14 DAY TRIAL // The real proof that online video is maturing is that it's taking a life of its own becoming more than just a 'poor man's TV.' Artists are increasingly turning to online video, especially on YouTube, to promote their music, with the TV taking the back seat. The latest numbers from video analytics company Visible Measures are a great example. The company maintains a top of the most viewed viral videos dubbed the "100 Million Club" and this was the first time a franchise broke through the one-billion-view milestone. Lady Gaga has three videos in the top, which have been collectively watched over one billion times.
"Looking only at the members of the Club, Lady Gaga is the most-watched franchise in history with Poker Face, Bad Romance, and Just Dance. She's also the first and only franchise from any category to surpass 1 billion views," Visible Measures announced.
"Vampire romance Twilight isn't far behind, with New Moon and Twilight sinking their teeth into a combined 980 million views. Soulja Boy comes in third, with 860 million views, helped by the boost from Crank Dat's 720+ million views. Beyonce and Michael Jackson follow with 740 and 730 million views, respectively," it added.
Taken individually, the most watched online video of all time is Soulja Boy's Crank Dat, with 722 million views. If you've actually seen the video, you may find this a little surprising. Unless, of course, you're 12 years old, in which case Soulja Boy would probably want to thank you for getting him at the top.
Speaking of 12-year-olds, the trailer for the second movie in the Twilight Saga, New Moon, is the second most watched online video in history, with almost 640 million views. Another interesting entry is The Gummy Bear Song, with 394 million views. Yes, it's a song about a gummy bear. The Gummy Bear, to be precise. If there's just one thing to take away from this top that is that there are a lot of kids watching online videos. Hopefully, they are kids anyway. You can check out the full list here.