What is the oldest video on YouTube? Top 10 earliest uploads
YouTube is regarded as the most popular and used content creation and sharing platform. Since early 2005, it has drawn billions of users seeking to showcase talent, learn, and be entertained. Before its global popularity, the platform attracted daring trailblazers who gave the world what is now considered the oldest video on YouTube.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
This list of the oldest YouTube videos was compiled by tracking the website's history. We have used data from various reputable websites, such as YouTube itself and Oldest, to compile this list. We analysed the creators' channels and video analytics to provide a comprehensive picture of the earliest YouTubers.
What are the top 10 oldest YouTube videos?
On 14 February 2005, Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim officially registered YouTube as a social media and video-sharing website. Within a month, the site attracted the first YouTuber, followed by about 30,000 visitors and two million video views per day in the following months before it was officially launched on 15 December 2005.
According to The Atlantic, nearly 14 billion videos have been uploaded on YouTube since its creation. Below are the specifics of some of the oldest videos on YouTube, alongside their current number of views and comments.
| Video title | Channel name | Date created | Views as of writing (2024) |
| Me At The Zoo | Jawed | 24 April 2005 | 335 million |
| My Snowboarding Skillz | Mw | 24 April 2005 | 4.7 million |
| Tribute | Gp | 25 April 2005 | 3.9 million |
| Premature Baldness | Paul | 29 April 2005 | 654,000 |
| Carrie Rides A Truck | Jones4Carrie | 30 April 2005 | 603,000 |
| Vernal Lullaby | Adam Quirk | 3 May 2005 | 503,000 |
| Sleep Like Lumber? | Zubazpantz | 4 May 2005 | 368,000 |
| Good Times!!! | Zubazpantz | 18 May 2005 | 3.1 million |
| Pajamas and Nick Drake | Steve | 22 May 2005 | 600,000 |
| First Back Flip on Youtube! (House dismount) | CobaltGruv | 25 May 2005 | 2.8 million |
1. Me At The Zoo
- Channel: Jawed
- Content type: Vlog, Lifestyle
- Upload date: 24 April 2005
- Number of views: 335,908,130 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 16,000,000 as of October 2024
- Number of comments: 10,361,601 as of October 2024
What was the first YouTube video? YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim, the first-ever YouTuber, is an American software engineer and entrepreneur. His 19-second short film, Me At The Zoo, was created at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California.
2. My Snowboarding Skillz
- Channel: Mw
- Content type: Sports, Stunt, Fail
- Upload date: 24 April 2005
- Number of views: 4,732,655 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 209,000 as of October 2024
- Number of comments: 33,156 as of October 2024
My Snowboarding Skillz was created on 23 April 2005 by a user known as mw-sp3yx. As of October 2024, the snowboarding fail video had attracted more than four million viewers. According to Oldest, it was uploaded to the site mere hours after it went live.
3. Tribute
- Channel: Gp
- Content type: Skit, Stunt, Vine
- Upload date: 25 April 2005
- Number of views: 3,937,748 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 123,000 as of October 2024
- Number of comments: 13,466 as of October 2024
The third oldest video on YouTube, Tribute, was created by gp5042 on 25 April 2005. The video shows a young man jumping on two walls and is said to have set the tone for vines, short-form videos themed around comedic performances.
4. Premature Baldness
- Channel: Paul
- Content type: Lifestyle, Skit, Comedy
- Upload date: 29 April 2005
- Number of views: 654,099 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 8,900 as of October 2024
- Number of comments: 2,798 as of October 2024
Premature Baldness is a 1:59-minute video created by a user named Paul. The video is uploaded in a series showcasing his pursuit of his biggest childhood dream, being an Olympian and walking into the opening ceremonies. In the short film, he gives viewers a glimpse of a bald spot on his head and proceeds to have a public haircut on the hair in Waikiki Beach, Hawaii.
