YouTube celebrates 20 years of disrupting how we watch

YouTube is celebrating its 20th anniversary with staggering metrics, platform updates, and a reminder of how much the creator economy has evolved. The platform’s first video went live April 23, 2005.

In a blog post released Wednesday, April 23, the company says users now upload 20 million videos daily, and more than 20 billion videos have been uploaded to the site overall.

A global entertainment force

YouTube has become a dominant entertainment force, garnering $36 billion in ad revenue alone in 2024, according to The Hollywood Reporter. With 300 music videos in the billion-views club, the platform continues to shape how viewers consume content.

In 2009, YouTuber Fred became the first creator to hit 1 million subscribers. Played by Lucas Cruikshank, Fred was a fictional hyperactive child with a high-pitched voice. The character’s popularity led to a series of viral videos, three movies and a TV show on Nickelodeon.

In the early 2010s, creators like Ray William Johnson and Jenna Marbles helped define YouTube’s comedy scene. That era really took shape in December 2012, when South Korean artist PSY’s “Gangnam Style” became the first video to surpass 1 billion views.

The rise of MrBeast and new formats

MrBeast, who began uploading Minecraft videos and tip guides in the early 2010s, has evolved with the platform and its ever-evolving trends. By 2018, he was known for viral challenges and philanthropic stunts. 

In 2024, he became the most-subscribed YouTuber at 386 million subscribers, which preceded his next big endeavor: launching a competition show on Prime Video. “Beast Games” aired at the end of last December and is currently the most-watched unscripted series in the platform’s history.

As content types diversified, reaching large audiences became easier. According to YouTube’s 2024 Trends & Fandom Report, niche creators are finding success through highly specific content. It pointed to one creator who gained a following from Taylor Swift lyrics and showing charm bracelet designs. Another earned views by filming trucks scraping against a low bridge in North Carolina.

YouTube Shorts, try-on hauls, and lo-fi music currently top trend charts, according to Exploding Topics. Lo-fi, a mellow genre often used for studying or working, continues to grow alongside raw vlog-style videos and livestreams.

Streaming competitors have been trying to keep up with its success. Many now use variations of endless-scroll features and have begun producing series centered on influencers.

The launch of Youtube TV

YouTube TV first launched in 2017 as Google’s answer to traditional cable. What started as a live TV streaming service with just a few major networks has expanded to include more than 100 channels, unlimited DVR, and integration with the broader YouTube ecosystem.

It’s quickly become a major platform in the streaming wars. In February, YouTube topped U.S. TV viewership across all platforms, outpacing apps like Disney+ and Netflix.

CNBC also reports that YouTube is on track to become the top-earning media company by revenue.

Teens lead, but older audiences grow

A 2023 Pew Research study found that 95% of teens aged 13 to 17 watch YouTube, but the platform is also growing among older users. Nielsen reports viewership among adults aged 65 and up has doubled over the past two years, and now sits at 15.4%.

What’s next for YouTube?

To celebrate the YouTube 20th anniversary, the company announced new features rolling out this year.

These include:

• Custom multiview for YouTube TV subscribers.
• Expanded access to voice comment replies.
• 4x playback speed for YouTube Premium.
• “Ask Music,” a personalized radio station feature.
• TV interface upgrades launching this summer.