artist who has rocked the music scene more than any other in recent years, Mr. Sheeran is it. His double lead single from his latest album ÷ (divide) has been his most successful to date, racking up 3.5 billion views on YouTube to date with millions more added each day. It is Spotify’s most popular song ever with 1.5 billion streams and currently holds the record for the most number of weeks spent in the Billboard top 10. It’s was nominated for best single at the Brit Awards 2021 but was pipped at the post by Rag’n’Bone Man with Human.

But why does everyone love Shape of You so much? It’s a pretty simple song, with four basic chords and fairly boring romantic lyrics; what makes it so special? Some of its success is down to the physical construction of the music itself, with a pentatonic scale offering a tried and tested catchiness that’s impossible to resist. Even if you’re not a Sheeran fan, exposure has made this song familiar to you, being popular in clubs, pubs, restaurants and with buskers on street corners (not to mention certain Christmas adverts, right?). Add to all this the rise in general popularity of music videos, it’s clear to see how it’s become one of the most viewed YouTube videos of all time.

4. Gangnam Style - Psy

Views:3.2B

We’d be surprised if you could honestly say you’d never heard of Gangnam Style (and perhaps secretly tried a few horse dance moves), and Psy himself was undoubtedly pretty surprised too when he rocketed to internet fame in 2013. At its peak, this K-Pop legend was racking up 72 views per second and averaged 33 views a second for two whole years. Today, he’s fourth on the list with a total of 3.2 billion views (and yes, people are still watching).

Although it might seem Psy was inherently lucky when his song became such a huge hit, actually what he did was very clever. As well as combining a catchy tune with a ridiculously funny video, he intentionally left copyright off the video itself, almost inviting others to create their own parodies of the video, which they did in their droves. The dance he created was nothing short of genius, easily replicable by others all over the world. Despite being ‘K-Pop’, Psy’s own look is a world away from the polished pretty boy image of other artists in this genre, offering more of an anti-pop image from a guy who is clearly comfortable in his own skin. The result is the full package of measures, and deservedly places Gangnam Style in the top 10 most-watched YouTube videos of all time.

5. Masha and the Bear: Recipe for Disaster - Get Movies

Views:3.2B

A rather unusual entry for our number five slot, Masha and the Bear, as you might have guessed, is not a music video at all. It’s not even an official video, and to top it off it’s in Russian! Masha and the Bear is incredibly popular in Russia and is based loosely on an old Russian folk story, and since all 68 episodes have been uploaded to YouTube, three have surpassed the one billion view mark.

This particular episode is the crowning glory, having racked up 3.1 billion views over the years. The reason for this particular episode’s incredibly popularity is not entirely clear, although it is thought that perhaps the way Masha herself is portrayed has helped its success. Dressed in a folk costume with no legs on show and a headscarf makes the video acceptable to Muslim audiences around the world, which may have helped to spread its popularity.

6. Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Views:3.2B

Also with 3.1 billion views, the inimitably catchy Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson has been his biggest hit to date. Boasting chart-topping success in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and many other locations around the world, the single won two Grammys, record of the year, and spent 14 weeks at number one in the US. So, what was it that got people watching, singing, and dancing along with Ronson and Mars?

Part of the success is undoubtedly down to the amazing lyrics of the song. From repeating how hot he is to namechecking Michelle Pfeiffer and Saint Laurent, these are feel-good power lyrics at their very best. The simple four-chord structure and effortlessly funky beat help its appeal bridge the generations, and the video itself just screams fun, fun, fun! Don’t believe us, just watch (the YouTube video, of course)!

7. Sorry - Justin Bieber

Views:3 B

It’s no surprise that the young person’s sensation that is Justin Bieber had to make an appearance in our top 10 most-watched YouTube videos. He is, after all, the epitome of the YouTube generation, and has plenty of other well-watched videos in his archives. Selling 10 million copies in 2016 alone and topping the charts in 13 countries, Sorry has racked up, to date, 2.9 billion hits on YouTube, making it his most successful music video ever. So, what was the secret to this hit’s success?

Actually, we think that the reason for the success of this particular Bieber creation is due in part to the mismatch between the visuals and the audio. A languishing video requesting redemption from a lover would typically be shot in gritty black and white and feature the singer moping about feeling sorry for themselves. Instead, Bieber opted to recruit lively dancers from New Zealand’s ReQuest Dance Crew and furnish them with eye-popping outfits and lively dance moves to make up for the potentially depressing lyrics.

