Vevo reveals most-watched music videos
August 3, 2021
Vevo, the music video network, has released data to celebrate the 40th anniversary of music videos hitting the mainstream on August 1st 1981. This data, based on lifetime views across Vevo’s network, demonstrates the most popular music videos of each decade, both in the UK and globally.
Since the first airing of Video Killed the Radio Star on MTV 40 years ago, music videos have cemented their place in the mainstream consciousness. But since then, they have also vastly changed in both format and distribution. This is not only through enhanced production techniques and the evolution of artistic expression, but also in terms of where and how they are viewed by mass audiences, and new modes of distribution, such as Connected TV.
Some key data:
- Luis Fonsi’s Despacito (ft. Daddy Yankee) is still the most viewed video globally from 2010-2020, and with 7.451 billion views it has almost twice the viewership of the number two spot on the 2010s list (Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk with 4.246 billion views).
- Eminem makes three appearances on the UK 2000s top 10 list, with his hits When I’m Gone (2), Without Me (5) and Mockingbird (7). Katy Perry pops up twice in the global 2010s list with her hits Roar (5) and Dark Horse ft. Juicy J (7).
- Just two of the top 10 global hits in the 80s list top 1 billion views, with Guns N’ Roses’ Sweet Child O’ Mine racking up 1.268 billion views and Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up 1.104 billion. By contrast, every most-viewed video from the 2010s surpasses this figure.
- Homegrown highlights from the global list include The Police’s Every Breath You Take at number 6 in the 80s list and 866 million views, while Irish band The Cranberries also hit number 4 globally in the 90s list, with Zombie attracting 1.105 billion views.
Claudia de Wolff, VP Content and Programming, Europe said: “Music video as an artistic form has changed so much over the past forty years, and it’s fascinating to see how both artist and consumer preferences have evolved over time. Artists are continually striving to find new and unique ways to creatively express themselves in their videos, from animation to stop motion, choreography to cameos. We’ve seen artists producing incredible, cinematic masterpieces with huge casts, iconic dance routines and mind bending technology. The music video has always been at the forefront of the creative industries, with artists like Michael Jackson, OK GO, Sia, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino creating some of the most talked about cultural moments of the last 40 years. But that said, everyone still loves a good dance routine, whether that’s Shake It Off or Single Ladies, and our catalogue is able to serve all these across our vast distribution network – perfectly suited to today’s consumer and music fan. Many of today’s emerging artists who are coming up through our DSCVR programme are getting even more creative, from Ashnikko’s colourful and unique aesthetic to Pa Salieu’s eye catching use of camera technology in the visual for his track My Family, featuring another DSCVR artist Backroad Gee.”
Richard Brant, Head of Advanced TV, UK & International, added: “Brands and advertisers can also benefit from understanding the changing nature of music video, as it reflects the changing viewing behaviour of their audiences. Music videos have shifted dramatically away from only being available on broadcast television back in the days of MTV. They have undergone a vast evolution, through first becoming available on laptops and computers, then picked up on mobile, watched on demand and increasingly now back to being viewed in the living room, be it through broadcast or connected television. Now with the eventual decline of third-party cookies, advertisers need to reassess, strip back their plans and build campaigns based on quality environments and adapt to the way their audiences consume media. The music video has universal appeal, providing a production quality editorially regulated environment. It’s simply a great way to reach multiple engaged audiences at scale.”
