From Baby Shark to Despacito, 10 Most-Viewed YouTube Videos Ever

Billions of clicks, endless replays, and songs that refuse to leave your head. That’s what the YouTube Hall of fame looks like. Over the years, certain videos have not only gone viral but also etched themselves into the digital culture of the world. As of September 2025, these are the ten that lead the pack, each one with a story behind the staggering numbers. 

Baby Shark

The saga kicks off with none other than Baby Shark Dance, the 2016 kids’ anthem that now has an unbelievable 16.2 billion views. Half the internet cursed it, the other half danced along, and every parent on Earth knows it by heart. Its endless “doo-doo-doo” rises and falls, turning homes into concert halls, rooms of play into whirlwinds of dance, and parents into the chorus they never meant to be.

Despacito

Then came Despacito, the song that travelled like sunlight across borders. Since 2017, 8.8 billion hearts have pressed play, drawn to its pulse of reggaeton and velvet-smooth voices. It is no longer just music but a bridge between languages, a melody carrying Latin rhythms to distant shores, uniting millions beneath its sway.

Cocomelon

Children’s laughter shapes the digital stage, and Cocomelon carries their voices. With Wheels on the Bus nearing 8 billion views, and Bath Song rising past 7.2 billion, these melodies fill homes again and again. Parents smile, sometimes weary, as replays turn into rituals, transforming YouTube from a screen into a nursery of song.

Johny Johny Yes Papa

Another children’s entry, Johny Johny Yes Papa, from LooLoo Kids, surprised the world in 2016. A simple story about a boy sneaking sugar turned into a meme factory, gathering more than 7 billion views.

It shows how the platform can turn even the simplest idea into a global hit when the right audience latches on.

See You Again

Music makes its comeback with See You Again by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth. Released in 2015 as a tribute to Paul Walker, it has over 6.7 billion views. Few songs have carried such raw emotion, and it briefly held the title of YouTube’s most-watched. Even now, it remains one of the platform’s most powerful moments. 

Shape of You

By 2017, Ed Sheeran had quietly written himself into history. Shape of You clocked up 6.5 billion views, not because people kept watching the video alone, but probably because someone’s aunty replayed it 500 times before her niece’s wedding. It’s been sung at parties, danced at weddings, and hummed during grocery runs. At this point, Shape of You could probably run for political office and still win by a landslide.

ChuChu TV

From India, ChuChu TV found a place among global giants, its Phonics Song with Two Words sparkling with over 6.5 billion views since 2014. Bright colors, cheerful laughter, and soft melodies carry lessons through the ears of children. What might look like play is something more. Education hidden in song, a classroom built out of joy.

Gangnam Style

And then the world galloped. Gangnam Style, PSY’s 2012 explosion, was no ordinary release. It was a cultural earthquake. The horse-riding dance stormed every stage, every screen. It shattered one billion views, so massive its broke YouTube’s counter, forcing the platform to rebuild. Today, with more than 5.6 billion views, it still stands as an immortal monument to virality itself.

Uptown Funk

Closing the list is Uptown Funk, Mark Ronson’s 2014 phenomenon with Bruno Mars at the mic. At 5.6 billion views, it became more than a song, it became a global eruption of sound and swagger.

Horns roared, rhythms pulsed, bodies moved. Every wedding floor, every festival crowd found themselves swept into its orbit. Years later, its presence still burns bright, a track too alive to fade into history.

Kids’ Content Leads the Way

What really grabs attention is how kids’ content rules the chart, with six out of ten of the biggest videos falling into that category. For many families, YouTube doubles as a digital babysitter where parents know their kids can find fun, safe entertainment. Still, music videos hold their ground, carrying global hits further than radio or TV ever could. Above the numbers lies a truth: YouTube is a global chorus, lifting voices from South Korea, Puerto Rico, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States into one shared spotlight.

Conclusion

Numbers can’t capture the heart of it. What matters are the voices of children chiming in with Baby Shark, the happiness of families dancing to Uptown Funk, the quiet grief of fans honoring Paul Walker. In clicks and views, we see traces of how people connect in today’s digital age.

        FAQs       

What is the most-viewed YouTube video of all time?

As of September 2025, the most-viewed video is Baby Shark Dance by Pinkfong, with over 16.2 billion views.

Why do kids’ videos dominate YouTube’s top charts?

Children tend to watch the same videos repeatedly, turning songs like Baby Shark or Cocomelon into cultural fixtures. Parents also prefer these videos as safe and engaging content for kids.

Which music video has the highest views on YouTube?

Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee lead the music category with around 8.8 billion views.

Are children’s videos more popular than music videos on YouTube?

Currently, yes. Six of the top ten most-viewed videos are kids’ songs, while the rest are global music hits. 

How often do YouTube’s most-viewed rankings change?

Not very often. Once a video crosses billions of views, it usually stays in the top rankings for years. However, sudden viral hits or new children’s content can shift positions.