The 20 Best Viral Videos From 20 Years of YouTube

Happy (early) birthday, YouTube. To celebrate the site’s 20th anniversary, we present: The InsideHook Guide to YouTube, a series of creator profiles, channel recommendations and deep dives about the viral, controversial, unstoppable video-sharing giant.

A viral video can come from anywhere: a smartphone or a dash camera, a flash mob of hundreds in a mall or a person alone in their kitchen. These clips can catch fire on any social corner of the internet: Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, Vine, I even remember the “Oogachaka Baby,” one of the first viral videos ever, being passed around via email back in the day, my aunts and uncles huddled around a desktop cackling with glee. (If you haven’t seen that one, Gen Z, prepare for nightmares.)

Despite their differences, they have something in common: every viral video ends up on YouTube. The video-sharing site is both the catalyst and the repository for our collective cultural obsessions in the internet age. No matter how short their original lifespan was — that is, their ascent to 1, 10 or 100 millions views, before being replaced by another hilarious, shareable, meme-able moment — they will always be there on YouTube, continuing to rack up views and garner comments like “Who’s still watching this in [insert current year here]?!”

To mark 20 years of YouTube, we asked our staff here at InsideHook to come up with their favorite viral videos from the last two decades. We didn’t want just any ol’ video with millions of views, but those nostalgic clips that are seared into our memories — ones that escaped the confines of Facebook and Myspace pages and made their way into our daily lives, from inside jokes (“Let’s get some shoes”) to DJ sets (Katy Perry fading into Antoine Dodson in 2010).

Just be careful: if you watch even one of these, you won’t be able to stop.

“Cox and Combes’ Washington” by Brad Neely

“Here comes George, in control. Women dug his snuff and his gallant stroll. Ate opponents’ brains, and invented cocaine, he’s coming, he’s coming, he’s coming.” Although it had probably been 12 years since I watched Brad Neely’s “Washington,” I remembered every word to the song. Neely is a comic book illustrator and TV writer, and videos like this and “The Professor Brothers” were favorites to watch upon return from the bars in college as we passed around a joint and got a good laugh, not wanting the night to end. Neely created the video around 2003, and it was first uploaded to YouTube in 2006. By 2007, everyone I knew could sing the lyrics because they’d probably watched it 100 times. For me, “Washington” harkens back to a time when YouTube was way less saturated and didn’t take itself too seriously. — Amanda Gabriele, Senior Editor

“Shining” by Robobos

I’ve watched multiple YouTube videos and one documentary (Room 237) on The Shining, Stanley Kubrick’s masterful and occasionally befuddling adaptation of the Stephen King horror classic. Was the entire film a coded message from the director about how the U.S. faked the moon landing? Uh, probably not. Was the film actually…a romantic family comedy? According to this 18-year-old video from a user named Robobos, you just need to add in a cheery narrator (“Sometimes what we need the most is just around the corner”) and a last-century rom-com soundtrack cliché (Peter Gabriel’s “Solsbury Hill”) and suddenly Jack Torrance’s manic actions become a goofy tale of a failed writer becoming a foster dad and bringing a family together. Admittedly, there’s no end to movie parodies on YouTube nowadays — for The Shining alone, I’ve found a version recut as The Social Network (replete with the “Creep” cover), a Wes Anderson take and one involving a crazed cat. But “Shining” was one of the first and certainly remains the most memorable faux trailer. — Kirk Miller, Senior Lifestyle Editor

“Food Court Musical” by Improv Everywhere

This is not Improv Everywhere’s biggest stunt (that would be “Frozen Grand Central”) or even their most popular series (that’s the “No Pants Subway Ride,” the last of which happened in 2020), but this is my personal favorite genre of the group’s surprising, happy-go-lucky, improvisational public performances: “Musicals in Real Life.” Forget Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone dancing at dusk in Griffith Park; I prefer a food court worker and janitor breaking into song in a Los Angeles mall because they desperately need…napkins. If you really want a time capsule though, watch “I Love Lunch! The Musical” which is set in, no kidding, Trump Tower. — Alex Lauer, Features Editor

