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"[Updated] Elevate Your Video Voyage Navigating the World of YouTube Links"
Elevate Your Video Voyage: Navigating the World of YouTube Links
YouTube is the world’s 2nd most visited site. That means achieving a higher ranking can be beneficial for you. YouTube SEO can help you to boost traffic, get more views, and achieve higher rankings. In this article, we’ll explain what YouTube backlinks are and the safest way to get them.
In this article
01 [What Are YouTube Backlinks?](#Part 1)
02 [Are YouTube Backlinks Important?](#Part 2)
03 [How Can I Get YouTube Backlinks for My Videos?](#Part 3)
04 [A Few More SEO Factors for YouTube SEO](#Part 4)
What Are YouTube Backlinks?
Links between other sites to your YouTube videos are referred to as YouTube backlinks. Backlinks are crucial to growing traffic, increasing discovery speed, and improving ranks. Backlinks are almost akin to a site’s reputation as they can act as a vote of confidence for the quality of your videos.
The content of a video with more backlinks is seen as more valuable by search engines than those with less, as each backlink adds confidence that the video is worth linking to.
The popularity of the sites linking to a YouTube video also plays a part as they naturally lead to increased traffic coming to sites through backlinks. Search engines often check popular videos for new backlinks leading to the quick discovery of new content.
The quality of backlinks significantly impacts the ranking and visibility of a given video. Search engines consider links from relevant sources as more valuable as people are more likely to click them.
Lastly, placement and formatting of links play a part as a link that stands out is more likely to generate traffic than one that doesn’t.
Are YouTube Backlinks Important?
Yes. Backlinks are one of the vital aspects of SEO. They are essential to ranking well in Google search results, and they also help you stay ahead of your competition.
Backlinks act as a powerful source to attract your target audience. While getting people to your might be challenging, sending them to your other work is a breeze. You only have to include YouTube backlinks for free to do so. With 65% of people being visual learners, YouTube is a resourceful place for using backlinks.
How Can I Get YouTube Backlinks for My Videos?
Getting high-quality backlinks can be challenging if you don’t know how to do it. The good news is that there are many different methods that you can use to get links that will benefit your YouTube videos; all it takes is a little creativity.
With that in mind, here are some of the safest ways of getting YouTube backlinks for free for your videos.
Guest Vlogging
If you have a large social media following or even just a few loyal subscribers on YouTube, consider using that to your advantage. Many bloggers and popular vloggers will allow guest appearances in their videos — as long as they also get something out of it. If you are a vlogger in a specific niche, you could guest vlog for someone well-known in your niche, or anyone with higher ranking videos than yours.
Share Your Videos on Social Media
Posting original content on social media sites is also a great way to get high-quality backlinks for free. People will click your links, and this can help you to get more views and subscribers too. Many bloggers and vloggers often post the videos they feature on their social media platforms.
Web 2.0 Sites
The use of Web 2.0 sites is a great way to get backlinks for your YouTube videos. Web 2.0 sites, such as Squarespace, Blogger, Blog, Weebly, and WordPress allow you to embed your videos. You can post original content on these sites, which will then link back to yours. So this makes them powerful links indeed.
Incorporate such websites into your marketing strategy and then target your keywords correctly to get more user engagement. In turn, both your site and embedded video will rank on the top page of search engines, meaning you will rank for that particular search query.
Pinterest Video Pins
Pinterest video pins are another great option. They are simply a link to your YouTube video placed on the Pinterest site. With over 320 million monthly active users and more than 200 billion pins saved, this is a great way to get YouTube backlinks for free. It also helps you grow your following.
Creating backlinks using Pinterest video pins can help you tell a story about your brand, idea, or project. Video pins attract and grab the attention of your audience using a cover image. What’s more? You can create video adverts to advertise on Pinterest.
Unlinked Mentions
The use of unlinked mentions means that whenever someone writes about a YouTube video without linking it back, you provide them with a link yourself; this is a great way to obtain YouTube backlinks for free.
● Questions: Is it safe to buy YouTube backlinks?
● No, it is not. You should not buy backlinks because it’s against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. If you get caught, you will get a Google penalty for trying to cheat the system.
A Few More SEO Factors for YouTube SEO
Quality of Your Videos
YouTube and Google rank high-quality HD videos higher than those of low quality. Use Filmora to create and edit your videos before uploading them to YouTube.
