As a leading social media marketing expert with over 10 years of experience driving viral video campaigns, I‘ve closely analyzed the wildly popular videos catapulted to fame on TikTok.
Several TikTok videos have smashed records, garnering over 1 billion views – a truly rare milestone. The top 10 most viewed videos provide a fascinating glimpse into the creators, content formats, and marketing strategies that resonate most powerfully with TikTok‘s community of over 1 billion monthly active users.
Let‘s dive deep into the analytics and backstories behind each viral blockbuster video in the top 10 ranking:
10. "Time Warp Scan" by Billie Eilish – 356 Million Views
- 359 million views as of March 2023
- Uploaded on March 25, 2019
- 39 million likes
Pop icon Billie Eilish posted her first ever TikTok video and scored an instant viral hit with "Time Warp Scan." This quick 15-second clip shows Billie mouthing along to her smash song "Bad Guy" while doing the "time warp scan" filter.
The video‘s runaway popularity marked the beginning of Billie‘s presence on TikTok, where she now boasts over 33 million followers. As her first foray into the platform, the simple yet mesmerizing video helped skyrocket her fame, especially among Gen Z users.
Uploading trending song snippets as TikTok videos is a proven tactic used by music artists and record labels to promote hits. The "Time Warp Scan" video highlights the power of marrying captivating music with fun TikTok filters and effects.
9. "Side-View Mirror Tutorial" by Khaby Lame – 352 Million Views
- 358 million views and 52.9 million likes as of March 2023
- Uploaded on June 23, 2020
Khaby Lame has become TikTok‘s most followed creator, amassing over 185 million followers thanks to his hilarious reactions ridiculing absurd life hacks. His deadpan signature eye rolls in response to convoluted videos struck a chord across the app.
In his viral side-view mirror tutorial, Khaby expresses comedic exasperation at an overly complex tutorial for checking your car‘s side mirror. He then looks out the window, simplifying the unnecessary hack.
As one of his earliest breakout hits, the video showcases the comedic talent and simplicity that catapulted Khaby to TikTok fame. His ability to mock and meme ridiculous videos helps explain his meteoric rise.
8. "Laughing Baby" by Dae – 398 Million Views
- 418 million views and 31.7 million likes as of March 2023
- Uploaded on September 8, 2020
This infectious video warmed hearts everywhere with its pure wholesome joy. The clip posted by mom and TikToker @dae captures her baby girl giggling hysterically in response to silly noises.
The baby‘s laughter proves contagious, highlighting why cute kid content is universally adored. @dae, run by Maryland stay-at-home mom Dae Warner, posts heartwarming family videos featuring her two daughters.
The viral "Laughing Baby" video catapulted her account to 17 million followers. Dae‘s ability to capture tender family moments pays dividends, with her most natural videos raking in the most views.
7. “Caution Wet Paint” by Zach King – 660 Million Views
- 772 million views and 13 million likes as of March 2023
- Uploaded on August 23, 2019
The first of numerous entries from digital creator Zach King, this optical illusion TikTok racked up 660 million views. The video shows Zach encountering a "wet paint" sign on a hallway before comically getting his hand stuck to the wall after tapping it.
Zach King is renowned for his wizardry fooling audiences with clever video edits and illusions. His "magic" videos require extensive planning and often take 24 hours just to film.
This funny "Caution Wet Paint" trick exemplifies the smooth editing and surprise twists that make his work go viral. Zach boasts 78 million TikTok followers, consistently amazing fans with his digital trickery.
6. "M to the B" by Bella Poarch – 750 Million Views
- 887 million views and 68.7 million likes as of March 2023
- Uploaded on August 17, 2020
- Most liked TikTok video of all time
This 15-second clip of Bella Poarch sweetly lip-syncing to Millie B‘s song "M to the B" launched her meteoric rise to TikTok fame practically overnight. With over 750 million views, it stands as the most liked TikTok video ever.
The simple yet oh-so-shareable video showcases Bella‘s playful charm, helping her gain over 87 million followers on the app. Set against a Basic Camp backdrop, Bella‘s soft lip-syncing and head bopping to the beat proved instantly captivating.
The runaway virality demonstrates the power of catchy audios combined with telegenic creators. Bella Poarch‘s authentic on-screen appeal explains how she catapulted from obscurity to superstardom almost instantly.
5. “Best Hiding Spot” by Zach King – 954 Million Views
- 1 billion views and 9 million likes as of March 2023
- Uploaded on October 23, 2019
Illusionist Zach King strikes again, fooling his TikTok followers with this magic trick. The video shows Zach disappearing seamlessly into a mirror-like closet door as his friend searches for him in the room.
