Last Updated: October 20, 2026 | Source: YouTube Charts & Official Record Label Registries
Auditing Standards & Methodology: Songray tracks verified view counts exclusively from official music videos, movie soundtrack anthems (OSTs), and label-backed releases across verified rights-holders (including Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Warner Music Group, Atlantic Records, and T-Series). Standalone children’s nursery rhyme animations (such as Baby Shark Dance) are tracked on dedicated global animation charts to preserve musical leaderboard clarity. View counts reflect periodic audits of primary official YouTube uploads.
YouTube remains the premier global video platform for music consumption, connecting billions of listeners across continents, languages, and genres. From Latin pop explosions and landmark film soundtrack tributes to historic Asian crossover anthems, this audited tracker details the most viewed songs on YouTube of all time based on verified official lifetime views.
Top 50 Most Viewed Songs on YouTube (Rankings Table)
The table below presents the verified Top 50 ranking based on cumulative public view counts from primary official uploads. Each row highlights rank, thumbnail, song title, performing artists, release year, category, and audited views. Clicking any thumbnail opens the video directly on YouTube.
| Rank | Thumbnail | Song | Singer / Movie | Year | Category | Views |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Despacito | Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee | 2017 | Solo (Collab) | 9.15B |
| 2 |
|
See You Again | Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth | 2015 | OST (Furious 7) | 7.12B |
| 3 |
|
Shape of You | Ed Sheeran | 2017 | Solo | 6.83B |
| 4 |
|
Axel F | Crazy Frog | 2009 | Solo | 6.25B |
| 5 |
|
Gangnam Style | PSY | 2012 | Solo | 6.1B |
| 6 |
|
Uptown Funk | Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars | 2014 | Solo (Collab) | 5.92B |
| 7 |
|
Shree Hanuman Chalisa | Hariharan / T-Series | 2011 | Solo (Devotional) | 5.83B |
| 8 |
|
Dame Tu Cosita | El Chombo ft. Cutty Ranks | 2018 | Solo | 5.68B |
| 9 |
|
Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) | Shakira | 2010 | OST (FIFA 2010) | 4.8B |
| 10 |
|
Counting Stars | OneRepublic | 2013 | Group | 4.54B |
| 11 |
|
Sugar | Maroon 5 | 2015 | Group | 4.44B |
| 12 |
|
Roar | Katy Perry | 2013 | Solo | 4.39B |
| 13 |
|
Dark Horse | Katy Perry ft. Juicy J | 2014 | Solo (Collab) | 4.26B |
| 14 |
|
Perfect | Ed Sheeran | 2017 | Solo | 4.25B |
| 15 |
|
Sorry | Justin Bieber | 2015 | Solo | 4.17B |
| 16 |
|
Let Her Go | Passenger | 2012 | Solo | 4.17B |
| 17 |
|
Girls Like You | Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B | 2018 | Group | 4.1B |
| 18 |
|
Thinking Out Loud | Ed Sheeran | 2014 | Solo | 4.05B |
| 19 |
|
Faded | Alan Walker | 2015 | Solo | 4.05B |
| 20 |
|
The Gummy Bear Song | Gummibär | 2007 | Solo | 4.01B |
| 21 |
|
Lean On | Major Lazer & DJ Snake ft. MØ | 2015 | Group | 3.98B |
| 22 |
|
Bailando | Enrique Iglesias ft. Descemer Bueno | 2014 | Solo (Collab) | 3.9B |
| 23 |
|
Blank Space | Taylor Swift | 2014 | Solo | 3.87B |
| 24 |
|
Baby | Justin Bieber ft. Ludacris | 2010 | Solo | 3.78B |
| 25 |
|
Let It Go | Idina Menzel | 2013 | OST (Frozen) | 3.75B |
| 26 |
|
Shake It Off | Taylor Swift | 2014 | Solo | 3.74B |
| 27 |
|
Mi Gente | J Balvin, Willy William | 2017 | Solo (Collab) | 3.72B |
| 28 |
|
We Don’t Talk Anymore | Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez | 2016 | Solo (Collab) | 3.62B |
| 29 |
|
Closer (Lyric Video) | The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey | 2016 | Group | 3.48B |
| 30 |
|
New Rules | Dua Lipa | 2017 | Solo | 3.34B |
| 31 |
|
The Lazy Song | Bruno Mars | 2011 | Solo | 3.32B |
| 32 |
|
Hello | Adele | 2015 | Solo | 3.28B |
| 33 |
|
Stressed Out | Twenty One Pilots | 2015 | Group | 3.28B |
| 34 |
|
Chantaje | Shakira ft. Maluma | 2016 | Solo (Collab) | 3.23B |
| 35 |
|
Con Calma | Daddy Yankee & Snow | 2019 | Solo (Collab) | 3.23B |
| 36 |
|
Rockabye | Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul | 2016 | Group | 3.23B |
| 37 |
|
Love The Way You Lie | Eminem ft. Rihanna | 2010 | Solo (Collab) | 3.21B |
| 38 |
|
Calma (Remix) | Pedro Capó, Farruko | 2018 | Solo (Collab) | 3.19B |
| 39 |
|
Sunflower | Post Malone, Swae Lee | 2018 | OST (Spider-Man) | 3.18B |
| 40 |
|
Work from Home | Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign | 2016 | Group | 3.13B |
| 41 |
|