The InsideHook Guide to YouTube

For YouTube’s 20th anniversary, we’re profiling creators, recommending channels and dissecting the viral, controversial, unstoppable video-sharing giant

“David After Dentist” by booba1234

Want to feel old? David DeVore Jr. — the David whose loopy conversation with his dad after oral surgery went viral in 2008 — is now 23 years old. He’s come a long way from the backseat where he, under the influence of whatever cocktail of barbiturates they gave him at the dentist, famously asked “Is this real life?”, attempted to count how many fingers he had, and at one point tried to push himself up out of his seat (while still buckled in) and growled. The clip’s not just relevant for being one of the early viral videos; it’s also one of the first instances of someone striking while the iron is hot and capitalizing on their internet fame. He and his family were made YouTube Partners, and in addition to sharing revenue from the video, they sold “David After Dentist” T-shirts. In 2021, they sold a “David After Dentist” NFT, with the $13,500 proceeds going toward David and his brother’s college tuition. Yes, this is real life. — Bonnie Stiernberg, Managing Editor

“Lazy Sunday – An SNL Digital Short” by Saturday Night Live

Apologies to Lin-Manuel, but the 21st century’s greatest invocation of Founding Father frenemies Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr belongs to SNL flow-lords Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell. “You can call us Aaron Burr from the way we’re dropping Hamiltons” remains the best line in the two minutes and 22 seconds of sheer dragonfire. This video firmly launched the SNL Digital Short era, stamping YouTube as a dominion of interest for broadcast TV. The sketch carries with it some low-budget lore: The song was written in a night on a Craigslist-purchased laptop, and the music video was filmed with a borrowed camcorder. Holy 2005. Samberg’s career took off in the aftermath (along with his compatriots in the Lonely Island), while Parnell remained quietly prolific (especially as a voice actor). The video remains as stupid and funny as ever. As a kid (and as a four-eyed reader, in particular) I couldn’t fathom that professional comedians were rapping about the fantasy world of C.S. Lewis. As an adult, it’s just fun to scream along…and watch some stop-motion in the snow. — Tanner Garrity, Senior Editor

“BED INTRUDER SONG!!!” by Schmoyoho

The circumstances that led to this news report turned Billboard Hot 100 hit (seriously, it debuted at No. 89 from sales on iTunes!) are horrible. But the aftermath is the stuff dreams are made of: Antoine Dodson subsequently appeared on shows ranging from the BET Hip Hop Awards to Lopez Tonight for a Christmas remix. What about the people behind the autotuning and sick arrangement? That would be the Gregory Brothers, who have been YouTube hitmakers for 15 years. It’s not just “Bed Intruder” — it’s “Double Rainbow” (41 million views), “Winning” (67 million) and, most recently, “It’s Corn” (38 million). Yes, the “It’s Corn” people and the “Bed Intruder” people are one and the same! — AL

“The Cinnamon Challenge” by GloZell Green

GloZell was one of the first internet personalities I was introduced to, and in the early 2010s she was an absolute legend on YouTube for her food challenge videos. I loved watching them because I was too scared to do them myself (I mean, why, really, did any of us participate in chubby bunny or the saltine challenge?), but mostly, it was because GloZell would always give 110% effort — like in this video of her doing the cinnamon challenge. When I, in my early tween years, stumbled upon GloZell bringing not a spoonful, but an entire ladle full of cinnamon to her lips, my heart sank knowing she had no idea what was coming. But I erupted (and still often do) in a fit of laughter as she spit clouds of it out of her mouth, covering her kitchen in cinnamon dust. Is this whole thing dangerous? Yeah, probably. But this was no one-time thing for her; she’s tackled everything from Pop Rocks and soda to easting a tube full of wasabi. — Joanna Sommer, Editorial Assistant

