Can you believe it’s already 10 years since Psy’s earworm Gangnam Style debuted on YouTube and became the first video to rack up a billion views on the platform.
The South Korean superstar kicked off the Billion Views Club (BVC) with Gangnam Style and in the years since we’ve seen many artists achieve that milestone including a few Australians like Sia with Chandelier, Cheap Thrills and Elastic Heart, Tones And I with Dance Monkey, Iggy Azelea with Fancy and AC/DC with Thunderstruck.
Gangnam Style debuted on July 12. 2012 on YouTube and viewers around the world flocked online to see and hear the latest viral sensation.
By December 12, 2012 it became the first music video to hit the billion view mark.
To date, Gangnam Style has been viewed 4.4 billion times on YouTube.
It showed that artists can really connect with their fans and find new ones with a music video on YouTube.
But it would take more than a year for another music video to reach Psy’s dizzying heights – Justin Bieber’s hit Baby.
But now 10 years on the Billion Views Club has accepted several more members and YouTube has created a special logo for the anniversary.
To celebrate, YouTube is taking a look back at the many music videos which have now reached the iconic status of being viewed more than a billion times.
These include Luis Fonsi’s record-breaking sensation Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee, BLACKPINK’s How You Like That, Drake’s Hotline Bling, a-ha’s Take On Me, Shakira’s Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), Wiz Khalifa’s See You Again ft. Charlie Puth, Katy Perry’s Roar, Cardi B’s Bodak Yellow, Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters, Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars, Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy, and the club’s most recent entry with BVC first-timer Coolio for his ‘90s hit Gangsta’s Paradise.
Adele set the record with Hello as the fastest music video to reach a billion views in just 88 days.
Guns N’ Roses also set a record for the first music videos from the 80s (Sweet Child O’ Mine) and 90s (November Rain) to reach across the decades to be viewed a billion times.
Below are just a some of the most astounding stats held by artists across the globe for their billion-view-plus music videos:
Artists with the most official music video entries in the BVC
- J Balvin – 11 [tied]
- Justin Bieber – 11 [tied]
- Ozuna – 10
- Rihanna – 8 [tied]
- Nicki Minaj – 8 [tied]
- Maluma – 8 [tied]
*Methodology: Official music video entries as a lead, featured artist or collaborator
Fastest music videos to reach 1 Billion views
- Adele – Hello – 88 days
- Ed Sheeran – Shape of You (Official Music Video) – 97 days [tied]
- Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee – 97 days [tied]
- J Balvin, Willy William – Mi Gente (Official Video) – 103 days
- Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato – Échame La Culpa (Video Oficial) – 111 days
*Methodology: Total days from date of release to date video crossed 1B views
Most Viewed Music Videos of all time:
- Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee – 7.8B
- Ed Sheeran – Shape of You (Official Music Video) – 5.7B
- Wiz Khalifa – See You Again ft. Charlie Puth [Official Video] Furious 7 Soundtrack – 5.5B
- Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars – 4.6B
- PSY – GANGNAM STYLE(강남스타일) M/V – 4.4B
Music Videos by the Decade (pre-2000s):
1970s Music Videos in the Billions Views Club:
1980s Music Videos in the Billion Views Club:
- Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine (Official Music Video)
- a-ha – Take On Me (Official Video) [Remastered in 4K]
- Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (Official Video)
- Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video)
- Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Official Video)
- Europe – The Final Countdown (Official Video)
1990s Music Videos in the Billion Views Club: - Guns N’ Roses – November Rain (Official Music Video)
- Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Official Music Video)
- The Cranberries – Zombie (Official Music Video)
- Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (Official 4K Video)
- 4 Non Blondes – What’s Up (Official Music Video)
- Metallica: Nothing Else Matters (Official Music Video)
- AC/DC – Thunderstruck (Official Video)
- Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way (Official HD Video)
- Dr. Dre – Still D.R.E. (Official Music Video) ft. Snoop Dogg
- Aqua – Barbie Girl (Official Music Video)
- Coolio – Gangsta’s Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]