Believer | Imagine Dragons | 2017 | Group | 3.07B |
| 42 |
|
This Is What You Came For | Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna | 2016 | Solo (Collab) | 2.98B |
| 43 |
|
Chandelier | Sia | 2014 | Solo | 2.96B |
| 44 |
|
On The Floor | Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull | 2011 | Solo (Collab) | 2.96B |
| 45 |
|
Rolling in the Deep | Adele | 2010 | Solo | 2.94B |
| 46 |
|
Criminal | Natti Natasha x Ozuna | 2017 | Solo (Collab) | 2.88B |
| 47 |
|
A Thousand Years | Christina Perri | 2011 | OST (Twilight) | 2.87B |
| 48 |
|
Taki Taki | DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna, Cardi B | 2018 | Solo (Collab) | 2.85B |
| 49 |
|
Treat You Better | Shawn Mendes | 2016 | Solo | 2.83B |
| 50 |
|
In Da Club | 50 Cent | 2003 | Solo | 2.82B |
Quick Answer: Most Viewed Song on YouTube
“Despacito” by Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee currently ranks #1 among the most viewed songs on YouTube, with more than 9.15 billion views. It is followed by “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth with approximately 7.12 billion views, “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran with approximately 6.83 billion views, and “Axel F” by Crazy Frog with approximately 6.25 billion views.
Note: YouTube view counts change continuously as audiences stream content worldwide. Songray updates figures periodically using verified YouTube platform counters.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Global Music Videos Breakdown
1. Despacito – Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee
Origin: San Juan, Puerto Rico | Genre: Latin Pop / Reggaeton
Milestone: The most viewed music video in YouTube history, leading the platform with over 9.15 billion views.
Why It Endures: Released in January 2017 via Universal Music Latino, Despacito ignited an international wave of Latin pop streaming. Directed by Carlos Perez in the historic neighborhood of La Perla, Puerto Rico, the music video captured the rhythm and charisma of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. It was also one of the fastest tracks in history to reach nine figures, as tracked in our fastest songs to reach 1 billion views on YouTube report.
2. See You Again – Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
Origin: United States | Genre: Cinematic Pop-Rap / Film Soundtrack
Milestone: The highest-viewed theatrical film soundtrack release on YouTube, holding over 7.12 billion views.
Why It Endures: Commissioned for Furious 7 as a memorial tribute to late actor Paul Walker, See You Again connected with audiences worldwide. Blending Charlie Puth’s emotive piano chords with Wiz Khalifa’s reflective verses, the video served as a cinematic tribute for Walker’s character Brian O’Conner and remains a landmark film anthem.
3. Shape of You – Ed Sheeran
Origin: United Kingdom | Genre: Tropical-Infused Dance-Pop
Milestone: The most viewed solo track by a British artist, holding over 6.83 billion views.
Why It Endures: Serving as the lead single for Ed Sheeran’s 2017 album ÷ (Divide), Shape of You dominated commercial streaming charts worldwide. The music video, directed by Jason Koenig, features a lighthearted boxing-gym narrative with a sumo wrestling twist. Its rhythmic marimba loop and catchy refrain continue to drive strong catalog viewership.
4. Axel F – Crazy Frog
Origin: Sweden / Europe | Genre: Electronic Dance / Animated Novelty Pop
Milestone: The highest-viewed animated character music video in history, with over 6.25 billion views.
Why It Endures: Adapting Harold Faltermeyer’s synthesizer score from the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop, the Crazy Frog character emerged as an early viral sensation. Uploaded to YouTube via Ministry of Sound, its animated chase sequences and upbeat electronic rhythms continue to attract steady family viewership across generations.
5. Gangnam Style – PSY
Origin: Seoul, South Korea | Genre: K-Pop / Electronic Dance
Milestone: The historic first video in YouTube history to reach both 1 billion and 2 billion views, exceeding 6.10 billion views.
Why It Endures: Released in July 2012 by South Korean pop star PSY, Gangnam Style broke global streaming barriers. Its energetic choreography and satire of Seoul’s upscale district forced YouTube engineers to upgrade platform architecture from a 32-bit to a 64-bit integer counter. See how other Asian hits measure up on our dedicated most viewed K-Pop songs on YouTube leaderboard.
6. Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Origin: United Kingdom / United States | Genre: Funk-Pop / Boogie-Soul
Milestone: A premier funk-pop collaboration holding over 5.92 billion lifetime views.
Why It Endures: Produced by Mark Ronson and led by Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk brought classic 1980s funk and soul sensibilities back to the charts. Its synchronized street choreography and timeless groove won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and solidified its spot in global party rotations.
7. Shree Hanuman Chalisa – Hariharan / T-Series
Origin: India | Genre: Sacred Devotional Music (Awadhi / Hindi)
Milestone: The most viewed Asian music video and devotional hymn in YouTube history, exceeding 5.83 billion views.
Why It Endures: Performed with classical composure by Hariharan and produced under the leadership of Gulshan Kumar, the Hanuman Chalisa functions as a daily ritual listen for millions of households. Streamed routinely during morning worship and commutes, its steady daily viewership keeps it firmly positioned as the #1 track on our most viewed Indian songs on YouTube of all time chart.
8. Dame Tu Cosita – El Chombo ft. Cutty Ranks
Origin: Panama | Genre: Spanish Dancehall / Animated Novelty
Milestone: A major viral phenomenon holding over 5.68 billion views.
Why It Endures: Originally produced by Panamanian artist El Chombo, the track went viral when animated alien character Popoy was paired with the beat in 2018. Dance recreations across mobile video apps fueled billions of views, turning it into a cross-generational streaming success.
9. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) – Shakira
Origin: Colombia / South Africa | Genre: Afro-Latin Pop / Official Sports Anthem
Milestone: The highest-viewed official sports tournament anthem on YouTube, with over 4.80 billion views.
Why It Endures: The official anthem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Waka Waka adapted Cameroonian group Golden Sounds’ traditional Makossa song. Performed by Shakira alongside Freshlyground, its uplifting message and iconic dance steps drive recurring viewership spikes during international soccer tournaments.
10. Counting Stars – OneRepublic
Origin: United States | Genre: Folk-Pop / Pop-Rock
Milestone: The most viewed pop-rock band release on YouTube, surpassing 4.54 billion views.
Why It Endures: Written by Ryan Tedder for OneRepublic’s 2013 album Native, Counting Stars combines acoustic folk-pop melodies with four-on-the-floor dance beats. Its memorable visual and relatable lyrical themes established the track as a perennial concert favorite, rounding out the global top 10.
Methodology & Verification
This global ranking is maintained through audits of publicly confirmed view counts from official YouTube music channels. The auditing process adheres to specific eligibility criteria:
- Rights-Holder Verification: Verified against primary label uploads across Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Atlantic Records, and T-Series.
- Content Scope: Includes official music videos, movie soundtrack themes (OSTs), and devotional releases. Standalone children’s nursery rhyme animations (such as Baby Shark Dance) are cataloged on dedicated animation charts to preserve musical leaderboard clarity.
- Worldwide View Figures: Numbers represent cumulative lifetime viewership across all territories globally.
Key Highlights & Global Streaming Insights
- The 9-Billion Milestone: Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s Despacito stands as the only official music video in YouTube history to exceed 9.0 billion views.
- Strong Latin Representation: Latin pop singles (including Despacito, Dame Tu Cosita, Bailando, Mi Gente, and Chantaje) account for a major share of the all-time ranking, driven by high replay volume.
- Artists with Multiple Entries: Ed Sheeran leads solo acts with three entries in the Top 20, while Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, and Adele each hold multiple billion-view placements.
- Hip-Hop Classics Endure: 50 Cent’s 2003 anthem In Da Club (#50) holds over 2.81 billion views, proving the decades-long streaming power of vintage rap classics.
- South Asian Benchmark: The devotional recording Shree Hanuman Chalisa holds the #7 spot globally with over 5.83 billion views, marking the highest-ranked Asian music entry.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the most viewed song on YouTube of all time?
“Despacito” by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee is the most viewed music video on YouTube of all time, with over 9.15 billion views.
Which artist has the most songs in the Top 50 most viewed music videos?
Ed Sheeran leads solo artists with three entries in the Top 20: “Shape of You” (6.83B), “Perfect” (4.25B), and “Thinking Out Loud” (4.05B). Other artists with multiple entries include Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Adele, Maroon 5, and Bruno Mars.
What was the first music video to reach 1 billion views on YouTube?
“Gangnam Style” by South Korean artist PSY was the first music video to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube, reaching the milestone in December 2012.
What is the most viewed movie soundtrack song on YouTube?
“See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth from Furious 7 is the highest-viewed movie soundtrack release on YouTube, with over 7.12 billion views.
Are animated nursery rhymes like Baby Shark included in this chart?
No. Standalone children’s nursery rhyme animations are tracked on dedicated global animation charts to preserve a focused ranking of commercial and traditional music releases.