Global 1980s
Artist |
Video Title |
Copyright |
Lifetime View Count |
|
1 |
Guns N’ Roses |
Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine (Official Music Video) |
1987 |
1.268 billion |
2 |
Rick Astley |
Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video) |
1987 |
1.103 billion |
3 |
Michael Jackson |
Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (Official Video) |
1982 |
974.4 million |
4 |
Cyndi Lauper |
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Official Video) |
1983 |
938.5 million |
5 |
Europe |
Europe – The Final Countdown (Official Video) |
1986 |
883.6 million |
6 |
The Police |
The Police – Every Breath You Take (Official Video) |
1983 |
866 million |
7 |
Bon Jovi |
Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer (Official Music Video) |
1986 |
811.4 million |
8 |
Bonnie Tyler |
Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart (Video) |
1982 |
805.2 million |
9 |
AC/DC |
AC/DC – Back In Black (Official Video) |
1980 |
762.2 million |
10 |
Michael Jackson |
Michael Jackson – Beat It (Official Video) |
1982 |
731.2 million |
_________
UK 1980s
Artist |
Video Title |
Copyright |
Lifetime View Count |
|
1 |
Wham! |
Wham! – Last Christmas (Official Video) |
1984 |
64.1 million |
2 |
Rick Astley |
Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video) |
1987 |
59.3 million |
3 |
Toto |
Toto – Africa (Official HD Video) |
1982 |
44.2 million |
4 |
Guns N’ Roses |
Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine (Official Music Video) |
1987 |
40 million |
5 |
Bon Jovi |
Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer (Official Music Video) |
1986 |
36.4 million |
6 |
Michael Jackson |
Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (Official Video) |
1982 |
35.3 million |
7 |
The Police |
The Police – Every Breath You Take (Official Video) |
1983 |
31.5 million |
8 |
Bonnie Tyler |
Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart (Video) |
1982 |
30 million |
9 |
Survivor |
Survivor – Eye Of The Tiger (Official HD Video) |
1982 |
29.7 million |
10 |
Cyndi Lauper |
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Official Video) |
1983 |
28.1 million |
_________
Global 1990s
Artist |
Video Title |
Copyright |
Lifetime View Count |
|
1 |
Guns N’ Roses |
Guns N’ Roses – November Rain |
1992 |
1.668 billion |
2 |
Nirvana |
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Official Music Video) |
1991 |
1.295 billion |
3 |
Whitney Houston |
Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (Official 4K Video) |
1992 |
1.121 billion |
4 |
The Cranberries |
The Cranberries – Zombie (Official Music Video) |
1994 |
1.105 billion |
5 |
4 Non Blondes |
4 Non Blondes – What’s Up (Official Music Video) |
1992 |
1,103 billion |
6 |
AC/DC |
AC/DC – Thunderstruck (Official Video) |
1990 |
952 million |
7 |
Backstreet Boys |
Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way (Official HD Video) |
1998 |
935.9 million |
8 |
Dr. Dre |
Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg – Still D.R.E. (Official Video) |
1999 |
919.9 million |
9 |
Aqua |
Aqua – Barbie Girl (Official Music Video) |
1997 |
905.7 million |
10 |
Scorpions |
Scorpions – Wind Of Change (Official Music Video) |
1991 |
870.6 million |
_________
UK 1990s
Artist |
Video Title |
Copyright |
Lifetime View Count |
|
1 |
Mariah Carey |
Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You (Official Video) |
1994 |
69.2 million |
2 |
Nirvana |
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Official Music Video) |
1991 |
46.5 million |
3 |
Dr. Dre |
Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg – Still D.R.E. (Official Video) |
1999 |
45.8 million |
4 |
Aqua |
Aqua – Barbie Girl (Official Music Video) |
1997 |
43.6 million |
5 |
Guns N’ Roses |
Guns N’ Roses – November Rain |
1992 |
41.6 million |
6 |
The Cranberries |
The Cranberries – Zombie (Official Music Video) |
1994 |
40.9 million |
7 |
AC/DC |
AC/DC – Thunderstruck (Official Video) |
1990 |
39.7 million |
8 |
Whitney Houston |
Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (Official 4K Video) |
