The 5 Most Watched YouTube Videos of All Time (2025 Edition)

If you’ve ever wondered what the world spends its time watching, the answer is apparently songs about sharks, buses, and bath time. YouTube has been around long enough to crown some truly bizarre champions of global attention, and the top videos are proof that the internet has a very specific sense of humor.

So grab a snack, open a new tab you’ll forget about, and let’s take a look at the five most watched YouTube videos of all time.

1. Baby Shark Dance – Pinkfong Kids’ Songs & Stories

Views: About 16 billion

Uploaded: June 17, 2016

Somewhere in South Korea, a team of geniuses wrote a two-minute song about a family of sharks. The lyrics are basically the same three words repeated forever, and yet it became the most viewed video in human history. Parents have played it on loop to entertain toddlers, keep them calm in cars, or just surrender to the chaos.

If you’re a parent, you’ve heard “doo doo doo doo doo doo” more times than your own name. If you’re not, count your blessings.

2. Despacito – Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee

Views: Around 8.8 billion

Uploaded: January 12, 2017

Before Baby Shark took over, Despacito was the most unstoppable thing on the internet. It’s smooth, catchy, and impossible not to hum along to even if you don’t speak a word of Spanish.

Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee created a track that felt like summer on repeat. It dominated radio, clubs, weddings, and basically any event with a working speaker. For a while, it felt like the entire planet was dancing to this song at the same time.

It’s the kind of video that reminds you how powerful music can be—and how YouTube can turn a hit into a global event.

3. Wheels on the Bus – Cocomelon Nursery Rhymes

Views: About 8 billion

Uploaded: May 24, 2018

Cocomelon has mastered the art of hypnotizing children. Their version of “Wheels on the Bus” is bright, simple, and catchy enough to make adults question their sanity after the tenth replay.

Parents put it on once to buy five minutes of quiet, and suddenly it’s 2025 and the video has seven billion views. The visuals are cheerful, the melody never ends, and kids absolutely love it. The rest of us just live with it.

4. Bath Song – Cocomelon Nursery Rhymes

Views: About 7.2 billion

Uploaded: May 2, 2018

Yes, another Cocomelon video. Apparently, kids never get tired of singing about bath time. The Bath Song is meant to teach hygiene, but what it really teaches is how to rack up billions of views on YouTube.

It’s colorful, repetitive, and weirdly satisfying to watch. If you’ve ever seen a toddler resist taking a bath, you’ll understand why this video has been played endlessly in households everywhere.

Cocomelon figured out what works: happy songs, simple messages, and a total lack of adult logic.

5. Johny Johny Yes Papa – LooLoo Kids

Views: Around 7.1 billion

Uploaded: October 8, 2016

If Shakespeare had written about sugar theft, this would be his masterpiece. “Johny Johny Yes Papa” tells the gripping story of a child caught eating sugar and lying about it. The plot twists? None. The drama? Infinite.

The animation might look like it came from a 2004 video game, but kids adore it. The rhythm is unforgettable, and it became a viral meme that adults couldn’t resist mocking or remixing. Somehow, a toddler denying he ate sugar became one of the most famous characters on YouTube.

What These Videos Have in Common

They’re short, simple, and made for kids. Apparently, the secret to internet domination isn’t high-budget storytelling but repetitive nursery rhymes and bright colors.

Each one is designed to be rewatchable, which is key when your audience is mostly toddlers with the attention span of a fruit fly. And because these songs use universal language—simple words, gestures, and visuals—they work anywhere in the world.

In other words, if you want billions of views, don’t make a masterpiece. Make something a three-year-old will want to play on loop.

The Big Picture

It’s funny to think that music videos from global superstars are now surrounded by children’s songs in the YouTube Hall of Fame. Once upon a time, Gangnam Style and See You Again ruled the charts. Now it’s Baby Shark and Cocomelon.

But that’s the beauty of the platform. It’s democratic. Anyone can upload something simple, hit the right nerve, and suddenly reach half the planet. You don’t need a record label or Hollywood studio—just a catchy tune, bright colors, and a billion toddlers with tablets.

Final Thoughts

These videos prove that YouTube’s biggest hits aren’t about complexity. They’re about connection, repetition, and a bit of chaos. Whether it’s a Latin pop anthem or a cartoon shark, the common thread is joy.

So next time someone tells you your idea is too silly to work, remind them that “Baby Shark” has more views than there are people on Earth.

If that doesn’t inspire you, nothing will.

If you liked this article, make sure to check our other funny articles and jokes collection too!