“The Duck Song” by forrestfire101

If there were ever a song so sweet that it gripped the nation in one unifying sweep, it was “The Duck Song.” Not a day went by in my fourth grade classroom where someone didn’t break out into a random verse from this viral tune. I never really understood why it had such a chokehold on grade-schoolers, but it seeped into every aspect of our culture. Homemade duck and grape costumes were everywhere that Halloween and people would waddle to and fro on the playground like a duck…at least that’s how I remember it. — Hanna Agro, Assistant Editor

“Numa Numa” by Gary Brolsma

Imagine it’s 2006 and you’re scrolling through only a one-year-old YouTube — ahh, nostalgia. You come across a goofy man flailing his arms in a blurry thumbnail titled “Numa Numa” and after clicking your ears are filled with what was possibly the catchiest song of that year, “Dragostea Din Tei” by O-Zone. For years following, you could signal to people by throwing your arms to the left and right screaming “Ma-ia-hii, ma-ia-huu, ma-ia-hoo, ma-ia-ha-ha” and have everyone understand what was going on. Some call this the golden age of the internet, and honestly it might have been. Truly an internet phenomenon and an introduction to the concept that people could go viral for being themselves. Gary even went on to appear and voice himself in an episode of South Park (season 12, episode four, “Canada on Strike”). It’s no wonder that 20 years after the video first aired on the website Newgrounds, Gary Brolsma, aka “The Numa Numa Guy,” is still remembered as one of the first content creators and a pioneer in the YouTube world. — Matt Carucci, Head of Social

“Flying Lawnmower” by Mike Helton

All of the videos on this list are great — wonderful, even. But they all required some level of production value: choreography, songwriting, title screens, animation, even the simple act of setting up a camera and pressing record. This YouTube gem? It started with the bare minimum — someone else’s video, someone else’s song — and brought them together into a more perfect union. The video is of the Sky Cutter, a remote-controlled airplane designed to look like a lawn mower that was once sold online by the shop FlyingThingZ (more on that here). And while the footage has been soundtracked with a number of songs over the years, nothing can beat the pairing of an air show-worthy lawn mower and “Cotton Eye Joe” by Rednex, which is attributed to YouTuber user Mike Helton. That original video has had the audio removed since it was first uploaded in 2006, so please enjoy the proper version above (ideally at full volume). — AL

“Jones’ Good Ass BBQ & Foot Massage™” by Big Dog Eat Child

What more is there to bed said about Jones’ Good Ass BBQ & Foot Massage, really? It’s all there in the name — well, except for the dinosaur and chicken kickline. As anyone who’s had the intense privilege of watching the first four iconic seconds of the Big Dog Eat Child sketch will readily tell you, the wickedly pleasurable combination of prehistoric two-step and falsetto jingle has a way of really sticking with you. Sure, the actual existence of a hybrid business that offers both smackin’ ribs and back-parlor rub-downs is dubious at best (read: nonexistent), and the skit loses steam halfway through, but with a hook that good, does it really matter? Twenty-seven-million views say no. — Paolo Sandoval, Commerce Editor

“Shoes” by Liam Kyle Sullivan

The hold that “Shoes” had on me in the early aughts cannot be overstated. It took the internet — or, at the very least, my high school — by storm 18 years ago, and was apparently irrevocably burned into my hippocampus. Not 20 minutes would pass without someone at my all-girl lunch table dropping a “Let’s get some shoes,” no matter how relevant it was to the conversation. The origins of the video were irrelevant at the time, and I admittedly know not much more about it nearly two decades later, aside from the fact that it was conceived of by comedian Liam Kyle Sullivan. For the sake of journalism, however, I recently rewatched it for the first time in 10 years and I’m pleased to report that the line “I’m gonna betch slap you shetbag” still hits. — Lindsay Rogers, Travel Editor

