Despacito

"Despacito" is a Spanish word that translates as "slowly”. Yet, its meteoric ascension has been everything but slow. Luis Fonsi's song, starring Daddy Yankee, surpassed the 2.5 billion views mark quicker than any other video in YouTube history. And only 204 days after its debut, the video topped 3 billion views, becoming the most-viewed video of all time.

"Breaking the record for the most-viewed Youtube clip of all time is a tremendous accomplishment," Lyor Cohen, YouTube's Global Head of Music, says. "Many congratulations to Daddy Yankee and Lui Fonsi for achieving this milestone—it exemplifies the strength of YouTube in giving artists a platform to showcase their talent and interact with fans worldwide."

Despacito worldwide success is probably the most enthralling component of the song's improbable ascension. Though Justin Bieber aided in the revitalization of "Despacito" in April with an English-language remix, that version has garnered "just" half a billion YouTube plays. It is a surprise that Fonsi's Spanish-language original broke the record on YouTube, instead of the English version. "It's a huge win for the Latin world," adds Erika Ender, who has co-written "Despacito" with Fonsi. "In the Spanish language, the whole globe sings and dances. That really is incredible."

Release year: 2017

Artist: Luis Fonsi