10 Best Viral Videos of All-Time

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Viral videos have been circulating on the internet for more than a decade. But since the creation of YouTube, they’ve become a part of pop culture, garnering up to hundreds of millions of views and turning everyday people into celebrities. As a result, phrases like “Don’t tase me, bro” and “Leave Britney alone” have become familiar to people worldwide. Below are 10 of the most unforgettable viral videos of all-time. Each one gained rapid popularity by spreading person-to-person from people like you and your friends.

1. “Charlie Bit My Finger”
   The cuteness of English brothers Harry and Charlie is undeniable, especially Charlie after he bites Harry’s finger and giggles in a seemingly diabolical manner. The father of the boys, Howard Davies-Carr, uploaded the video to share with their godfather in the US and was on the verge of taking it down before it exploded in popularity. Since it first appeared on YouTube in May of 2007, “Charlie Bit My Finger” has garnered more than 221 million views – the most viewed video that doesn’t feature a pop star.
2. “Star Wars Kid”
   First appearing on the internet in 2003, the “Star Wars Kid” video is the oldest viral video on this list and one of two that didn’t initially gain fame on YouTube. The video shows Canadian high school student Ghyslain Raza wielding a golf ball retriever as if it were lightsaber. It was self-recorded in November of 2002 in a studio in his Trios-Rivieres, Quebec high school, and it was later discovered by a classmate. Eventually, the video was uploaded onto the internet, becoming viral and prompting Raza’s family to file a lawsuit against the families of four of his classmates. Despite the emotional grief Raza endured as a result of the video – he dropped out of high school and entered a psychiatric ward – he has emerged as a successful adult, leading a conservation society dedicated to preserving the heritage of his hometown.
3. “Numa Numa”
   Gary Brolsma earned his internet fame by performing the “Numa Numa Dance,” which was released in December of 2004 – before YouTube became a top website. In the video, Brolsma is enthusiastically lip-syncing and dancing to Dragostea din tei by O-Zone – a Moldovan pop trio. The phrase “Numa Numa” comes from the chorus of the song, meaning “you don’t want, don’t want to take me.” After the video gained popularity, Brolsma gained mainstream media coverage and even appeared in a Weezer video.
4. “Evolution of Dance”
   For a while, the “Evolution of Dance” video by Justin Laipply was the most-watched video in YouTube. Mass audiences tune in to observe Laipply dance to songs ranging from Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” and ‘N Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye” in just six minutes. The video ranks in the top 10 in many of the site’s categories; it’s the first most favorited video of all-time. Laipply has responded to the success by composing a second “Evolution of Dance” video, and currently, a third is in the works.
5. “I Dreamed a Dream”
   Susan Boyle’s awe-inspiring performance on “Britain’s Got Talent” thrust the homely 48-year-old Scottish woman into international music superstardom. Unlike many other well-known viral videos, this one gained popularity for all the right reasons, teaching us that appearances can be deceiving. Boyle’s rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” hit YouTube on April 11, 2009 and the total viewership of all of her videos reached 100 million by April 20th. Her popularity translated into commercial success, as her first album “I Dreamed a Dream” was the fastest selling debit album in the history of Britain and the fastest selling debut album in more than a decade in the US. Because of her inspirational story, a Time Magazine poll ranked her as the seventh most influential person in the world, well-ahead of President Barack Obama. Note: the video posted isn’t the original uploaded to YouTube because the user disabled embedding.
6. “Here It Goes Again”
   “Here It Goes Again” gained more than one million views less than a week after it was uploaded onto YouTube. And while the song is generally regarded as a catchy tune, the video was popularized mainly because of the treadmill dance performed by the band members. It took the band seventeen tries to perfect the routine, and its dedication was rewarded when YouTube recognized the video as the most creative of 2006. Note: again, the video posted isn’t the original uploaded to YouTube because the user disabled embedding.
7. “HaHaHa” (Laughing Baby)
   There’s nothing quite as pleasant as a baby’s laughter, especially when it’s as uncontrollable and crisp as the baby in the HaHaHa video, which was filmed by the boy’s father in their kitchen in Sweden. Known as “Small Daring Boy” – his description underneath the video on YouTube – the tot has attracted more than 130 million views since the video was uploaded in 2006, making it by far the favorite laughing baby video on the internet.
8. “Don’t Tase Me, Bro”
   Andrew Meyer became an overnight internet sensation after he was “tased” for disrupting Senator John Kerry’s appearance at a Constitution Day forum at the University of Florida. The incident began when Meyer demanded to be allowed to question Kerry, yelling that he had been waiting for two hours. Officers responded by pulling him away, but he escaped their grips and then was permitted by Kerry to ask his questions. Meyer handed over his camera and spoke for more than a minute, using vulgarity that was deemed inappropriate by organizers. Police officers attempted to escort him out of the room, eventually threatening to taser him, thus provoking the famous line, “Don’t tase me, bro.” Thanks to YouTube, it immediately became ingrained in the American lexicon.
9. “Chocolate Rain”
   If you don’t know why Tay Zonday moves away from the mic, then you missed out on one of the hottest viral videos during the spring and summer of 2007. “Chocolate Rain” features the then-24-year-old grad student playing a digital piano while singing into a condenser microphone with his deep, gravelly and obviously untrained voice. Although his fame has come as somewhat of a joke, the message of the song is actually serious, addressing race issues in America. It has been referenced on numerous occasions on television and has been parodied by famous artists like John Mayer. Zonday even performed it on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
10. “Leave Britney Alone”
    Chris Crocker’s tearful pleas for people to “leave Britney alone” came after the pop icon’s comeback performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2007. The video is among the top 10 most discussed videos on YouTube of all-time, generating more than 500,000 comments – many of which are critical responses questioning whether Crocker is a male or female. Many people claim the video was staged, but Crocker has stated that he displayed genuine emotion in the “Leave Britney Alone” video, even though he has acknowledged that many of his videos are acts.

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