The software allows you to change the resolution of your videos; it has a range of resolution settings you can choose from to enhance the quality of your videos. You can also adjust the contrast, brightness, tint, and saturation of your videos.
Moreover, you can cut a section in the middle of a video and remove the shake from videos. Additionally, the program allows you to trim, crop, rotate and join videos.
The best part is: You don’t need to be tech-savvy to know how to use this software. It is easy to use and has an aesthetically pleasing interface.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
Help you create high-quality YouTube video
Video Title
The title of your video has a significant effect on your YouTube SEO. Including your target keyword in your title will help your video rank higher. A compelling title also drives a high CTR (click-through rate). However, you should avoid creating clickbait titles, as this can hurt your ranking.
Engagement
YouTube ranking also depends on how viewers engage with your video. If users watch, share, like, and comment on your videos, Google and YouTube will give them a priority. As such, the more engagement your videos receive, the higher they will rank.
YouTube Tags
Tags allow YouTube to know what your video is about. For this reason, your first tag should be the target keyword. You should also include variations of the target keyword when adding tags.
Conclusion
Using these methods can help you gain high-quality links to boost your YouTube SEO and increase views and subscribers to your channel. Keeping this in mind, the quality of your video is one of the ranking factors. Use Filmora to edit and create HD videos that will get on top of search results.
02 [Are YouTube Backlinks Important?](#Part 2)
03 [How Can I Get YouTube Backlinks for My Videos?](#Part 3)
04 [A Few More SEO Factors for YouTube SEO](#Part 4)
What Are YouTube Backlinks?
Links between other sites to your YouTube videos are referred to as YouTube backlinks. Backlinks are crucial to growing traffic, increasing discovery speed, and improving ranks. Backlinks are almost akin to a site’s reputation as they can act as a vote of confidence for the quality of your videos.
The content of a video with more backlinks is seen as more valuable by search engines than those with less, as each backlink adds confidence that the video is worth linking to.
The popularity of the sites linking to a YouTube video also plays a part as they naturally lead to increased traffic coming to sites through backlinks. Search engines often check popular videos for new backlinks leading to the quick discovery of new content.
The quality of backlinks significantly impacts the ranking and visibility of a given video. Search engines consider links from relevant sources as more valuable as people are more likely to click them.
Lastly, placement and formatting of links play a part as a link that stands out is more likely to generate traffic than one that doesn’t.
Are YouTube Backlinks Important?
Yes. Backlinks are one of the vital aspects of SEO. They are essential to ranking well in Google search results, and they also help you stay ahead of your competition.
Backlinks act as a powerful source to attract your target audience. While getting people to your might be challenging, sending them to your other work is a breeze. You only have to include YouTube backlinks for free to do so. With 65% of people being visual learners, YouTube is a resourceful place for using backlinks.
How Can I Get YouTube Backlinks for My Videos?
Getting high-quality backlinks can be challenging if you don’t know how to do it. The good news is that there are many different methods that you can use to get links that will benefit your YouTube videos; all it takes is a little creativity.
With that in mind, here are some of the safest ways of getting YouTube backlinks for free for your videos.
Guest Vlogging
If you have a large social media following or even just a few loyal subscribers on YouTube, consider using that to your advantage. Many bloggers and popular vloggers will allow guest appearances in their videos — as long as they also get something out of it. If you are a vlogger in a specific niche, you could guest vlog for someone well-known in your niche, or anyone with higher ranking videos than yours.
Share Your Videos on Social Media
Posting original content on social media sites is also a great way to get high-quality backlinks for free. People will click your links, and this can help you to get more views and subscribers too. Many bloggers and vloggers often post the videos they feature on their social media platforms.
Web 2.0 Sites
The use of Web 2.0 sites is a great way to get backlinks for your YouTube videos. Web 2.0 sites, such as Squarespace, Blogger, Blog, Weebly, and WordPress allow you to embed your videos. You can post original content on these sites, which will then link back to yours. So this makes them powerful links indeed.
Incorporate such websites into your marketing strategy and then target your keywords correctly to get more user engagement. In turn, both your site and embedded video will rank on the top page of search engines, meaning you will rank for that particular search query.
Pinterest Video Pins
Pinterest video pins are another great option. They are simply a link to your YouTube video placed on the Pinterest site. With over 320 million monthly active users and more than 200 billion pins saved, this is a great way to get YouTube backlinks for free. It also helps you grow your following.
