Most Watched YouTube Video? Psy's "Gangnam Style"

[Wrenry]

Quote:

Kim Kardashian may have tried to break the Internet, but Korean pop star Psy has come the closest.

Since his breakout hit “Gangnam Style” made its debut in July 2012, it has become the most watched video on YouTube to date, scoring more than 2.1 billion views. While this feat is staggering in itself, Google posted a nugget on its YouTube Google+ page Monday about this accomplishment, saying that the video had been viewed so many times Google needed to “upgrade” the video site’s back end.

When YouTube was designed, it was never expected for a video to exceed 2,147,483,647 views because of how the counter software was originally coded. “It’s like a car odometer,” says YouTube spokesperson Matt McLernon. “Once it rolls over the last nine, it resets.” He said the company expected two billion would be enough. It wasn’t.

Exactly how did Google know they were in need of an upgrade?

A few months ago, site technicians noticed the view count for “Gangnam Style” would eventually hit that number and require a behind-the-scenes tweak. If they didn’t do anything, in this case, the number would have remained static in the video’s counter, but YouTube would continue to keep an accurate count of views in a separate location. Google updated the entire site’s counter software, making it so a video can now register more than 9 quintillion views—or 9,223,372,036,854,775,808.

YouTube and Google marked the occasion with a special counter on the “Gangnam Style” page. A cursor hovering over the counter spins through the view count in the way a mileage counter on a car would.

Along with being a catchy song—it was still in the top five of YouTube songs streamed this past summer—Psy’s YouTube channel has bumped his other tracks into stratospheric numbers as well. Earlier this year, he released a collaboration with Snoop Dogg called “Hangover,” which has been viewed more than 162 million times since June 8.

“This is what happens when the whole world can play something at the same time,” Mr. McLernon said. “And when one video brings you to a channel, you often go and watch other videos.” Source

And in case you missed it, or just somehow forgot it, here's the most viewed video:





Surprised its wasn't something with PewDiePie.

*Who honestly I watched once and didn't like so I moved on and watch other personalities like MatPat from the Game Theorists and the slew of Minecrack players like BDoubleO100 and Cubulous*

[Nyadriel]

Heard about this on the news yesterday and just laughed! Seriously! The counter stops at 2 billion and here is this really popular thing that just makes you wanna dance (and I am dancing while sitting here in my seat) and breaks it. rofl I mean, it's a party, Dudes! Truthfully, I am not at all surprised by this at all.

[azulmagia]

I still have not seen this video.

[Valiant Corvus]

azulmagia

I still have not seen this video.

You aren't missing much.

Only proves that you can write a stupid song with a stupid dance and people will eat it up.

[Chahklet]

This is very very old news. And I have to play that song literally every day for my kids.

[jadedrenee]

2012 called, it wants its news back.

[Nyadriel]

jadedrenee

2012 called, it wants its news back.

Actually it is current as CBS has reported it over the last couple of days. People broke YouTube!

[Captain Dory]

Valiant Corvus

azulmagia

I still have not seen this video.

You aren't missing much.

Only proves that you can write a stupid song with a stupid dance and people will eat it up.

Well gee, sorry for finding something that's upbeat and kind of funny enjoyable.

[garyoak99]

Captain Dory

Well gee, sorry for finding something that's upbeat and kind of funny enjoyable.

Welcome to Gaia Online where everyone is a critic! Back when I posted lists of the most popular arcade games in Japan every month, there was always a few people complaining about me posting them every month!

[Little Dead Soldier]

I was really excited when this song played on the radio here in the u.s.. Not once have I heard any other language beside spanish on the american radio. This song wasnt a masterpiece classic, but it was highly entertaining and was so much fun. A korean pop song on the radio. And the video was also enjoyable. I loved it.
so, yayyy psy!

[X_Torric_X]

I fear for the future of not only the US, but the future of the music industry as well if this drivel is the most watched video on Youtube.

[Radioactive Zit]

X_Torric_X

I fear for the future of not only the US, but the future of the music industry as well if this drivel is the most watched video on Youtube.

What for? People have the liberty to choose what they listen to. It (Gangnam Style) was new, and probably became a turning point for producers of that genre, and it's listeners. All industries require this kind of progress to continue, regardless of anyone's remark (good or not) on it.

[X_Torric_X]

Radioactive Zit

What for? People have the liberty to choose what they listen to. It (Gangnam Style) was new, and probably became a turning point for producers of that genre, and it's listeners. All industries require this ind of progress to continue, regardless of anyone's remark (good or not) on it.

