20 ways we’re celebrating two decades of YouTube
Apr 23, 2025 – [[read-time]] minute read
Pop the confetti, because YouTube is turning 20! From the 19-second clip that started it all, to billions of hours of videos, music, Shorts, podcasts, and more, we’ve grown so much in just two decades.
We’re kicking off our birthday with plenty of ways to celebrate. Take a peek at some of our new features, stats, hidden gems, and easter eggs below to help you join in on the festivities:
“Get ready with us” as we share some fun facts:
- Fittingly for our 20th birthday, we found that on average, there are over 20 million videos uploaded daily to YouTube.1
- YouTube isn’t the only one celebrating a birthday this year – Both YouTube Music and YouTube Kids are turning 10! But before YouTube Music launched, it went by the codename Woodstock.
- A lot of chatter goes on at YouTube, but how chatty, you ask? In 2024, YouTube users averaged over 100 million comments on videos on a daily basis. And we discovered that creators hearted comments from an average of 10 million viewers every day.
- What makes YouTube special is how engaged the community is with creators and their content. In fact, last year, on average, YouTube videos received over 3.5 billion likes from users per day.
- More than 300 music videos on YouTube are in the billion views club, but did you know that the five fastest music videos to hit the milestone are:
- Adele - Hello (88 days)
- Ed Sheeran - Shape of You and Luis Fonsi - Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee (tied at 97 days)
- J Balvin, Willy William - Mi Gente (103 days)
- ROSÉ & Bruno Mars - APT. (105 days)
“Unboxing” our latest features:
- In the next few weeks, YouTube TV members can experiment with building their own multiview with select non-sports content, starting with a small group of popular channels and expanding in the coming months.
- Last year, a small group of creators gained access to the ability to voice-reply to comments on their videos. We’re excited to enable this to even more creators later this year.
- Describe the type of music you’re in the mood for and create your very own personalized radio station with Ask Music. Perfect for those who have always dreamed about soundtracking their lives, Ask Music is available on iOS and Android for all YouTube Premium and YouTube Music users. English-language subscribers in select countries can fine-tune their sonic adventures now, with more languages and locations on the way.
- If caffeine isn’t enough for you, 4x playback speed is rolling out on YouTube Premium. Our YouTube Premium members on mobile devices can now enjoy expanded playback speed options above 2x (e.g., 2.05x, 2.5x, 3x), with 4x as the latest addition.
- Get ready for a TV viewing upgrade this summer! Easier navigation, playback, quality tweaks, plus streamlined access to comments, channel info, and subscribing are heading to your screens.
Video from @LoFiGirl
“Breaking our silence” on these hidden gems:
- From the ability to long press anywhere on the video player to watch in 2x speed, to locking the screen to avoid interruptions, and setting a sleep timer to watch YouTube while falling asleep, we offer users several features to uplevel their experience, right on the YouTube app.
- Short on time but big on content? Creators can add related videos to their YouTube Shorts, whether it’s a long-form video, a Live, or even another Short.
- YouTube Kids parents can gain greater peace of mind with our ‘Approve content yourself’ mode, which allows parents to tailor the experience by hand-selecting content they want their child to have access to.
- For those who like watching on desktop, we offer keyboard shortcuts, such as using the left/right arrows to fast-forward/rewind by 5 seconds, or tapping the spacebar to play or pause a video. The perfect trick for those watching at work (no judgment!)
- Got that one tune stuck in your head but can’t seem to place it? Give Song Search a try by humming or singing to identify that elusive song and add it to your playlist for future listening. Song Search is available on both the YouTube and YouTube Music apps on Android devices!
For more birthday easter eggs, don’t forget to “like and subscribe”:
- What better way to celebrate our birthday than with our own Yoodle? Check it out today and give it a click for a surprise ;) And speaking of logos, we’ll also have a new, limited YouTube logo in honor of our 20th year. But did you know our original YouTube logo design is a nod to our Bay Area roots? In 2005, when one of YouTube’s founders, Chad Hurley, was en route to YouTube’s office, inspiration struck: a blend of the logo for the CalTrain, a commuter line in the Silicon Valley, with the TV Guide design.
- On several select videos today, look out for a special birthday-themed scrubber and animation when you like a video. And while on desktop, type ‘bday’ anywhere on the watch page to spot a quick blast from the past.
- YouTube TV members can enjoy the zen while also being the life of the party with a 48-hour birthday-themed zen channel.
- Our Playables users will be greeted with a celebratory welcome screen, perfect for setting the mood before trying their hand at Angry Birds or 8 Ball Pool.
- Treat your favorite creators to a slice of cake or a party hat with these birthday gifts! Available for this week only, these gifts will make livestreams a lot more festive.
1. As of March 2025
2. In 2025