YouTube today has completed 20 years today (2nd April 2005). The first ever video uploaded on YouTube was uploaded 20 years ago. It was founded on February 14th, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. The first ever video that was uploaded by YouTube was from co-founder Jawed Karim, titled “Me at the Zoo”, which was uploaded 20 years ago down the line. Feeling nostalgic? Let’s have a look at the YouTube milestones in the 20 Years of YouTube journey-
YouTube was a Dating site??? (20 Years of YouTube)
Yes, it’s true. YouTube was first designed to be a dating site, but somehow it was halted for some reason. In 2004’s Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy and the Tsunami disaster that happened later in that year, there were not so many videos to upload by then, so it was shelved by the founding team. Then again, the co-founders thought about the original idea of uploading dating videos by attracting women to upload their videos in exchange for USD 100. Despite all the efforts by now they again shelved this idea because of fewer videos. Then it was decided to accept all kinds of videos, and the rest is history.
The First Upload (20 Years of YouTube)
YouTube’s co-founder Jawed Karim uploaded the first ever video on April 24th, 2005, titled “Me at the Zoo” which garnered views quickly, and it became the topic of discussion back then. As of April 24th, 2025, the same video (exactly 20 years ago) has now over 365M views and 17M likes. This was a 19-second video that was shot in the San Diego Zoo. Apart from this, an uploader named mw also uploaded the video on the same date.
Formation of YouTube’s Creators
Apart from Jawed Karim’s first-ever YouTube upload. There were several other YouTube Creators who uploaded videos, to name a few. It was Smosh, started as a sketch comedy, and still, it’s one of the best among the large number of sketch comedy channels on YouTube. The first ever video uploaded by YouTube was on October 29th, 2005, titled “YouTube on the Tube”. Since then, the number of independent YouTube Creators or YouTubers has come into the picture.
First to Reach 100M Subscribers
Indian music company T-Series was the first ever company who reach 100M subscribers on May 29th, 2019. On the other hand, Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie, aka Felix, was the first ever individual creator to reach 100M subs on YouTube. he achieved this feat on August 25th, 2019.
20 Years of YouTube: Most Viewed YouTube Videos of All Time
| Video name | Uploader | Views (billions) | Date |
| Baby Shark Dance | Pinkfong Baby Shark – Kids’ Songs & Stories | 15.65 | June 17, 2016 |
| Despacito | Luis Fonsi | 8.66 | January 12, 2017 |
| Wheels on the Bus | Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes | 7.17 | May 24, 2018 |
| Johny Johny Yes Papa | LooLoo Kids – Nursery Rhymes and Children’s Songs | 7.02 | October 8, 2016 |
| Bath Song | Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes | 7.01 | May 2, 2018 |
| See You Again | Wiz Khalifa | 6.58 | April 6, 2015 |
| Shape of You | Ed Sheeran | 6.42 | January 30, 2017 |
| Phonics Song with Two Words | ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs | 6.31 | March 6, 2014 |
| Uptown Funk | Mark Ronson | 5.49 | November 19, 2014 |
| Gangnam Style | Psy | 5.48 | July 15, 2012 |
| Learning Colors – Colorful Eggs on a Farm | Miroshka TV | 5.23 | February 27, 2018 |
| Axel F | Crazy Frog | 5.06 | June 16, 2009 |
| Dame Tu Cosita | Ultra Records | 4.98 | April 5, 2018 |
| Masha and the Bear – Recipe for Disaster | Get Movies | 4.63 | January 31, 2012 |
| Shree Hanuman Chalisa | T-Series Bhakti Sagar | 4.40 | May 10, 2011 |
| Baa Baa Black Sheep | Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes | 4.39 | June 25, 2018 |
| Lakdi Ki Kathi | Jingle Toons | 4.37 | June 14, 2018 |
| Sugar | Maroon 5 | 4.19 | January 14, 2015 |
| Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) | Shakira | 4.17 | June 4, 2010 |
| Counting Stars | OneRepublic | 4.13 | May 31, 2013 |
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20 Years of YouTube: Most Liked Video on YouTube
| Video name | Uploader | Likes(M) | Upload date |
| “Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette?” | MrBeast | 54M | December 9, 2022 |
| “Despacito”⁂ | Luis Fonsi | 54M | January 12, 2017 |
| “See You Again” | Wiz Khalifa | 44M | April 6, 2015 |
| “Gangnam Style” | Psy | 30M | July 15, 2012 |
| “Party Rock Anthem” | LMFAO | 12M | March 8, 2011 |
| “Kony 2012” | Invisible Children | 1.3M | March 5, 2012 |
| “Baby” | Justin Bieber | 26M | February 19, 2010 |
| “Evolution of Dance” | Judson Laipply | 1.4M | April 6, 2006 |
Most Viewed Indian YouTube Videos
| Video name | Uploader | Views (Billion) | Upload date |
| Shree Hanuman Chalisa | T-Series Bhakti Sagar | 4.5B | 10 May 2011 |
| Lehanga | Geet MP3 | 1.7B | 13 August 2019 |
| 52 Gaj Ka Daman | Desi Records | 1.6B | 2 October 2020 |
| Zaroori Tha | The Folk & Soul Studio | 1.6B | 12 February 2021 |
| Vaaste | T-Series | 1.6B | 6 April 2019 |
| “Rowdy Baby” from Maari 2 (2019) | Wunderbar Films | 1.6B | 2 January 2019 |
| Laung Laachi | T-Series Apna Punjab | 1.5B | 21 February 2018 |
| Lut Gaye | T-Series | 1.4B | 17 February 2021 |
| “Dilbar (Lyrical)” from Satyameva Jayate (2018) | T-Series | 1.4B | 9 July 2018 |
| “Mile Ho Tum” from Fever (2016) | Zee Music Company | 1.3B | 26 July 2016 |
| “Cham Cham” from Baaghi (2016) | T-Series | 1.3B | 6 May 2016 |
| Aankh Maarey from Simmba (2018) | T-Series | 1.2B | 11 December 2018 |
| “High Rated Gabru” | T-Series | 1.2B | 7 July 2017 |
| “Bum Bum Bole” from Taare Zameen Par (2007) | T-Series | 1.2B | 25 May 2011 |
| “Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai” from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi | Yash Raj Films | 1.2B | 19 January 2012 |
| Bom Diggy Diggy (song) from Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety | T-Series | 1.1B | 8 February 2018 |
| “Filhall” | Desi Melodies | 1.1B | 9 November 2019 |
| Dil Laga Liya from Dil Hai Tumhaara | Tips Industries | 1.1B | 9 December 2009 |
| “Daru Badnaam” | VIP Records | 1.1B | 24 December 2016 |
| “Lahore” | T-Series | 1.1B | 14 December 2017 |
| “Khairiyat” from Chhichhore | T-Series | 1.1B | 26 September 2019 |
| Chatak Matak | VATS RECORDS | 1.1B | 20 December 2020 |
| “Jhoome Jo Pathaan” from Pathaan | Yash Raj Films | 1.07B | 22 December 2022 |
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It is indeed a great platform for éntertainment. It grew into a giant from a rookie platform in its 20 Years of YouTube. Now this platform is dominated by companies, and they are earning mammoths of money. Back in the day, when it was formed, it was just a video-sharing platform.
