PSY’s Gangnam Style paired a Korean-language pop song with an instantly recognisable horse-riding dance and a succession of comic visual set pieces. The video debuted on YouTube on 15 July 2012 and spread far beyond its original audience through viewing, imitation and parody. On 21 December, it became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views.
Why It Mattered
It demonstrated that a music video did not need to be in English to become a truly global online phenomenon. Its billion-view milestone reset expectations for the scale of internet video and became the starting point of YouTube’s Billion Views Club.
Release record
- YouTube dates the video’s debut to 15 July 2012.
- The recording is attributed to Korean artist PSY.
Recognisable form
- YouTube’s records identify the video’s dance as central to its international circulation.
- The song and video travelled through uploads, viewing and user imitation.
1️⃣ 3. Platform milestone
- It reached one billion YouTube views on 21 December 2012.
- YouTube identifies it as the first video to cross that threshold.
- That milestone began YouTube's Billion Views Club.
Associated With
PSY / official music release; production company not established in the retained records - associated person, creator or operator
Defining Feature
A music video whose dance and visual sequences circulated globally through YouTube
Status
Historical event - Became YouTube’s first video to reach one billion views on 21 December 2012
- All one image sources are not yet verified — editorial review required.
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Caption
Gangnam Style's stable sequence pairs PSY's horse-riding dance with an absurd setting, part of the visual comedy that helped the video travel across languages.
