A Timeline of YouTube
-
2005
YouTube is born
Three former PayPal employees launch a video-sharing site. The first video, "Me at the zoo", is uploaded by co-founder Jawed Karim. See the channel →
-
2006
Google buys YouTube
Google acquires the year-old startup for $1.65 billion, betting on online video before anyone else.
-
2007
The Partner Program
YouTube starts sharing ad revenue with creators. A hobby becomes a profession — the one this directory is built around.
-
2010
The gaming wave
Let's-plays and commentary turn gaming into YouTube's engine of growth, minting the platform's first mega-creators.
-
2013
PewDiePie takes the crown
A Swedish gaming commentator becomes the most-subscribed channel on YouTube — and holds the title, on and off, for years. See the channel →
-
2015
The creator as a business
Multi-channel networks, merchandise and brand deals turn top channels into companies with staff and studios.
-
2018
T-Series vs PewDiePie
A months-long race for the #1 spot between an Indian music label and an individual creator captures the world's attention.
-
2021
Shorts arrives
YouTube launches Shorts, pulling the platform back toward the short, vertical, mobile video it began with.
-
2022
The MrBeast era
Spectacle, scale and philanthropy-as-content redefine the ceiling of what a channel can be. See the channel →
-
2024
MrBeast passes T-Series
An individual creator becomes the most-subscribed channel on the planet, overtaking a corporate catalogue for the first time in years. See the channel →
Part of the Alaxia Library. See also the full history of YouTube.