Have you ever wanted to know Which videos dominated YouTube each year? 🤔
Here is the list from 2005 to today! These videos have reached incredible views, thanks to their creativity, their music (most are music videos) or because they were incredibly engaging and emotional.
Let's find out together what made each of these videos so viral.
The ranking below does not count global views, but rather those for each individual year.
Index
- Most viewed video of 2005
- Most viewed video of 2006
- Most viewed video of 2007
- Most viewed video of 2008
- Most viewed video of 2009
- Most viewed video of 2010
- Most viewed video of 2011
- Most viewed video of 2012
- Most viewed video of 2013
- Most viewed video of 2014
- Most viewed video of 2015
- Most viewed video of 2016
- Most viewed video of 2017
- Most viewed video of 2018
- Most viewed video of 2019
- Most viewed video of 2020
- Most viewed video of 2021
- Most viewed video of 2022
- Most viewed video of 2023
- Most viewed video of 2024
- The most viewed video of 2025
Most viewed video of 2005:
Ronaldinho: Touch of Gold
Views: 3 million
Creator: Nike
Why viral: The video (which looks like an amateur shot) shows Ronaldinho dribbling and hitting the crossbar 4 times in a row. Today we know that it was an edited video, but twenty years ago this was not a given. It was one of the first viral ads on YouTube.
(the video above is not the original, but has been re-uploaded)
Most viewed video of 2006:
Evolution of Dance
Views: 12 million
Creator: Judson Laipply
Why viral: Who doesn't love a good dance mashup? Judson Laipply has put together several iconic moves, recalling dance trends throughout history with great nostalgia.
Most viewed video of 2007:
Charlie Bit My Finger
Views: 10 million
Creator: Howard Davies Carr
Why viral: A sweet and true moment between two brothers that has conquered the web. The brother's reaction and his faces after Charlie's bite did the rest, making the video incredibly viral.
(the video above is not the original, but has been re-uploaded)
Most viewed video of 2008:
Crank That – Soulja Boy
Views: 27 million
Creator: SouljaBoy
Why viral: This track quickly spread on YouTube. It was one of the first “dance challenges” with everyone trying to learn the moves of the “Crank That”.
Most viewed video of 2009:
bad Romance - Lady Gaga
Views: 200 million
Creator: Lady Gaga
Why viral: Lady Gaga topped the charts with this iconic track. Gaga's eccentric looks and the stunning choreography of this music video made it an instant hit, cementing her position as a pop star.
Most viewed video of 2010:
Baby –Justin Bieber
Views: 600 million
Creator: Justin Bieber ft. Ludacris
Why viral: The “Bieber fever” was real. As the “Beliebers” (as Justin’s fans are called) grew up, this song, along with his image as a young star, became an international hit.
Most viewed video of 2011:
Friday – Rebecca Black
Views: 167 million
Creator: Rebecca Black
Why viral: “Friday” has become an involuntary meme thanks to its simple lyrics and banal melody. It seems like a parody of a Pop Teen video, but instead it is true. The real boost to the video were the ironic comments of the users.
Most viewed video of 2012:
Gangnam Style – PSY
Views: 1 billion
Creator:PSY
Why viral: Korean Psy's dance moves, mood and rhythm of the song have won everyone over, making this video the first to surpass one billion views on YouTube.
Most viewed video of 2013:
Gentleman – PSY
Views: 600 million
Creator:PSY
Why viral: After “Gangnam Style”, PSY returns a year later with another worldwide hit that breaks new records. Gentleman is the video to reach one million views on YouTube the fastest.
Most viewed video of 2014:
Dark Horse – Katy Perry
Views: 700 million
Creator: Katy Perry ft. Juicy J
Why viral: A colorful video themed around ancient Egypt, “Dark Horse” was an international hit during Jatie Perry's heyday.
Most viewed video of 2015:
See You Again – Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
Views: 1.2 billion
Creator: Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
Why viral: Dedicated to Paul Walker, the actor who died in a car accident at the age of 40, this emotional ballad is an extract from the soundtrack of Furious 7 of the saga Fast & Furious touched the hearts of millions of fans.
Most viewed video of 2016:
Work – Rihanna ft. Drake
Views: 1.2 billion
Creator: Rihanna ft. Drake
Why viral: The catchy beat and chemistry between Rihanna and Drake fueled the hit of the year.
Most viewed video of 2017:
Despacito – Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee
Views: 4.8 billion
Creator: Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee
Why viral: This reggaeton hit, thanks to the second most spoken language in the world and its very sexy rhythm, has caused its worldwide diffusion, generating numbers never seen before.
Most viewed video of 2018:
Learning Colors – Colorful Eggs on a Farm
Views: 2.5 billion
Creator: Miroshka TV
Why viral: Kids videos on YouTube have exploded in popularity, and this simple, colorful animation has captured the attention of little ones.
Most viewed video of 2019:
Con Calma – Daddy Yankee ft. Snow
Views: 2 billion
Creator: Daddy Yankee ft. Snow
Why viral: A remix of the 1992 classic “Informer” with a Latin twist, “Con Calma” got the world dancing.
Most viewed video of 2020:
Dynamite – BTS
Views: 1 billion
Creator: BTS
Why viral: BTS's first all-English single has captivated both K-pop fans and the general public, becoming the most-viewed video on YouTube in 2020.
Most viewed video of 2021:
Stay by The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
Views: 1.4 billion
Creator: Stay by The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
Why viral: This summer duet between Justin Bieber and the young Australian rapper The Kid LAROI has become a hit also fueled by TikTok, where the audio had become trending.
Most viewed video of 2022:
Pink Venom – BlackPink
Views: 800 million
Creator: BlackPink
Why viral: Choreography, rhythm, outfit and colors made the song by South Korean K-pop girl group BlackPink a global hit among BLINK fans around the world.
Most viewed video of 2023:
Flower – Jisoo
Views: 439 million
Creator:Jisoo
Why viral: BlackPink member Jisoo's solo debut, with her delicate and engaging style, was warmly welcomed by fans, becoming an instant hit.
Most viewed video of 2024:
Karol G – i Antes Te Hubiera Conocido
Views: 610 million
Creator: Karol G
Why viral: the merengue-filled song by the Colombian singer reflects on the idea of missed opportunities and what could have happened if she had met the person she loved sooner.
Most viewed video of 2025:
“Golden” Official Lyric Video | KPop Demon Hunters
Views: 1 billion
Creator: Sony Animation
Why viral: “Golden” combines K-pop aesthetics with powerful cinematic storytelling, with an extremely catchy chorus that speaks of identity, strength and redemption, amplified by the global success of the KPop animated film Demon Hunters and the massive diffusion on TikTok, Reels and streaming platforms.
