Should you wish 'Happy Birthday' to a website? YouTube turns 20 years old
- David Baker
- Apr 23
- 2 min read
Everybody has a favorite online video and most of them can be found at YouTube
YouTube celebrates its 20th anniversary today, April 23, marking two decades since the first video, “Me at the Zoo,” was uploaded by co-founder Jawed Karim. Since then, the platform has exploded in scale, hosting more than 20 billion videos and seeing over 20 million new uploads daily. In 2024 alone, users averaged 100 million comments and 3.5 billion likes per day. To commemorate the milestone, YouTube rolled out playful Easter eggs like a retro player design and a birthday-themed version of its logo, along with new features including multiview options for YouTube TV, personalized music stations, and expanded voice-reply tools for creators.
The company also highlighted the popularity of its "Billion Views Club," with over 300 music videos crossing the billion-view mark. Analysts project that in 2025, YouTube could become the highest-earning media company in the world, surpassing Disney (excluding theme park revenue). With $54.2 billion in 2024 revenue and a valuation as high as $550 billion, YouTube has grown from a video-sharing experiment to a media titan reshaping how the world watches content.
YouTube’s longevity and sustained relevance demonstrate its rare ability to evolve alongside digital culture, technology, and user expectations. It has democratized content creation, launched countless careers, and fundamentally changed how we access information, entertainment, and education. That it remains both widely used and culturally influential 20 years in is a testament to its adaptability—and a reminder that platforms with staying power shape not just what we watch, but how we live online.
For more details, check out Variety's article at YouTube Hosts More Than 20 Billion Videos, Celebrates 20th Birthday
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