Creating backlinks using Pinterest video pins can help you tell a story about your brand, idea, or project. Video pins attract and grab the attention of your audience using a cover image. What’s more? You can create video adverts to advertise on Pinterest.
Unlinked Mentions
The use of unlinked mentions means that whenever someone writes about a YouTube video without linking it back, you provide them with a link yourself; this is a great way to obtain YouTube backlinks for free.
● Questions: Is it safe to buy YouTube backlinks?
● No, it is not. You should not buy backlinks because it’s against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. If you get caught, you will get a Google penalty for trying to cheat the system.
A Few More SEO Factors for YouTube SEO
Quality of Your Videos
YouTube and Google rank high-quality HD videos higher than those of low quality. Use Filmora to create and edit your videos before uploading them to YouTube.
The software allows you to change the resolution of your videos; it has a range of resolution settings you can choose from to enhance the quality of your videos. You can also adjust the contrast, brightness, tint, and saturation of your videos.
Moreover, you can cut a section in the middle of a video and remove the shake from videos. Additionally, the program allows you to trim, crop, rotate and join videos.
The best part is: You don’t need to be tech-savvy to know how to use this software. It is easy to use and has an aesthetically pleasing interface.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
Help you create high-quality YouTube video
Video Title
The title of your video has a significant effect on your YouTube SEO. Including your target keyword in your title will help your video rank higher. A compelling title also drives a high CTR (click-through rate). However, you should avoid creating clickbait titles, as this can hurt your ranking.
Engagement
YouTube ranking also depends on how viewers engage with your video. If users watch, share, like, and comment on your videos, Google and YouTube will give them a priority. As such, the more engagement your videos receive, the higher they will rank.
YouTube Tags
Tags allow YouTube to know what your video is about. For this reason, your first tag should be the target keyword. You should also include variations of the target keyword when adding tags.
Conclusion
Using these methods can help you gain high-quality links to boost your YouTube SEO and increase views and subscribers to your channel. Keeping this in mind, the quality of your video is one of the ranking factors. Use Filmora to edit and create HD videos that will get on top of search results.
02 [Are YouTube Backlinks Important?](#Part 2)
03 [How Can I Get YouTube Backlinks for My Videos?](#Part 3)
04 [A Few More SEO Factors for YouTube SEO](#Part 4)
What Are YouTube Backlinks?
Links between other sites to your YouTube videos are referred to as YouTube backlinks. Backlinks are crucial to growing traffic, increasing discovery speed, and improving ranks. Backlinks are almost akin to a site’s reputation as they can act as a vote of confidence for the quality of your videos.
The content of a video with more backlinks is seen as more valuable by search engines than those with less, as each backlink adds confidence that the video is worth linking to.
The popularity of the sites linking to a YouTube video also plays a part as they naturally lead to increased traffic coming to sites through backlinks. Search engines often check popular videos for new backlinks leading to the quick discovery of new content.
The quality of backlinks significantly impacts the ranking and visibility of a given video. Search engines consider links from relevant sources as more valuable as people are more likely to click them.
Lastly, placement and formatting of links play a part as a link that stands out is more likely to generate traffic than one that doesn’t.
Are YouTube Backlinks Important?
Yes. Backlinks are one of the vital aspects of SEO. They are essential to ranking well in Google search results, and they also help you stay ahead of your competition.
Backlinks act as a powerful source to attract your target audience. While getting people to your might be challenging, sending them to your other work is a breeze. You only have to include YouTube backlinks for free to do so. With 65% of people being visual learners, YouTube is a resourceful place for using backlinks.
How Can I Get YouTube Backlinks for My Videos?
Getting high-quality backlinks can be challenging if you don’t know how to do it. The good news is that there are many different methods that you can use to get links that will benefit your YouTube videos; all it takes is a little creativity.
With that in mind, here are some of the safest ways of getting YouTube backlinks for free for your videos.
Guest Vlogging
If you have a large social media following or even just a few loyal subscribers on YouTube, consider using that to your advantage. Many bloggers and popular vloggers will allow guest appearances in their videos — as long as they also get something out of it. If you are a vlogger in a specific niche, you could guest vlog for someone well-known in your niche, or anyone with higher ranking videos than yours.
Share Your Videos on Social Media
Posting original content on social media sites is also a great way to get high-quality backlinks for free. People will click your links, and this can help you to get more views and subscribers too. Many bloggers and vloggers often post the videos they feature on their social media platforms.
