Introduction
The music video is a powerful tool for artists to promote their songs and connect with fans. Over the years, music videos have evolved from simple promotional clips to complex visual works of art. But which music videos have the most views? In this article, we’ll explore the most viewed music videos on YouTube and other streaming platforms. We’ll look at the current top 5 music videos, examine how YouTube views are calculated, analyze different viewing habits, investigate the behind-the-scenes stories of the most watched videos, and explore music video trends over time to identify what has the most views.
A Comparison of the Most-Viewed Music Videos on YouTube
YouTube is the world’s largest online video platform, with more than 2 billion monthly active users. It’s no surprise, then, that some of the most-viewed music videos of all time come from YouTube. Let’s take a look at the current top 5 music videos on YouTube.
According to the latest statistics, the most viewed music video on YouTube is “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee, with over 8 billion views. This is followed by Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You,” with 6.7 billion views, Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again,” featuring Charlie Puth, with 6.2 billion views, Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!,” featuring Bruno Mars, with 5.3 billion views, and Maroon 5’s “Sugar” with 4.5 billion views.
But how are these views calculated? YouTube counts a view when someone watches a video for at least 30 seconds or for the duration of the video, whichever comes first. This means that YouTube does not count views from people who watch only a few seconds of a video.
An Analysis of the Most Popular Music Videos on Streaming Platforms
In addition to YouTube, there are several other streaming platforms where music videos can be viewed. These include Vevo, Dailymotion, and Spotify, among others. Let’s take a look at how people consume music videos on these platforms and what makes them more popular.
Vevo is a streaming service owned by Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment that specializes in music videos. According to a study by Nielsen, Vevo viewers watch an average of seven music videos per day, and each viewer spends about 1 hour and 20 minutes watching music videos every day. This suggests that people enjoy consuming music videos on Vevo, even if they don’t necessarily share the videos on social media.
Dailymotion is another popular streaming platform for music videos. A survey by Statista found that 90% of people who watch music videos on Dailymotion do so on their mobile devices. This suggests that people prefer to watch music videos on the go, rather than sitting down in front of a computer. Furthermore, the survey also found that the majority of people who watch music videos on Dailymotion do so for entertainment purposes, rather than to learn more about the artist or song.
Finally, streaming services such as Spotify are increasingly becoming popular platforms for music videos. A report by Midia Research found that music videos on Spotify were streamed more than 3 billion times in 2017, and this number is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. This suggests that people are increasingly turning to streaming services for their music video needs.

Ranking the Top 10 Highest Viewed Music Videos
Now that we’ve explored the different streaming platforms, let’s take a look at the top 10 most viewed music videos of all time. According to the latest statistics, the top 10 highest viewed music videos are as follows:
- “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee (8 billion views)
- “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran (6.7 billion views)
- “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth (6.2 billion views)
- “Uptown Funk!” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars (5.3 billion views)
- “Sugar” by Maroon 5 (4.5 billion views)
- “Gangnam Style” by PSY (3.9 billion views)
- “Masha and The Bear” by Get Movies (3.6 billion views)
- “Sorry” by Justin Bieber (3.3 billion views)
- “Roar” by Katy Perry (3 billion views)
- “Chantaje” by Shakira ft. Maluma (2.9 billion views)
It’s interesting to note that the most-viewed music videos come from a variety of countries. For example, “Despacito” is from Puerto Rico, “Shape of You” is from the United Kingdom, and “Sorry” is from Canada. This suggests that music videos can be popular across different cultures and countries.
Exploring the Behind-the-Scenes Stories of the Most Watched Music Videos
Now that we’ve looked at the top 10 most viewed music videos, let’s take a closer look at how these videos were made. Many of these videos were produced by big-name production companies, such as Pulse Films, who produced “Shape of You” and “Uptown Funk!” Other music videos, such as “Despacito,” were created with relatively low budgets. The video was shot in one day and cost only $250,000 to produce.
It’s also interesting to note that many of the most-watched music videos feature collaborations between different artists. For example, “Despacito” features both Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, and “Uptown Funk!” features both Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars. These collaborations have been instrumental in helping the videos become viral hits.
A Look at Music Video Trends Over Time: What Has the Most Views?
Finally, let’s take a look at music video trends over the last decade. According to a report by Tubular Insights, the most popular genres of music videos over the past 10 years have been hip-hop, pop, and EDM. These genres have consistently been the most-viewed music videos on YouTube, with hip-hop leading the way with the highest views.
Furthermore, the report also found that the most popular music videos tend to be upbeat, energetic, and visually stimulating. This suggests that viewers are drawn to music videos that evoke emotion and capture their attention. Music videos that tell stories or have a narrative arc are also likely to be more successful.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this article has explored the most viewed music videos on YouTube and other streaming platforms. We looked at the current top 5 music videos, examined how YouTube views are calculated, analyzed different viewing habits, investigated the behind-the-scenes stories of the most watched videos, and explored music video trends over time. Our findings suggest that music videos that feature collaborations, are visually stimulating, and tell stories are more likely to be successful. Furthermore, we found that the most popular genres of music videos are hip-hop, pop, and EDM.
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