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'Gangnam Style' no longer most-viewed on YouTube

July 12, 2017

With nearly 2.9 billion views, "See You Again," a tribute to actor Paul Walker by Wiz Khalifa and Charlia Puth, has overtaken "Gangnam Style" as the most-watched video on YouTube.

Psy dances while performing Gangnam Style
Image: Reuters

After more than four years at the top, the quirky video from South Korean pop star Psy, "Gangnam Style," has conceded its place as the most watched video on YouTube.

A satirical take on Seoul's nouveau riche, the song had an infectious pop beat that grabbed fans from around the world when it debuted in December 2012.

The Korean-language video featuring singer Psy's unusual dance moves was the first to reach one billion views on YouTube. Most striking was its place on top despite the dominance of English-language music on global charts.

As it inspired a plethora of homemade takes and remakes, the video continued to draw hits, causing the site's engineers to scramble to make changes once it topped 2.1 billion views, previously thought to be the maximum number possible.

Read more: The social media platforms that take up most of our time

Number one video a Paul Walker tribute 

As it inched towards 2.9 billion views, Psy's video was overtaken by "See You Again," a tribute to the actor Paul Walker of "The Fast and the Furious" film franchise who died in a car accident in November 2013.

The video features Wiz Khalifa rapping and Charlie Puth singing as they overlook a sandy coast.

Read more: The most disliked videos on YouTube

Since "Gangnam Style" broke the one-billion-views mark on YouTube, a total of 68 clips have likewise done so, all but three of them music videos.

ct/kbm (AFP, dpa)

 

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