A little over two decades ago, Jawed Karim uploaded the first video to YouTube titled “Me at the Zoo.” In the brief 18-second clip, he stood in front of the elephant enclosure at the San Diego Zoo and marveled at their long trunks. This low-resolution video has since garnered an astonishing 317 million views and almost 11 million comments, marking the beginning of YouTube’s incredible journey.
Fast forward to today, and YouTube has grown exponentially, boasting 2.7 billion monthly active users worldwide. The platform has become a cultural phenomenon that transcends borders and unites people across different cultures and languages through viral videos that rack up billions of views. Some of the most popular videos on YouTube include songs that have captured the hearts of children everywhere, such as “Baby Shark” and “Despacito.”
The music video for “Gangnam Style” by Psy was the first video to reach a billion views on YouTube, breaking a Guinness record in just five months. Following this success, other popular videos include songs like “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran, “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa, “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, and many others that have achieved similar milestones.
YouTube has evolved into a powerful platform where content creators and artists can reach a global audience instantly, showcasing their creativity and talent. From viral music videos to educational content and vlogs, YouTube has transformed the way we consume media and connect with people around the world.
