Hi everyone!
As we already know, there is a firmly unstoppable force at the top of YouTube: toddlers on the loop.While massive global music hits still hold their ground, educational kids' content and nursery rhymes have almost completely taken over the top ten.
The scale of global viewing habits on YouTube has completely transformed. Reaching a ten-figure view count is no longer an exclusive achievement, but the baseline requirement to enter the platform's elite tier.
To put this astronomical growth into perspective, the entire landscape of the upper leaderboard has shifted:
- The 1 Billion Mark: There are now 417 videos that have officially crossed the 1 billion views threshold, turning what was once a rare, historic milestone into a standard entry requirement for the global rankings.
- The 2 Billion Surge: Moving up the ladder, an impressive 148 of those videos have successfully cleared the 2 billion views milestone, driven largely by relentless repeat-viewing habits and algorithmic recommendations.
Below is our freshly updated list of the Top 10 Most Viewed YouTube Videos of All Time as of May 2026, reflecting the latest data for this month. For those who want to track the wider leaderboard, we have also curated top 200 playlist, showcasing the top two hundred most-watched videos across the globe.
Top ten most viewed YouTube videos of all time
1. "Baby Shark Dance" by Pinkfong
Views: 16 974 225 483
Release Date: June 17, 2016
Channel: Pinkfong Kids' Songs & Stories
Views: 9 032 424 694
Release Date: January 12, 2017
Channel: Luis Fonsi
The undisputed king of traditional music videos. This 2017 reggaeton-pop smash completely shattered international streaming records and spent years at the number-one spot before the children's content boom. It remains a historic powerhouse, recently crossing the unprecedented 9 billion view baseline for a standard commercial song.
3. "Wheels on the Bus" by Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes
Views: 8 943 063 559
Release Date: May 24, 2018
Channel: Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes
Cocomelon’s most successful single upload. This brightly animated, 3D iteration of the classic children's rhyme showcases the immense power of modern preschool entertainment platforms, locking it securely into the top three all-time spots.
Views: 7 476 364 449
Release Date: May 2, 2018
Channel: Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes
Another massive victory for the Cocomelon media empire. Utilizing simple, repetitive lyrical structures set to the tunes of "Baby Shark" and "Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay," this track has become a staple routine-booster for millions of households worldwide during toddler bath times.
Views: 7 192 291 484
Release Date: October 8, 2016
Channel: LooLoo Kids – Nursery Rhymes and Children’s Songs
An animated nursery rhyme that took a highly unusual path to the top tier. While aimed at children, the video went mega-viral across mainstream social media networks due to internet memes and parodies regarding its slightly surreal narrative, helping push its metrics beyond the 7 billion mark.
Views: 7 002 443 671
Release Date: April 6, 2015
Channel: Wiz Khalifa
Commissioned as a emotional tribute to the late Paul Walker for the Furious 7 soundtrack, this poignant ballad briefly held the title of the world’s most-viewed YouTube video in 2017. It continues to pull massive legacy numbers as one of the platform's top emotional anchors.
7. "Phonics Song with Two Words" by ChuChu TV
Views: 6 978 375 973
Release Date: March 6, 2014
Channel: ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs
An educational giant designed to help young kids learn alphabet sounds and word association. Uploaded back in 2014, its incredible longevity and practical utility for early childhood education have allowed it to outpace some of the biggest pop music singles in web history.
Views: 6 733 703 267
Release Date: January 30, 2017
Channel: Ed Sheeran
The pop track that defined 2017. Ed Sheeran’s minimalist, marimba-led dancehall track was a massive chart-topper globally, and its highly narrative official music video has sustained consistent daily streaming numbers long after its radio peak.
9. "Gangnam Style" by PSY
Views: 5 954 388 973
Release Date: July 15, 2012
Channel: PSY
The historical pioneer of viral video culture. In late 2012, this K-pop track completely transformed the music industry, breaking YouTube’s view architecture by becoming the first video to ever log 1 billion views. It held the #1 spot for a record-setting 1,689 days and remains an essential piece of internet history.
10. "Axel F" by Crazy Frog
Views: 5 944 591 137
Release Date: June 16, 2009 (YouTube) / May 17, 2005 (Original)
Channel: Crazy Frog
A fascinating relic of mid-2000s ringtone marketing that has found new life in the digital era. The computer-animated "Crazy Frog" character singing an electronic remix of Harold Faltermeyer's 1984 theme has steadily collected billions of views from nostalgic millennials and younger generations discovering the viral oddity.
Views: 5 944 591 137
Release Date: June 16, 2009 (YouTube) / May 17, 2005 (Original)
Channel: Crazy Frog
A fascinating relic of mid-2000s ringtone marketing that has found new life in the digital era. The computer-animated "Crazy Frog" character singing an electronic remix of Harold Faltermeyer's 1984 theme has steadily collected billions of views from nostalgic millennials and younger generations discovering the viral oddity.
This month’s standings highlight the undeniable shift in internet culture, where educational and animated children's content continues to widen its lead over traditional pop music giants. While legendary music videos like "Despacito" and "Gangnam Style" maintain historic footholds, the compounding power of repeat toddler views is rewriting the rules of digital dominance.
Be sure to bookmark this page and check back next month, when we will publish a fresh update tracking the latest view counts, milestone breakages, and ranking shifts on the global leaderboard!