And you're right - they do have the liberty to listen to it. The problem is that I don't think they (the listeners) realize that this isn't the only song left in the know universe. I think its because of this mentality that the quality of radio programming has taken a completely downhill plunge - having to listen to the radio, only to hear the same 4 songs all day because it's new! And hip! And fresh! and if isn't, then anything before that is erased from existence.

And "a turning point for producers of that genre"? Really? Every new band is like that.
The Backstreet Boys was a turning point.
So was N'Sync.
And Brittney Spears. And Miley Cyrus. And the Jonas Brothers, Rhianna, the Spice Girls, One Direction, Justin Bieber, blah blah blah. My point is: All these "turning point" bands will eventually get replaced by something "newer". To further illustrate my point, listen to this (I doubt you will, though) :

[Radioactive Zit]

X_Torric_X

The problem is that I don't think they (the listeners) realize that this isn't the only song left in the know universe.

This is a bit far-fetched. A bad excuse to hate on any music, frankly. And this contradicts with a point you latter brought up.

X_Torric_X

I think its because of this mentality that the quality of radio programming has taken a completely downhill plunge - having to listen to the radio, only to hear the same 4 songs all day because it's new! And hip! And fresh! and if isn't, then anything before that is erased from existence.

Radio stations are an entirely different topic. And discussing about one's mentality towards radio stations isn't really comment-worthy. It all comes down to preference, like we agreed. To slightly elaborate my point, the radio offers a variety of musical entertainment: some focusing on the new, some on the old, some with both, and some mainly to please it's (current) listeners requests. Plus, radio stations have at least a two-hour interval (it varies) before playing the same song, so I doubt you'd literally the same four songs in a day's span.

X_Torric_X

And "a turning point for producers of that genre"? Really? Every new band is like that.
The Backstreet Boys was a turning point.
So was N'Sync.
And Brittney Spears. And Miley Cyrus. And the Jonas Brothers, Rhianna, the Spice Girls, One Direction, Justin Bieber, blah blah blah. My point is: All these "turning point" bands will eventually get replaced by something "newer".

Turning points are turning points for a reason, it sets a standard (lower or higher) on a trend. Notice how boy bands were prevalent back in the early to mid 90's, or how K-Pop has recently become a thing. Clearly, there was a turning point that initiated or ended it, be it a total one or not. (the former being almost always not the case). With that said, I really do not get why you would say that people are stuck, or don't realize that there is always something else to listen to.

X_Torric_X

To further illustrate my point, listen to this (I doubt you will, though

Also, what was your point again? I gathered that you are upset because people seem to have forgotten older music because of hits like Gangnam Style, or bands like One Direction, yes? And that you fear that drivel might be the future of the music industry?

Well. This shouldn't be an issue at all, especially after you agreeing on me at my last post. The trend will always follow the majority, believe it or not. Hence, it is a trend (which most radio stations reflect).

Lastly, I know the band. And this song, if I remember correctly, is somewhere from 2004-2006. I used to listen to them, and I know a couple of people that would (and have) called them sh*tty upon hearing it. My point is, music preference is subjective, we can choose what we listen to and that there shouldn't be any contempt come our differences; that there isn't really any point on hating preferences. ...It's just pointless.

[Nyadriel]

Radioactive Zit

Lastly, I know the band. And this song, if I remember correctly, is somewhere from 2004-2006. I used to listen to them, and I know a couple of people that would (and have) called them sh*tty upon hearing it. My point is, music preference is subjective, we can choose what we listen to and that there shouldn't be any contempt come our differences; that there isn't really any point on hating preferences. ...It's just pointless.

@ emboldened: most correct! Everyone has different tastes. I like that "drivel" not because of the lyrics (which I cannot understand anyway except when the English is spoken in parts of it - you know the words I mean) but for the catchy tune and the fun dance. Which as more to the point of the video anyway and why it went viral because so many different groups of people were doing it too including a group of GI guys in their military uniform as well as one of those groups of people who sometimes do that surprise thing where they show up and either do something crazy or whatever out of the blue (forgot what the term for that is).
As for my own preference, my first love in the music world will always be the Classical music (Verdi, Beethoven and all them). But I also love some of the songs from the 50's, 60's and 70's.
As for Metal and Punk, to me that is nothing but trash that gives me migraines. I don't even like hard rock. Again, my preference.


As for Brittney Spears. And Miley Cyrus and all them, you can keep your untalented 'Barbie and Ken dolls'. They are just there to appeal to teenagers in order to set a fashion trend.
But again, that is my opinion.

Quote:

Everyone's a critic