When a YouTube video gets more than one billion views, you know it’s the most popular song in the world. Ten more children had made it across the threshold by the end of the year. By the next few years, several future hit songs will become worldwide phenomena.
Right now, by 2022, plenty of videos have reached one billion views, but lots of others are just shy of that mark. For example, Puff Daddy’s music video All Around the World reached a mere 5.5 million views! Even songs with subpar popularity find themselves nestled somewhere high on the nostalgia peak. These are not underappreciated songs – they’re already common songs that now seem outdated. Can you guess what it is?
Probably, but for the sake of it, here are the 12 most popular songs in the world according to YouTube.
1. Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee – 7.9 billion views
Despite a version with Justin Bieber appearing later, the original version of Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee is still the most-viewed music video on YouTube.
2. Ed Sheeran – Shape of You – 5.8 billion views
Two times on this list, Ed Sheeran has swept the world since his 2011 debut EP. His biggest hit remains Shape of You, released in 2017. YouTube’s music video accompanies it and is one of the hottest of 2017.
3. Wiz Khalifa – See You Again ft. Charlie Puth – 5.6 billion views
Rapper and marijuana activist Wiz Khalifa is one of the world’s most listened to artists – it’s no surprise he made this list with his chart-topping song See You Again.
4. Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars – 4.6 billion views
Finally lowering its ranking to only 4.6 billion views, Uptown Funk is sitting pretty. The lead single from Mark Ronson’s fourth album Uptown Special enlisted Bruno Mars for a piece of funk the world will never forget. People from all over the world admire musician Mark Ronson!
5. PSY – Gangnam Style – 4.5 billion views
As a straight-up hit that broke international, linguistic, and cultural barriers when it hit the internet in 2012, Gangnam Style from PSY became one of the most popular songs in the world.
6. El Chombo – Dame Tu Cosita feat. Cutty Ranks – 4 billion views
A widely heard tune from 1997, Dame Tu Cosita has a history dating back more than twenty years. The most popular video version of the song, however, is the new one from Ultra Music which the company released when it partnered with El Chombo and put out an extended version of the song in 2018.
That is why it has already hit 4 billion views on Youtube, in addition to its fun alien mascot.
7. Maroon 5 – Sugar – 3.7 billion views
Sugar is Maroon 5’s biggest hit, with over three billion views on Youtube as of the end of 2021, making it one of the most viewed songs on the platform.
8. Justin Bieber – Sorry – 3.5 billion views
Given Justin Bieber’s just over 3.3 billion views for Sorry, the popular teen pop sensation didn’t make it to make it for his version of Despacito, but that song still stands out.
9. Katy Perry – Roar – 3.6 billion views
In an industry dominated by male artists since, well, forever, giant kudos to Katy Perry for nabbing a spot on this list. Her 2013 hit Roar is her best-ever – Teenage Dream, California Girls, and yes, even Last Friday Night.
10. OneRepublic – Counting Stars – 3.6 billion views
OneRepublic may be better known for their Timbaland-endorsed hit Apologize, but Counting Stars swept the Youtube era.