1992 |
38.8 million |
9 |
The Verve |
The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony (Official Music Video) |
1997 |
38.6 million |
10 |
Backstreet Boys |
Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way (Official HD Video) |
1998 |
35.4 million |
_________
Global 2000s
Artist |
Video Title |
Copyright |
Lifetime View Count |
|
1 |
Lady Gaga |
Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (Official Music Video) |
2009 |
1.384 billion |
2 |
Taylor Swift |
Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me |
2009 |
1.205 billion |
3 |
Eminem |
Eminem – Without Me (Official Music Video) |
2002 |
1.172 billion |
4 |
50 Cent |
50 Cent – In Da Club (Official Music Video) |
2003 |
1.17 billion |
5 |
Beyoncé |
Beyoncé – Halo |
2008 |
1.116 billion |
6 |
Katy Perry |
Katy Perry – Hot N Cold (Official) |
2008 |
1.044 billion |
7 |
System Of A Down |
System Of A Down – Chop Suey! (Official Video) |
2001 |
1.025 billion |
8 |
Bon Jovi |
Bon Jovi – It’s My Life (Official Music Video) |
2003 |
997.7 million |
9 |
Nelly |
Nelly – Dilemma (Official Music Video) ft. Kelly Rowland |
2002 |
992.3 million |
10 |
Shakira |
Shakira – Hips Don’t Lie ft. Wyclef Jean |
2006 |
925.6 million |
_________
UK 2000s
Artist |
Video Title |
Copyright |
Lifetime View Count |
|
1 |
The Killers |
The Killers – Mr. Brightside (Official Music Video) |
2004 |
62.3 million |
2 |
Eminem |
Eminem – When I’m Gone (Official Music Video) |
2005 |
58.4 million |
3 |
Taylor Swift |
Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me |
2009 |
54.4 million |
4 |
Nelly |
Nelly – Dilemma (Official Music Video) ft. Kelly Rowland |
2002 |
52.3 million |
5 |
Eminem |
Eminem – Without Me (Official Music Video) |
2002 |
51.9 million |
6 |
50 Cent |
50 Cent – In Da Club (Official Music Video) |
2003 |
47.6 million |
7 |
Eminem |
Eminem – Mockingbird (Official Music Video) |
2004 |
44.8 million |
8 |
Beyoncé |
Beyoncé – Halo |
2008 |
44.3 million |
9 |
Lady Gaga |
Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (Official Music Video) |
2009 |
42.7 million |
10 |
Mario |
Mario – Let Me Love You (Official Video) |
2004 |
41.7 million |
_________
Global 2010s
Artist |
Video Title |
Copyright |
Lifetime View Count |
|
1 |
Luis Fonsi |
Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee |
2017 |
7.451 billion |
2 |
Mark Ronson |
Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars |
2014 |
4.246 billion |
3 |
Maroon 5 |
Maroon 5 – Sugar (Official Music Video) |
2015 |
3.522 billion |
4 |
Justin Bieber |
Justin Bieber – Sorry (PURPOSE : The Movement) |
2015 |
3.468 billion |
5 |
Katy Perry |
Katy Perry – Roar (Official) |
2013 |
3.384 billion |
6 |
OneRepublic |
OneRepublic – Counting Stars (Official Music Video) |
2013 |
3.343 billion |
7 |
Katy Perry |
Katy Perry – Dark Horse (Official) ft. Juicy J |
2014 |
3.114 billion |
8 |
Taylor Swift |
Taylor Swift – Shake It Off |
2014 |
3.099 billion |
9 |
Maroon 5 |
Maroon 5 – Girls Like You ft. Cardi B (Official Music Video) |
2018 |
3.068 billion |
10 |
Enrique Iglesias |
Enrique Iglesias – Bailando ft. Descemer Bueno, Gente De Zona (Español) |
2014 |
3.061 billion |
_________
UK 2010s
Artist |
Video Title |
Copyright |
Lifetime View Count |
|
1 |
Mark Ronson |
Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars |
2014 |
175.4 million |
2 |
Justin Bieber |
Justin Bieber – Sorry (PURPOSE : The Movement) |
2015 |
158.3 million |
3 |
Taylor Swift |
Taylor Swift – Shake It Off |
2014 |
143.9 million |
4 |
Katy Perry |
Katy Perry – Roar (Official) |
2013 |
137.7 million |
5 |
Maroon 5 |
Maroon 5 – Girls Like You ft. Cardi B (Official Music Video) |
2018 |
130.2 million |
6 |
Luis Fonsi |
Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee |
2017 |
124.8 million |
7 |
Taylor Swift |
Taylor Swift – Blank Space |
2014 |
123.7 million |
8 |
James Arthur |
James Arthur – Say You Won’t Let Go |
2016 |
122.7 million |
9 |
OneRepublic |
OneRepublic – Counting Stars (Official Music Video) |
2013 |
122.5 million |
10 |
Adele |
Adele – Hello |
2015 |
120.9 million |