8. Sugar - Maroon 5

Views:2.7B

Maroon 5 had enjoyed a somewhat tumultuous career, achieving fame in the noughties, disappearing for a while, and then returning with outstanding hits such as ‘moves like Jagger’ and ‘One more night’. But this song, Sugar, has been their biggest video hit to date. Why? Well, the proof is in the pudding as they say.

This was a completely new concept video, shot in a variety of locations around Los Angeles and featuring Maroon 5 crashing numerous weddings. The reality is that the band did arrange things somewhat with the groom, although the bride and her guests had no idea. The resulting video is a joy to watch, as the assembled wedding parties express their shock, surprise, fear, and even anger as Levine and his crew pitch up and start singing.

Looking for the best wedding video songs? Check our top lists of the best songs for your wedding video .

9. Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

Views:2.6B

After a long drought of almost a year, devoted fans of Taylor Swift were sick to death of hearing ‘I Knew you were Trouble’ on the radio five hundred times a day, so Shake it Off was almost guaranteed to be a big hit. Going straight into number one on the charts and staying in the Hot 100 for 50 consecutive weeks, its success on YouTube was even greater, boasting 2.5 billion views to date and making it the 9th most-watched video on YouTube. But how?

Swift is a master of generating internet attention. With over 100 million Instagram followers, Taylor set about whipping her ‘Little Monsters’ into a frenzy about the forthcoming release of her new single. As a result, Shake it Off was pretty much all the internet cared about for a full 24 hours. The lyrics tread a thin line between playful mockery of Swift and self-aware empowerment but are also super easy to memories and sing along with. Well played madam, well played.

10. Roar - Katy Perry

Views:2.6B

In 2013, Katy Perry took a short break out of kissing girls and liking it, as well as marrying (and divorcing) Russell Brand in order to release this banging new single. By the end of the year, Roar had sold almost 10 million copies and had topped the charts in 12 different countries. Its success on the radio was only surpassed by the success of the colorful music video on YouTube, where it has secured 2.5 billion views to date.

What’s not to love about this particular video, we ask? The lyrics are super empowering, you can run to it, dance to it, or just belt out your own roar alongside Katy. The visuals are awesome too, in particular the CGI animals and skimpy leopard print bikini, which undoubtedly helped its popularity. In a year that was tough personally for Perry, she hit back and produced this powerful song, showing once again that she is indeed a champion.

Conclusion

All the videos listed above have billions of views after it is on YouTube, however, Rome wasn’t built in a day. If you want to get more views on your YouTube videos, do not miss our guide about How to get more views on YouTube . The most viewed videos on YouTube are constantly changing, and as more and more people choose to consume their visual content in this way, we’ll undoubtedly see more records broken, more changes to this top 10, and more exciting content being produced. Were you surprised by our list? Who did you think should have made the top 10? Let us know!

How to empower your YouTube video? Whether you are targeted in YouTube music video, gameplay video, beauty & fashion, comedy, how-to video, education, or entertainment video, you always need good video editing software to edit the YouTube video. Check our pickups of the best video editing software for YouTube in the below video.

Want to know more statistics about YouTube Reds, check our Infographic about YouTube Facts, Figures here .

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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The Ultimate Guide to YouTube’s Best Music Responses

Create High-Quality Video - Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful YouTube video editor

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials are provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Reaction videos are slowly taking over YouTube as the most popular type of channel. Everyone loves when someone reacts to something, and it can be anything from music, games, trending topics, or even random things like orange juice. They are so popular that people tag their friends to react to the series.

Music reaction videos are becoming increasingly more popular. Instead of a standard lyric video, music reaction videos show a fan listening and singing to their favorite album or single from start to finish. There are tons of fan-made music reaction videos on YouTube, but some get hundreds of thousands or even millions of views!

What is a music reaction video?

When you are on YouTube, you will see many music reaction videos. The music reaction video is the video that is based on the song. According to the situation, the person who uploads the video reacts to the song and does something funny or crazy. Many people enjoy watching these kinds of videos because they are funny and entertaining in many ways.

The best thing about these videos is that you can learn from them. You can learn how to react in certain situations, but these situations might arise only once in your life. So, it is good to react to these funny videos and make yourself aware of what should be done in such a situation.

You can even make your music reaction video and share it with your friends on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. People will love it and appreciate it, and you can also learn how to make these kinds of videos by watching other people’s reactions.

10 Best YouTube Music Reaction Video

#1. [BANGTAN BOMB] ‘Dynamite’ MV Reaction

In this video, a famous Korean Band named BTS reacts to many different music videos from the past. People love to see their reactions, and the video has over 25M views on Youtube.