Web 2.0 Sites
The use of Web 2.0 sites is a great way to get backlinks for your YouTube videos. Web 2.0 sites, such as Squarespace, Blogger, Blog, Weebly, and WordPress allow you to embed your videos. You can post original content on these sites, which will then link back to yours. So this makes them powerful links indeed.
Incorporate such websites into your marketing strategy and then target your keywords correctly to get more user engagement. In turn, both your site and embedded video will rank on the top page of search engines, meaning you will rank for that particular search query.
Pinterest Video Pins
Pinterest video pins are another great option. They are simply a link to your YouTube video placed on the Pinterest site. With over 320 million monthly active users and more than 200 billion pins saved, this is a great way to get YouTube backlinks for free. It also helps you grow your following.
Creating backlinks using Pinterest video pins can help you tell a story about your brand, idea, or project. Video pins attract and grab the attention of your audience using a cover image. What’s more? You can create video adverts to advertise on Pinterest.
Unlinked Mentions
The use of unlinked mentions means that whenever someone writes about a YouTube video without linking it back, you provide them with a link yourself; this is a great way to obtain YouTube backlinks for free.
● Questions: Is it safe to buy YouTube backlinks?
● No, it is not. You should not buy backlinks because it’s against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. If you get caught, you will get a Google penalty for trying to cheat the system.
A Few More SEO Factors for YouTube SEO
Quality of Your Videos
YouTube and Google rank high-quality HD videos higher than those of low quality. Use Filmora to create and edit your videos before uploading them to YouTube.
The software allows you to change the resolution of your videos; it has a range of resolution settings you can choose from to enhance the quality of your videos. You can also adjust the contrast, brightness, tint, and saturation of your videos.
Moreover, you can cut a section in the middle of a video and remove the shake from videos. Additionally, the program allows you to trim, crop, rotate and join videos.
The best part is: You don’t need to be tech-savvy to know how to use this software. It is easy to use and has an aesthetically pleasing interface.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
Help you create high-quality YouTube video
Video Title
The title of your video has a significant effect on your YouTube SEO. Including your target keyword in your title will help your video rank higher. A compelling title also drives a high CTR (click-through rate). However, you should avoid creating clickbait titles, as this can hurt your ranking.
Engagement
YouTube ranking also depends on how viewers engage with your video. If users watch, share, like, and comment on your videos, Google and YouTube will give them a priority. As such, the more engagement your videos receive, the higher they will rank.
YouTube Tags
Tags allow YouTube to know what your video is about. For this reason, your first tag should be the target keyword. You should also include variations of the target keyword when adding tags.
Conclusion
Using these methods can help you gain high-quality links to boost your YouTube SEO and increase views and subscribers to your channel. Keeping this in mind, the quality of your video is one of the ranking factors. Use Filmora to edit and create HD videos that will get on top of search results.
02 [Are YouTube Backlinks Important?](#Part 2)
03 [How Can I Get YouTube Backlinks for My Videos?](#Part 3)
04 [A Few More SEO Factors for YouTube SEO](#Part 4)
What Are YouTube Backlinks?
Links between other sites to your YouTube videos are referred to as YouTube backlinks. Backlinks are crucial to growing traffic, increasing discovery speed, and improving ranks. Backlinks are almost akin to a site’s reputation as they can act as a vote of confidence for the quality of your videos.
The content of a video with more backlinks is seen as more valuable by search engines than those with less, as each backlink adds confidence that the video is worth linking to.
The popularity of the sites linking to a YouTube video also plays a part as they naturally lead to increased traffic coming to sites through backlinks. Search engines often check popular videos for new backlinks leading to the quick discovery of new content.
The quality of backlinks significantly impacts the ranking and visibility of a given video. Search engines consider links from relevant sources as more valuable as people are more likely to click them.
Lastly, placement and formatting of links play a part as a link that stands out is more likely to generate traffic than one that doesn’t.
Are YouTube Backlinks Important?
Yes. Backlinks are one of the vital aspects of SEO. They are essential to ranking well in Google search results, and they also help you stay ahead of your competition.
Backlinks act as a powerful source to attract your target audience. While getting people to your might be challenging, sending them to your other work is a breeze. You only have to include YouTube backlinks for free to do so. With 65% of people being visual learners, YouTube is a resourceful place for using backlinks.
How Can I Get YouTube Backlinks for My Videos?
