The 10 most-viewed YouTube videos of all time
Find out which YouTube videos have the most views.
What is the most-viewed YouTube video of all time?
The most-viewed YouTube video of all time is Baby Shark Dance. Check out this list for the top 10.*
| Video | Channel/artist | Country | Views |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Baby Shark Dance | Pinkfong | South Korea | 17.48 billion views |
| 2. Wheels on the Bus | Cocomelon | United States | 9.63 billion views |
| 3. Despacito | Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee | Puerto Rico | 9.15 billion views |
| 4. Get Inspired on Facebook Groups | Meta | United States | 8.60 billion views |
| 5. Bath Song | Cocomelon | United States | 7.68 billion views |
| 6. Johny Johny Yes Papa | LooLoo Kids | Unites States | 7.26 billion views |
| 7. Phonics Song with Two Words | ChuChu TV | India | 7.13 billion views |
| 8. See You Again | Whiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth | United States | 7.12 billion views |
| 9. Shape of You | Ed Sheeran | United Kingdom | 6.83 billion views |
| 10. Axel F | Crazy Frog | Sweden | 6.25 billion views |
The 10 most-viewed YouTube videos of all time
1. Baby Shark Dance – 17.48 billion views
Pinkfong’s Baby Shark Dance has been the most-viewed YouTube video for years, and the competition’s not even close. At 17.48 billion views, the South Korean kids’ video has nearly double the views of the next-biggest clip, and is the only YouTube video to surpass 10 billion views.
Uploaded in June 2016, the simple song and dance struck a chord with people. Its success could be down to timing, given algorithms hadn’t quite curated viewers’ feeds like they do nowadays. Perhaps it’s the universal, undeniably catchy “da da da” chant.
Or maybe it’s the fact that children just love to rewatch videos. After all, that’s why so many of the most-subscribed and -viewed YouTube channels are for kids.
Baby Shark Dance was and still is a cultural phenomenon. Years later, the song’s featured in everything from Ted Lasso to The Umbrella Academy and even public health announcements.
2. Wheels on the Bus – 9.63 billion views
Cocomelon’s version of Wheels on the Bus is the second-most-viewed YouTube video. It’s a new take on a classic nursery rhyme, which has no doubt been played countless times by parents.
The US edutainment channel is the third-most-subscribed and second-most-viewed YouTube channel, blending playful songs and learning experiences with 3D animation. Wheels on the Bus is the first of two Cocomelon videos to feature in this list.
3. Despacito – 9.15 billion views
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s Despacito is the most-viewed music video on YouTube and the most-viewed video not for kids. The Puerto Rican reggaeton-pop banger became a worldwide hit back in 2017, resulting in a Justin Bieber remix and even a Weird Al Yankovic cover.
4. Get Inspired on Facebook Groups – 8.60 billion views
Meta’s Get Inspired on Facebook Groups is the only advertisement video on this list. It’s a straightforward, upbeat ad featuring members of online cross-stitch and embroidery communities. The massive view count is likely down to Google counting ad views as YouTube views, meaning many of them may not be native to YouTube.
5. Bath Song – 7.68 billion views
Cocomelon’s back in the chart with Bath Song. Built around structured, repeatable steps, the song and accompanying video help kids and parents nail bathtime every time.
6. Johny Johny Yes Papa – 7.26 billion views
Johny Johny Yes Papa has it all, and by “it all,” we mean a radical skateboarding baby. LooLoo Kids’ version of the call-and-response rhyme does a similar job to Cocomelon’s content, using music to spotlight a teachable moment.
7. Phonics Song with Two Words – 7.13 billion views
ChuChu TV’s sing-along alphabet clip is one of the most-viewed YouTube videos for a similar reason to the other kids’ content on this list: it helps them grow. Parents can play, teach, and repeat with these videos — learning never goes out of style.
8. See You Again – 7.12 billion views
Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s See You Again was briefly the most-viewed video on YouTube following its 2015 release, and is also one of the platform’s most-liked videos. The poppy hip-hop collab featured on Furious 7’s soundtrack, its music video paying tribute to that film franchise’s late star, Paul Walker.
9. Shape of You – 6.83 billion views
Ed Sheeran was already one of the world’s biggest artists when he released Shape of You in 2017. The song’s tropical-house bounce and kinetic music video gave it broad appeal, cementing it as one of YouTube’s most-liked videos, too. Weird Al has also covered it, for any polka enthusiasts who enjoyed his take on Despacito.
10. Axel F – 6.25 billion views
Crazy Frog’s rendition of Axel F closes the most-viewed YouTube list as a total outlier. The Annoying Thing is the only novelty entry, the oldest video of the bunch, and not even the original video; Axel F’s video came out in 2005, but wasn’t published on YouTube until 2009. Weird Al hasn’t covered this yet.
With the exception of Meta’s video, everything on this list has one thing in common: music. Whether it be Crazy Frog’s bewildering ding-ding-ing, Ed Sheeran’s radio-conquering pop, or Cocomelon’s familiar nursery rhymes, music makes moments that matter.
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Frequently asked questions about the most-viewed videos on YouTube
What is the most-viewed music video on YouTube?
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s Despacito is the most-viewed traditional music video on YouTube. However, Baby Shark Dance is the most-viewed music video on YouTube, as well as the most-viewed video overall.
Was Despacito the most-viewed YouTube video?
Despacito was the most-viewed YouTube video for around three years, between 2017 and 2020. It was then overtaken by Baby Shark Dance.
Why are so many of the most-viewed YouTube videos for children?
Children rewatch and sing along to music videos they love. Parents may also choose nursery rhymes and edutainment-style music as a safe, convenient way to expose their children to media at a young age. That’s why so many of the most-subscribed and -viewed YouTube channels are also kids’ channels.
Does the most-subscribed YouTube channel have the most-viewed video?
No. MrBeast is the most-subscribed YouTube channel, but none of his videos feature in the most-viewed list. However, MrBeast’s Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette? is the most-liked video on YouTube.
How often do the rankings for the most-viewed YouTube videos change?
The top of the list is unlikely to change soon, as Baby Shark Dance has such a huge lead. Further down the list, rankings change more frequently. YouTube’s 2026 view update, which counts any watch time as a view, could impact rankings in the future.
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*Data and rankings updated October 22, 2026