#2. Rappers React to Rich Brian ft. Ghostface Killah, Desiigner, Tory Lanez & More

In this video, many street rappers react to many famous rappers and give their views about them. The video became quite popular on Youtube and got 23M+ views.

#3. Dixie D’Amelio’s Family and Friends React to her Be Happy Music Video

In this video, many people who are relatives of Dixie D’Amelio react to her music video. She recorded the reach of each one of them and shared it with the youtube community. The video got over 20M views on youtube.

#4. Elders React To Lil Dicky - Earth

In this video, many elders react to the Lil Dick’s Music video. Their reactions are quite amusing to the audience, and the video got over 19M views on Youtube.

#5. Kids React To Eminem

In this video, some kids react to the Eminem rap music videos and give their views about rap. Some of them are amused by the rap, and some of them find it difficult to understand. Overall their reaction is worth watching. The video got over 13M views on Youtube.

#6. Do Teens Know 90s Hip Hop?

In this video, many teens listen to ‘90s hip-hop music videos, and their reactions are recorded. They are familiar with some of the songs, and some are totally new and amusing to them. The video got over 11M Views on Youtube.

#7. Big Shaq - Mans Not Hot (Music Video)- Reaction

In this video, a couple of friends react to the Mans Not Hot Music video and record their reactions. They have reacted to the video quite funny, and their reactions are very amusing. People enjoy watching their reactions. The video has over 11M views on Youtube.

#8 BTS React To Fans Watching “Boy With Luv” Music Video For The First Time

In this video, The famous Koran Band BTS reacts to their fan’s videos, watching Boy With Luv Music video for the first time. So, in this video, you will see the reaction of BTS to the reaction of their fans. The video was a hit on Youtube, and it got over 9M views.

#9 “Don’t Forget” Minecraft FNAF Animation Music Video

This is a reaction mashup video in which a lot of creators are reacting to the Don’t forget music video. You rarely get to see soo many reactions in a single video. The video is a hit and has over 9M views on Youtube.

#10 Youtubers React To Top 10 Most Disliked Music Videos Of All Time

In this video, many YouTubers react to the top 10 most disliked music videos in Youtube’s history. Their reactions are priceless, and this video is definitely worth watching. The video has over 6M views on Youtube.

How to make a Youtube music reaction video with Filmora

Reaction videos are the latest trend in the world of YouTube. So many people want to create their own reaction videos but either doesn’t have the skills to do so or don’t know how to get started. This guide should give you everything you need to get started on creating your very next reaction video.

Step 1: First of all, make sure that you have downloaded and installed the latest version of Filmora on your computer. If you haven’t already downloaded it, then you can install it from their official website.

Step 2: Run the Filmora software and when a window appears on your screen, click on the new project and select the 16:9 aspect ratio of your project.

Step 3: Now first, you need to record your reaction to a music video . You can use Filmora’s Built-In screen recorder to record your reaction along with your cam. You can also record your reactions separately and then merge them with the original music video using Filmora.

Step 4: Now import the music video on which you want to react to the Filmora library along with your reaction video. You can do this by clicking on the file, import, and import media.

Step 5: Now drag the music video from the Library and drop it into the Filmora timeline.

Step 6: Now drag your reaction video and drop it above the original music video in the track.

Step 7: Decrease the size of your reaction video by using the canvas controls in the preview window and adjusting it to any side of the window.

Step 8: If you want to keep your reaction video in a big frame and your music video in a small one, you can do the opposite.

Step 9: If you want to add any effects or call-outs to your video, you can use the rich elements library of Filmora, where you can find hundreds of interactive elements.

Step 10: Once you have finalized the video, click on the import button and save the video to your computer in your desired format. Once the video is imported, you can share it on Youtube with your audience.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

● By following the steps above and using Filmora, you will be able to produce a high-quality music reaction video that can be shared with family, friends, or even your favorite artists. All of the steps above may look complicated when separated into different actions, but they became much easier and quicker when completed together and practiced in order.

Try It Free Try It Free

What is a music reaction video?

10 Best YouTube Music Reaction Video

#1. [BANGTAN BOMB] ‘Dynamite’ MV Reaction

In this video, a famous Korean Band named BTS reacts to many different music videos from the past. People love to see their reactions, and the video has over 25M views on Youtube.

#2. Rappers React to Rich Brian ft. Ghostface Killah, Desiigner, Tory Lanez & More

In this video, many street rappers react to many famous rappers and give their views about them. The video became quite popular on Youtube and got 23M+ views.