The mind-bending yet lighthearted illusion of Zach “blending” into the reflective door left viewers amazed and wondering how he achieved the slick editing effect.
His ability to tell entertaining short stories centered around eye-popping tricks helps make his videos irresistibly shareable. Zach‘s superb technical skills coupled with comedic flair explain his enormous popularity.
4. “Magic Glass” by Zach King – 966 Million Views
- 1.1 billion views and 10.5 million likes as of March 2023
- Uploaded on December 4, 2019
Master illusionist Zach King secured another viral hit with this “Magic Glass” trick. The video pans to a glass of milk labeled "Is the glass half empty or half full?" before Zach shockingly sticks his hand through the glass, revealing it‘s actually frosted cake.
The creative twist on the common metaphor garnered nearly 1 billion views, showcasing Zach’s trademark ingenuity. His videos elicit wonder from audiences as he blends storytelling, digital effects, and sleight of hand.
Zach began creating short form content back in 2013 on Vine, before transitioning to dazzle TikTok crowds. His technical wizardry and filmmaking prowess produce the ultimate crowd-pleasing viral recipes.
3. “Sisters Christmas Party” by James Charles – 1.7 Billion Views
- 1.7 billion views and 19.4 million likes as of March 2023
- Uploaded on December 21, 2019
Beauty guru James Charles posted this glam makeover just in time for the 2019 holidays, garnering 1.7 billion views and counting. The video shows James gifting sister LaToya with a festive makeover into a gorgeous winter princess look.
James transitions LaToya with his signature flashy style, exclaiming "Welcome to the Sisters Christmas Party!" as she poses in her complete look.
The YouTube star has successfully leveraged TikTok to showcase his makeup artistry and vibrant personality, amassing 25 million followers. This holiday video remains his highest performer, fusing festive spirit with James‘ over-the-top beauty skills.
2. “Magic Broomstick” by Zach King – 2.1 Billion Views
- 2.4 billion views and 4.8 million likes as of March 2023
- Uploaded January 26, 2020
Digital wizard Zach King nails the #2 spot with this Harry Potter-inspired illusion. He appears to magically fly on a broomstick before revealing he‘s really riding an electric skateboard.
This mesmerizing video required careful choreography with Zach‘s team to perfectly nail the broomstick illusion. In a behind-the-scenes breakdown, Zach revealed the trick‘s intricacies, showcasing the hard work behind his seemingly effortless magic.
The combination of Zach‘s technical mastery and lighthearted storytelling has cemented his position as TikTok‘s king of visual trickery. His rare ability to enchant audiences with clever videos secured him two spots in the exclusive billion-views club.
1. "Black Screen" by @auut – 61 Billion Views
This mysterious video by the account @auut inexplicably boasts an astronomical 61 billion views as of March 2023. The impossible view count points clearly to illicit view inflation through bots or services buying fake views.
Why would accounts inflate their views artificially? Usually it‘s done in hopes of making a video appear viral and gaining an audience organically as a result. However, these inauthentic marketing shortcuts typically are easy for platforms to uncover.
TikTok has ramped up safeguards against artificial view spikes, as maintaining integrity on viral content is crucial for user trust. As an industry expert, I foresee TikTok removing the inflated views or banning @auut soon given recent enhanced protections.
Absent the manipulated count, Zach King‘s “Magic Broomstick” video would properly hold the #1 spot as TikTok‘s most authentic viral video. While view inflation remains an issue, TikTok‘s proactive approach gives me faith in transparency.
Key Trends Among Top Performing Videos
Analyzing the top videos provides insight into what content resonates most with TikTok‘s diverse audience:
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Music Artists: Pop stars like Billie Eilish capitalize on TikTok trends to promote songs. Music and lip-syncing remain staples.
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Comedy: Lighthearted humor and amusing reactions drive viral sharing, as Khaby Lame epitomizes.
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Cute Animals: Timeless wholesome content like adorable babies and pets is guaranteed engagement bait.
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Impressive Tech: Zach King dominates through masterfully executed digital trickery and illusions.
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Personality: Vibrant personalities like James Charles capture attention through storytelling and showmanship.
The common thread is delivering entertaining content blended with the human touch. By providing value, sparking emotional reactions, and impressing audiences, these top videos earn their extraordinary view counts.
For marketers aiming to drive viral success, the key is crafting content that engages on multiple levels. Combine creativity and skill with storytelling personalized for the platform. Understand what makes each audience tick. Building authentic connections and brand affinity will beat gimmicks and cheap plays for attention.
The most viewed TikTok videos reveal that originality married with understanding your community is the formula for standing out in a crowded landscape. While inflating views artificially may offer quick vanity wins, nothing replaces winning over genuine users through memorable content.
