Ranking 10 Most-Viewed YouTube Videos Of All Time
3. Ed Sheeran: Shape Of You
Upload date: 30 January 2017
View count: 4,777,643,757
Ed Sheeran’s biggest hit on the YouTube platform, Shape of You is the third fastest video ever reach the 1 billion mark. It is also the second quickest to have reached both 2 and 3 billion views. Its lyric video has also proved to be a runaway success with more than 840 million views since its release.
The song was released alongside Castle on the Hill as a leading single for Sheeran’s third album, ÷. The music video features starring roles for American dancer Jenny Pegouskie and former sumo wrestler Yamamotoyama Ryūta. It depicts Sheeran training for a fight with Pegouskie as the 2 grow closer over the video. Sheeran eventually arrives for a fight with Ryūta who proceeds to thrash a suddenly sumo costumed Sheeran.
Shape of You debuted at number on several charts including the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. It was well received by critics and acknowledged as a change of sound compared to his earlier work with the likes of dancehall and tropical house being introduced. Last year, it was revealed as the number 1 song on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 for the 2010s decade.