5. Carrie Rides A Truck
- Channel: Jones4Carrie
- Content type: Vlog, Lifestyle
- Upload date: 30 April 2005
- Number of views: 603,995 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 7,900 as of October 2024
- Number of comments: 2,401 as of October 2024
Jones4Carrie is one of the first YouTubers to upload several short-form films. The creator's first video on the site is Carrie Rides A Truck, a dark, blurry 15-second video of a young lady riding a toy truck.
The channel, which was created on 30 April 2005, has 47 videos, several of which appear in the top 100 oldest YouTube videos. These include Carrie Chokes the Chicken, American Life, Chem, Free Frosty Weekend!, Family Fight, and Kitty.
6. Vernal Lullaby
- Channel: Adam Quirk
- Content type: Music
- Upload date: 3 May 2005
- Number of views: 503,197 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 10,000 as of October 2024
- Number of comments: 2,565 as of October 2024
Vernal Lullaby is a 1:23 minute music video created by Adam Quirk, a vlogger turned distiller and author. The video features This Lullaby, music from the Lullabies to Paralyze album by Queens Of The Stone Age rock band.
7. Sleep Like Lumber?
- Channel: Zubazpantz
- Content type: Prank, Comedy
- Upload date: 4 May 2005
- Number of views: 368,932 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 7,200 as of October 2024
Sleep Like Lumber? is a 24-second prank showing friends attempting to wake their sleeping friend with an air horn. The friend proceeds to wake up momentarily before going back to sleep.
8. Good Times!!!
- Channel: Zubazpantz
- Content type: Vlog, Comedy
- Upload date: 18 May 2005
- Number of views: 3,131,338 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 144,000 as of October 2024
- Number of comments: 29,126 as of October 2024
On 18 May 2005, Zubazpantz uploaded one of the earliest YouTube skits featuring edited material. The over-a-minute-long comedic skit described as 'garbage with a tasty odour' was also among the first to receive over a million views. The video featured music from Kool & The Gang from the album Hollywood Swinging.
9. Pajamas and Nick Drake
- Channel: Steve
- Content type: Cute animal videos
- Upload date: 22 May 2005
- Number of views: 600,513 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 12,000 as of October 2024
- Number of comments: 2,527 as of October 2024
Cat videos are a favourite on the content-sharing platform, starting with Steve's 30-second film showing a cat playing with a suspended piece of string. In the footage Pajamas, the cat seemingly plays and dances to a popular song by Nick Drake.
10. First Back Flip on Youtube! (House dismount)
- Channel: CobaltGruv
- Content type: How-to, Sports, Stunt
- Upload date: 25 May 2005
- Number of views: 2,887,325 as of October 2024
- Number of likes: 78,000 as of October 2024
- Number of comments: 14,166 as of October 2024
On 25 May 2005, CobaltGruv posted what would become the second-ever sports video on YouTube. In the video, he does a backflip off a house's roof. In the video's description, the content creator provides fans with a guideline on how to do a backflip safely.
Who was the first person to make a YouTube channel?
Jawed Karim created the first channel on the site on 24 April 2005. Since the channel is still active, it is regarded as one of the oldest social media accounts.
What are the 3 oldest videos on YouTube?
The oldest YouTube videos are Me At The Zoo, My Snowboarding Skillz, and Tribute. They were all created within a day of each other, two months after the platform was launched.
What happened to the first YouTube channel?
Jawed Karim's YouTube channel is still active, with 4.97 million subscribers. However, he has not posted anything since 24 April 2005.
The oldest video on YouTube is Me At The Zoo, uploaded by YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim. The platform's earliest content is short-form videos on lifestyle, music, sports, and comedy. The earliest videos on YouTube were created between 24 April 2005 and 25 May 2005.
Legit.ng has published an article ranking the best YouTubers in the world. Content creation has become one of the most creative channels for entertainment and education.
On platforms such as YouTube, a few creators have carved out a niche for themselves, becoming masters of their craft. Top-tier YouTubers produce content on various subjects, from comedy to beauty, product reviews, interviews and how-to videos. Read the post to find out which YouTubers have the most engaging content.
Source: Legit.ng
