‘Baby Shark’ Reaches Milestone 10 Billion Views on YouTube

“Baby Shark” has taken a big bite out of the competition! The video for the infectious children’s tune from Pinkfong passed the 10 billion mark on Thursday (Jan. 13), increasing the gap between it and No. 2 video, Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” featuring Daddy Yankee.

“We are delighted to announce that our beloved Baby Shark has recorded another remarkable milestone,” Min-seok Kim, CEO of “Baby Shark” creator The Pinkfong Co., said in a statement. “It has been a truly meaningful journey to witness how Baby Shark has connected people around the world, and we can’t wait to introduce Baby Shark’s further adventures that will bring unparalleled experiences to even more fans everywhere.”

The hit video was released in June 2016, and gained a foothold thanks to a viral dance challenge. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 32 — the song’s peak — on the Jan. 12, 2019, tally. On Billboard’s global charts dated Nov. 28, 2020, it peaked at No. 38 on the Global 200, and No. 36 on the Global Excl. U.S.

Also in November 2020, the video reached 7.04 billion views to surpass 2017’s “Despacito,”  becoming the most viewed YouTube video of all time. (At press time, the Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee collab boasts 7.7 billion views.) The same month, “Baby Shark” was certified 11-times multi-platinum by the RIAA.

Since “Baby Shark” first swam into the internet’s consciousness, it has also gained numerous celebrity fans. James Corden covered the song — with Sophie Turner and Josh Groban lending a hand — in 2018, while Bebe Rexha, John Legend and daughter Luna, Celine Dion and more taking on the catchy tune in 2019.

Since the popularity of “Baby Shark” exploded, there has also been a massive 100-date tour in 2019, the launch of Nickelodeon’s pre-school series Baby Shark’s Big Show early in 2021, and a six-piece NFT collection in December 2021. Nickelodeon has also announced that it is developing a feature film around Baby Shark.