Which YouTube video first reached 1 billion views?

The first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views was PSY’s “Gangnam Style.” The South Korean singer’s music video crossed the milestone on December 21, 2012, making it the platform’s first entry into what later became known as the Billion-View Club.

Released on July 15, 2012, “Gangnam Style” became a global phenomenon through its comic choreography, instantly recognizable horse-riding dance, and satire of the wealthy Gangnam district in Seoul. Its international popularity helped K-pop reach audiences far beyond South Korea.

The milestone is often confused with later view-count records. “See You Again” eventually surpassed “Gangnam Style” as YouTube’s most-viewed video in 2017, while “Despacito” became the first to pass 3 billion views. “Baby Shark Dance” later dominated the platform’s all-time view rankings, but none of those videos was first to reach 1 billion.