YouTube At 20: Luis Fonsi’s ‘Despacito’ Is All-Time Most-Watched Music Video

Luis Fonsi performs "Despacito" on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on September 5, 2017.
NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
“Despacito,” the catchy, record-setting ​g​lobal phenomenon, has secured its place as a history-making song on a platform that has transform​ed​ audience viewing habits and redefined the music industry.
This week, YouTube celebrated 20 years since it uploaded its first video, “Me at the zoo”- a 19-​second clip featuring co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo. Two decades later, the sensual rhythm, memorable lyrics, and infectious melody of the Luis Fonsi track featuring Daddy Yankee have made it YouTube’s ​b​iggest music success story, ​currently standing as the platform’s most-watched music video​,​ breaking countless records along the way.
​U​ploaded in ​January 2017, “Despacito” kicked off its ​historic run as one of the all-time fastest music videos to reach one billion views, tying at ​No. 2 with Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You​.”​ Both took just 97 days​, ​t​railing only Adele’s “Hello,” which hit the milestone in 88 days​, according to YouTube data.
“Despacito”​ was the first ​to reach 3, 4, 5, and 6 billion views, ​c​ontinuing its meteoric rise to the No. 1 music video ​on the popular digital platform​, earn​ing it ​s​even Guinness World Records​.
Luis Fonsi tops the all-time most-viewed music videos on YouTube.