Best of the Decade: Viral Videos
This decade has given us many iconic viral videos, whether on the app Vine, YouTube, or more recently TikTok. As a way to close out the decade, here is the list of some of the best viral videos of the last 10 years.
Double Rainbow (2010): To kick off 2010, Paul “Bear” Vasquez documented his reaction to seeing a double rainbow. His excitement and “incredible” camera work showcase his joy and remind us of the simple pleasures in life. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI#
Friday (2011): You can probably remember making fun of this song with your friends in elementary school, but no matter how much you “hated” it, you always found yourself singing it. Rebecca Black’s debut single has over 138 million views and a shocking 3.6 million dislikes. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0
Gangnam Style (2012): “Gangnam Style” was released the summer of 2012 and after only five months it had hit a billion views. PSY’s wacky dance moves became a global trend that took the world by storm. Legend has it millions of people can be seen doing the Gangnam style dance to this day. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0
What Does the Fox Say? (2013): Norwegian group Ylvis dominated 2013 with this song that tried to determine the noise a fox makes. The video included many animal costumes, lots of “fox” noises, and some pretty crazy dancing. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE
The Ice Bucket Challenge (2014): The ice bucket challenge, which involved a person dumping a bucket of ice cold water on their head, was a video trend used to raise awareness and money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Chances are these videos were all over your Instagram and YouTube in 2014. Many celebrities, including Bill Gates, Taylor Swift, and Oprah Winfrey, participated in the challenge. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qgqsgXSJ7g8
Why you Lyin (2015): This “song” became an iconic vine after being dropped in 2015. Before the shutdown of Vine, the video had over 16 million loops. In the vine, creator Nicholas Fraser sings to the tune of Next’s “Too Close,” but replaces the lyrics of the song with his own, giving us the classic line, “Why you always lyin’.” Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h-yUBeV-M4U
Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen (2016): With over 200 million views, this quirky song took the world by storm. The singer, a quirky middle-aged man, really took the song to the next level, with his “stylish” outfit and wacky dance moves. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct6BUPvE2sM
Child Interrupts BBC News Interview (2017): While 2017 was a pretty dry year for viral videos, we came away with this adorable gem. In the video, Professor Robert Kelly is on a Skype interview with BBC News when his toddler walks in on the call and begins to tug at his arm. The video has over 25 million views and is definitely one to tug at your heart strings. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh4f9AYRCZY
Walmart Yodeling Boy (2018): In 2018, 12-year-old Mason Ramsey became an overnight sensation after this video hit the internet. The video shows the young boy giving an impromptu concert in the middle of Walmart. This video jump started his career, and he ended up not only performing at Coachella, but releasing his own album as well. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bOZT-UpRA2Y
Dad and Babbling Baby (2019): D.J. Pryor and his one-year-old son, Kingston, are discussing the finale of the show Empire. Kingston’s response to his father is absolutely adorable, being that is it almost complete gibberish and inaudible by the viewer. People loved the video so much that the pair returned to make the Denny’s Father’s Day ad with the same concept. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0IaNR8YGdow
