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YouTube’s most viewed music videos by decade

Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
25,229
33,525
View counts are as of today.

1980s
  1. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine 1.1B
  2. a-ha - Take on Me 1B
  3. Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun 829M
  4. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean 807M
  5. The Police - Every Breath You Take 771M
  6. Europe - The Final Countdown 770M
  7. Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up 725M
  8. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart 707M
  9. Bon Jovi - Livin' on a Prayer 694M
  10. Michael Jackson - Thriller 672M
1990s
  1. Guns N' Roses - November Rain 1.3B
  2. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit 1B
  3. The Cranberries - Zombie 1B
  4. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You 959M
  5. 4 Non Blondes - What's Up 872M
  6. Metallica - Nothing Else Matters 799M
  7. Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way 793M
  8. Scorpions - Wind of Change 775M
  9. Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg - Still D.R.E. 766M
  10. Aqua - Barbie Girl 761M
2000s
  1. Axel F - Crazy Frog 2.2B
  2. Linkin Park - Numb 1.4B
  3. Lady Gaga - Bad Romance 1.2B
  4. Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me 1B
  5. Beyoncé - Halo 1B
  6. Linkin Park - In the End
  7. Chris Brown - Loyal (Explicit) ft. Lil Wayne, Tyga 989M
  8. Katy Perry - Hot N Cold 977M
  9. System of a Down - Chop Suey! 968M
  10. 50 Cent - In Da Club (Int'l Version) 944M
2010s
  1. Luis Fonsi - Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee - 6.8B
  2. Ed Sheeran - Shape of You - 4.8B
  3. Wiz Khalifa - See You Again ft. Charlie Puth - Furious 7 Soundtrack 4.6B
  4. Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars 3.8B
  5. PSY - Gangnam Style 3.7B
  6. Justin Bieber - Sorry 3.3B
  7. Maroon 5 - Sugar 3.2B
  8. Katy Perry - Roar 3.1B
  9. OneRepublic - Counting Stars 3B
  10. Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud 3B
Note: Rihanna didn’t make the top ten with a specific video but most likely has the most views overall of any musical artist on YouTube.

Anything that stands out or surprises you? I must say I’m surprised Europe and the Scorpions made the list. Both of those songs are dreadful IMO. I think GNR’s November Rain is too but I’m not surprised it’s the most viewed of the 90s. They played that video on MTV like crazy back in the day. I’m also surprised Thriller comes in at #10 for the 80s. I thought it would be higher.
 
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This one seems like an outlier

4 Non Blondes - What's Up 872M

It's a fine song. But... why is it so popular? Seems out of its league. Was it used in pop culture in a commercial or movie that I don't remember?
 
arn said:
This one seems like an outlier

4 Non Blondes - What's Up 872M

It's a fine song. But... why is it so popular? Seems out of its league. Was it used in pop culture in a commercial or movie that I don't remember?
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I remember it being played ad nauseum on the radio over and over again.
 
There's a few killer tracks in there, but a whole lotta crap :D



arn said:
This one seems like an outlier

4 Non Blondes - What's Up 872M

It's a fine song. But... why is it so popular? Seems out of its league. Was it used in pop culture in a commercial or movie that I don't remember?
Click to expand...


This is pretty cool, Linda Perry who was the lead singer/songwriter had a pretty solid career.



Linda Perry (born April 15, 1965)[1] is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. She was the lead singer and primary songwriter of 4 Non Blondes, and has since founded two record labels and composed and produced hit songs for several other artists. They include: "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera; "What You Waiting For?" by Gwen Stefani; and "Get the Party Started" by P!nk. Perry has also contributed to albums by Adele, Alicia Keys, and Courtney Love, as well as signing and distributing James Blunt[2] in the United States. Perry was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.
Click to expand...
 
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I don’t get why the Cranberries Zombie has 1B views. What’s so great about that song?
 
I don't recognize half those names. Plenty of iconic songs not on the first half of that list. Fine Young Cannibals were one of the best bands in the 1980s. Still pretty good, to be frank. I don't see them on there. Madness' It Must Be Love was fairly iconic here and there. Great music video, IIRC.
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Rogifan said:
I don’t get why the Cranberries Zombie has 1B views. What’s so great about that song?
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The Cranberries are pretty good in general. That particular song is really popular and used in films and shows. I'm not too surprised it made the top.
 
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I don't know any of the songs in the 2010's, probably for the best too. Though it is telling that the songs released in the broadband years get way more hits, I think the younger folks may listen to music exclusively on Youtube.
 
Apple fanboy said:
A beautiful vocalist, great track, what's not to like? One of my favourites.

My take on the list. I own of the above.
1980's - 5
1990's - 4
2000's - 1
2010's - 1

But where is the Queen?
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What song from the 80s would make the list? Radio Gaga has 195M views. The Live Aid version has 44M views.
 
Some I like, some I don't like, some I haven't heard! I imagine that's the case for others too.

Tut, not one trance track in the 90s lol :confused:

As for the Rick Astley track - rickroll anyone? :p
 
It looks like a lot of people are just looking up the music they hear on the local radio (as far as the 80's and 90's go). It's pretty much only the stuff that has been in the playlists for the past decade.
 
Went from knowing all ten on the 80s to nearly nothing on the 10s. 10, 7, 2 and then just Despacito
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Phone Junky said:
Showing my age. I know all of the 80s ones, 8 of the 90s, 1 of the 2000s, and none of the 2010s. 🙁
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Same. 10, 7, 2 and then just Despacito :D
 
The thing I noticed was the huge increase in total view to make number 1. 1980: 1.1B, 2010: 6.6B
Granted, YouTube was not even around until the 2000s. But it also highlights the generational difference in how music is enjoyed. Radio/LPs/MTV in the '80s. YouTube/Streaming in the 2010s.
 
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