Getting high-quality backlinks can be challenging if you don’t know how to do it. The good news is that there are many different methods that you can use to get links that will benefit your YouTube videos; all it takes is a little creativity.
With that in mind, here are some of the safest ways of getting YouTube backlinks for free for your videos.
Guest Vlogging
If you have a large social media following or even just a few loyal subscribers on YouTube, consider using that to your advantage. Many bloggers and popular vloggers will allow guest appearances in their videos — as long as they also get something out of it. If you are a vlogger in a specific niche, you could guest vlog for someone well-known in your niche, or anyone with higher ranking videos than yours.
Share Your Videos on Social Media
Posting original content on social media sites is also a great way to get high-quality backlinks for free. People will click your links, and this can help you to get more views and subscribers too. Many bloggers and vloggers often post the videos they feature on their social media platforms.
Web 2.0 Sites
The use of Web 2.0 sites is a great way to get backlinks for your YouTube videos. Web 2.0 sites, such as Squarespace, Blogger, Blog, Weebly, and WordPress allow you to embed your videos. You can post original content on these sites, which will then link back to yours. So this makes them powerful links indeed.
Incorporate such websites into your marketing strategy and then target your keywords correctly to get more user engagement. In turn, both your site and embedded video will rank on the top page of search engines, meaning you will rank for that particular search query.
Pinterest Video Pins
Pinterest video pins are another great option. They are simply a link to your YouTube video placed on the Pinterest site. With over 320 million monthly active users and more than 200 billion pins saved, this is a great way to get YouTube backlinks for free. It also helps you grow your following.
Creating backlinks using Pinterest video pins can help you tell a story about your brand, idea, or project. Video pins attract and grab the attention of your audience using a cover image. What’s more? You can create video adverts to advertise on Pinterest.
Unlinked Mentions
The use of unlinked mentions means that whenever someone writes about a YouTube video without linking it back, you provide them with a link yourself; this is a great way to obtain YouTube backlinks for free.
● Questions: Is it safe to buy YouTube backlinks?
● No, it is not. You should not buy backlinks because it’s against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. If you get caught, you will get a Google penalty for trying to cheat the system.
A Few More SEO Factors for YouTube SEO
Quality of Your Videos
YouTube and Google rank high-quality HD videos higher than those of low quality. Use Filmora to create and edit your videos before uploading them to YouTube.
The software allows you to change the resolution of your videos; it has a range of resolution settings you can choose from to enhance the quality of your videos. You can also adjust the contrast, brightness, tint, and saturation of your videos.
Moreover, you can cut a section in the middle of a video and remove the shake from videos. Additionally, the program allows you to trim, crop, rotate and join videos.
The best part is: You don’t need to be tech-savvy to know how to use this software. It is easy to use and has an aesthetically pleasing interface.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
Help you create high-quality YouTube video
Video Title
The title of your video has a significant effect on your YouTube SEO. Including your target keyword in your title will help your video rank higher. A compelling title also drives a high CTR (click-through rate). However, you should avoid creating clickbait titles, as this can hurt your ranking.
Engagement
YouTube ranking also depends on how viewers engage with your video. If users watch, share, like, and comment on your videos, Google and YouTube will give them a priority. As such, the more engagement your videos receive, the higher they will rank.
YouTube Tags
Tags allow YouTube to know what your video is about. For this reason, your first tag should be the target keyword. You should also include variations of the target keyword when adding tags.
Conclusion
Using these methods can help you gain high-quality links to boost your YouTube SEO and increase views and subscribers to your channel. Keeping this in mind, the quality of your video is one of the ranking factors. Use Filmora to edit and create HD videos that will get on top of search results.
Chronicles of YouTube: The Ultimate Viral List
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.
Top 10 Most Watched YouTube Videos in 2021
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.
Follow @Richard Bennett
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.
Top 10 Most Watched YouTube Videos in 2021
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.
Follow @Richard Bennett
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.
Top 10 Most Watched YouTube Videos in 2021
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.
Follow @Richard Bennett
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.
Top 10 Most Watched YouTube Videos in 2021
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.
Follow @Richard Bennett
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- Title: "[Updated] Elevate Your Video Voyage Navigating the World of YouTube Links"
- Author: Kevin
- Created at : 2024-05-25 16:50:18
- Updated at : 2024-05-26 16:50:18
- Link: https://youtube-videos.techidaily.com/updated-elevate-your-video-voyage-navigating-the-world-of-youtube-links/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
