Top 10 Most Viewed Songs on YouTube in August 2026

August 2026 has been a genuinely wild month on YouTube. A World Cup anthem is still pulling in fans months after its release, a beloved boy band returned after a two year break, a rookie K-pop group is chasing its first real breakout hit, and a nursery era throwback is somehow still fighting for a spot in the top ten. Streaming charts rarely stay still for long, but this snapshot from late August captures a genuinely global mix of pop, K-pop, Bollywood, Latin, devotional, and viral internet music, all competing for the same crown.

Here is a look at the ten songs pulling in the most views on YouTube right now, along with a bit of background on the artists behind them.

1. Shakira and Burna Boy, "Dai Dai"

Sitting at the very top of the chart is "Dai Dai," the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The track pairs Colombian superstar Shakira with Nigerian Afrobeats icon Burna Boy, and its title borrows an Italian phrase meaning "come on, come on," used to cheer someone toward their best effort. The song blends Latin rhythm with Afrobeats energy and carries writing credits from an unusually starry group, including Ed Sheeran and Jon Bellion.

Shakira needs little introduction. She first became the World Cup's unofficial house artist back in 2010 with "Waka Waka," a song that has racked up well over a billion streams on its own. Burna Boy, born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, has spent the last several years turning Afrobeats into one of the most dominant sounds in global pop, and this collaboration cements him as a genuine crossover force. Part of the proceeds from "Dai Dai" support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, giving the song a charitable angle alongside its chart dominance.

2. NCT 127, "Blingy"

Coming in at number two is "Blingy," the title track from NCT 127's seventh full length album of the same name, released to mark the group's tenth anniversary. The song leans into gritty electronic hip hop, distorted guitar bursts, and a shout along chorus, a callback to the group's earliest and most aggressive sound.

NCT 127 is the Seoul based unit of SM Entertainment's sprawling NCT project, known for hits like "Cherry Bomb," "Kick It," and "Sticker." This comeback arrives as a genuinely different version of the group. Original member Taeil departed in 2024, Mark left the lineup earlier this year, and Doyoung and Jungwoo are currently completing mandatory military service, leaving Taeyong, Johnny, Jaehyun, Yuta, and Haechan to carry the promotion. Despite the smaller lineup, "Blingy" has become one of the most talked about K-pop releases of the month, driven by a decade of fan loyalty and a genuine return to the group's roots. 

3. Alpha Drive One, "Born Dire"

Rounding out the top three is "Born Dire," the title track from Alpha Drive One's second mini album, "Unbreakable." The song leans on a high intensity drum and bass instrumental with chant style rapping, part of a "beast boys" concept the group has been promoting around this comeback.

Alpha Drive One, often shortened to ALD1, is one of the newest names in K-pop, formed through Mnet's global survival show "Boys II Planet" in late 2025. The eight member group, made up of Junseo, Arno, Leo, Geonwoo, Sangwon, Xinlong, Anxin, and Sanghyeon, was selected through a worldwide vote that drew around 26.5 million votes across more than 200 countries and regions. Their debut EP moved over 1.4 million copies in its first week, and "Born Dire" is their attempt to prove that debut success was not a fluke.

4. "Kalyani" featuring Shreya Ghoshal

Sitting in the middle of the pack is "Kalyani," an official music video featuring the vocals of Shreya Ghoshal, one of Indian playback singing's most decorated and enduring voices. The song carries the emotional, melody forward style that has defined much of Ghoshal's three decade long career, and it has found a large and devoted audience across South Asian YouTube in recent weeks.

Ghoshal rose to fame through a nationally televised singing competition as a teenager and has since become one of the most awarded voices in Indian cinema, lending her vocals to countless Bollywood, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali soundtracks. Her continued ability to land in these global viewership charts, even against a wall of K-pop and pop megastars, says a great deal about how large and engaged the Indian music audience on YouTube truly is.

5. "Yeh Awarapan" from Awarapan 2

Not far behind is "Yeh Awarapan," a track from the soundtrack of "Awarapan 2," starring Emraan Hashmi and Disha Patani. The song is credited to a team of composers including Amaal Mallik and Arijit Singh, with lyrics by Rashmi Virag, and it continues the moody, heartbreak driven musical style that made the original "Awarapan" a cult favorite among Bollywood soundtracks.

Emraan Hashmi has built a long career as one of Bollywood's most recognizable leading men, often associated with intense romantic dramas and their accompanying soundtracks. Disha Patani, a former model turned actress, has steadily built a strong fan base of her own through action and romance films. The pairing, along with a soundtrack built around soulful, aching vocals, has helped push this song into heavy rotation across Indian music channels this month.

