Research: YouTube reaches 29bn videos
January 28, 2026
YouTube has reached 29 billion videos as of December 2025, with modern growth driven by Shorts, AI-generated content, and expansion in markets such as India, according to research from Omdia.
“YouTube is the most popular video service globally and is on track to reach 30 billion videos in early 2026,” said Daoud Jackson, Senior Analyst at Omdia. “Omdia research shows the least-watched 99 per cent of videos account for just 9 per cent of total viewing time. Yet YouTube continues to host the equivalent of 280,000 years of video content, most of which is rarely watched – a fascinating aspect of the platform’s strategy.”
“This content also forms the backbone of Google’s video training data for Gemini. While user-generated content drives perceptions of success, our research shows the reality is more complex. YouTube has become a highly diverse platform in 2026, with professional content, music, news, and podcasts all shaping viewing patterns,” Jackson added.
YouTube’s growth is accelerating: 25 per cent of all 2025 YouTube videos occurred in the first 10 months. This surge is heavily driven by short-form video with Shorts now representing over 90 per cent of all new uploads. The top 1 per cent of videos generate 91 per cent of total viewing time while the remaining 99 per cent account for just 9 per cent of viewing yet still play a critical role in the platform’s ecosystem.
Key findings on viewer preferences include:
• Music and professional content dominate: Music videos account for 33 per cent of all YouTube viewing time, while professionally filmed content makes up 46 per cent.
• Podcasts are growing: Video podcasts now represent 5 per cent of total viewing, showing rapid growth in the format.
• News remains important: News content captures 10 per cent of viewing, ranking as the third most popular category.
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