“Too Many Cooks” by Adult Swim

As a child raised on terrible ‘70s and ‘80s sitcoms — forget nostalgia, they simply do not age well — my appreciation of “Too Many Cooks” comes first from the delight of watching a skewering of those series’ cringe-inducing theme songs. But after a few rounds of easy awkward character montages featuring the typical stare-at-camera-and-smile intros, this video gets dark. Like, murder dark — and surreal, all while twisting the earworm of a song (“It takes a lot to make a stew/a pinch of salt and laughter too”) into something rather oppressive and genre-bending. Originally aired in an infomercial block on Adult Swim at 4 a.m., the video took off (obviously) when it migrated to YouTube, where it’s amassed 26 million views in nearly 10 years. Also, SMARF. — KM

“GI Joe – Pork Chop Sandwiches” by KevinTheGreat

I’ve probably watched this video 500 times because it’s so damn funny. Some genius decided to dub over a bunch of G.I. Joe PSAs, and the phrase “pork chop sandwiches” pops into my head at all kinds of inappropriate times now — like when I see a fire truck (I know, smh). Also, calling someone a “stupid idiot” is one of my favorite insults ever. This video is just gold. — AG

“NyanCat!” by NyanCat

The beauty of Nyan Cat — you remember, the Pop Tart-bodied cat shitting rainbows through the abyss of space, backed by a Hatsune Miku rendition of “Nyanyanyanyanyanyanya!” — lays in its simplicity. There’s literally nothing going on but the pastry-pushing feline (created by Christopher Torres) jetting through an endless expanse. It’s tongue-out, emoticon-esque funny for exactly two seconds, the perfect embodiment of the smooth-brainedness of the early meme culture that YouTube helped bring to life, before the more esoteric crop of “here come dat boi!” and “Dicks out for Harambe” took over the zeitgeist. Check out this edited 10-hour version if you have the time to spare. — PS

“Leeroy Jenkins” by J Jonah Jameson

Sorry, that should be Leeeeeerooooooy Jennnnnnkins. Leeroy was a player character created by Ben Schulz in the online video game World of Warcraft. In a 2005 clip shared online, Jenkins/Schulz was apparently off getting some chicken when other players were devising a battle plan; upon his return, all strategy was ignored and Jenkins charged headfirst into a battle that he had no way of winning, yelling his name as a memorable battle cry. The other players were…not impressed. (“Goddammit, Leeroy, you moron.”) Many years and many memes later, it turns out the whole thing was staged, but it’s still funny as hell. And true or not, at least Leeroy still has his chicken. — KM

“Grape lady falls!” by Fox 5 Atlanta

The worst day of reporter Melissa Sander’s life has made the rounds on a number of YouTube channels, but whichever ripped version you watch, it always feels like the first time again. The innocence. The tumble. The gasps. We salute you, Melissa, for single-handedly outshining everything America’s Funniest Home Videos ever aired. — AL

“how is prangent formed” by J.T. Sexkik

An ode to the gone-but-never-forgotten Yahoo Answers, this video compiles questions people posted on the forum related to being pregnant, or, more accurately, “pregnart,” “pregegnant” and “pergnut.” The cherry on top is that the compilation is also narrated by the creator of the video. He never misses a beat on pronunciation, and the utter shock in his voice as he comes across certain spellings is gold. Perhaps I can even interest you in a part two, as the same guy tackles Yahoo Answers spellings of “Ouija board.” — JS

“Charlie the Unicorn 2” by FilmCow

Most people know the first “Charlie the Unicorn” video, but this one really captures the best of weird internet humor. Released in 2008 after the viral success of the original, Charlie 2 embraced the chaotic creativity of early YouTube. Jason Steele, who made the original as a birthday gift for his mom, built on its cult status with surreal humor and catchy songs. It’s a perfect snapshot of internet culture at its most delightfully absurd. — Elisabeth Chambry, Director of Commerce and Partnerships