6. Anuel AA, "Donde Hubo Fuego Cenizas Quedan"

Latin trap and reggaeton star Anuel AA lands at number six with "Donde Hubo Fuego Cenizas Quedan," which translates roughly to "where there was fire, ashes remain." True to the title, the song leans into themes of past relationships and lingering feelings, wrapped in the moody trap production that has defined much of Anuel's catalog.

Anuel AA, born Emmanuel Gazmey Santiago, emerged from Puerto Rico as one of the pioneering voices of Latin trap, helping shape the genre alongside artists like Bad Bunny and Ozuna. Known for his distinctive raspy delivery and unapologetically personal lyrics, he has remained a consistent chart presence for close to a decade, and this latest single shows his audience has not gone anywhere. 

7. "Shree Hanuman Chalisa" performed by Hariharan

A striking entry at number seven is a devotional recording of the "Hanuman Chalisa," a forty verse Hindu hymn dedicated to the deity Hanuman, performed by veteran playback singer Hariharan. Unlike most of the songs on this list, this is not a new pop release chasing viral attention. It is a devotional classic that regularly resurfaces near the top of Indian music charts, particularly around religious occasions, and its steady popularity is a reminder that not everything trending on YouTube needs a flashy music video or a promotional cycle behind it.

Hariharan is one of India's most respected vocalists, celebrated for his work in both playback singing and ghazal music across a career spanning more than four decades. His rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa has become something of a modern standard, streamed daily by millions who use it as part of their morning routine or prayer practice.

8. KATSEYE, "Hootie Frutti"

At number eight is "Hootie Frutti," a single from KATSEYE's third EP "Wild." The song blends Brazilian funk with pop, built around an insistent, Latin influenced beat, and its music video, staged as an underground Brazilian party, was directed by Alfred Marroquin. The group has said the video draws inspiration from Britney Spears' "I'm a Slave 4 U," and it leans hard into colorful, high energy choreography.

KATSEYE is a six member girl group formed through a global talent search backed by Hybe and Geffen Records, built explicitly as an international act rather than a purely Korean or American one. Members Daniela Avanzini, Sophia Laforteza, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Jeong Yoonchae, and Manon Bannerman represent a genuinely multinational lineup, though Manon has been on hiatus and does not appear on this particular track. The group earned two Grammy nominations earlier this year, including Best New Artist, and "Hootie Frutti" arrives as they continue building toward a headlining world tour.

9. Xamdam Sobirov, "Peshta"

A genuine surprise on this list is "Peshta" by Uzbek singer Xamdam Sobirov, a song that has quietly become a massive hit across Central Asian YouTube. Sung in Uzbek, the track has a warm, melodic folk pop quality, and its lyrics tell a story of love and longing tied to the city of Samarkand.

Xamdam Sobirov has built a strong following within Uzbekistan's music scene, and "Peshta" is a clear example of how regional hits, largely invisible to Western audiences, can still generate massive raw view counts thanks to dedicated local fan bases. It is a useful reminder that a chart like this one is genuinely global, and not just a reflection of what dominates English language media coverage.

10. Crazy Frog, "Axel F"

Closing out the top ten is a song that first became a phenomenon two decades ago: Crazy Frog's cover of "Axel F," originally composed by Harold Faltermeyer for the "Beverly Hills Cop" soundtrack. The animated, buzzing frog character became an internet sensation in the mid 2000s ringtone era, and the track has enjoyed a strange, persistent second life on YouTube ever since, regularly resurfacing in viral trends, memes, and nostalgia driven resurgences.

Crazy Frog is not a person but a computer generated character, originally created as a ringtone novelty called "The Annoying Thing" before being reworked into a full musical act. Its continued presence near the top of viewership charts, competing directly against a Grammy nominated girl group and a World Cup anthem, is one of the odder but more charming facts about how YouTube's algorithm and nostalgia loops work.

A Genuinely Global Snapshot

What stands out most about this list is just how little it resembles a typical English language pop chart. A World Cup collaboration, a decade old K-pop group and a rookie act barely a year into their career, Bollywood soundtracks, a Latin trap veteran, a devotional hymn, a Brazilian funk inspired pop song, an Uzbek folk pop hit, and a nineteen year old novelty track all sit within a few million views of each other. YouTube's most viewed music chart has always worked this way, rewarded by sheer audience size rather than critical acclaim or radio play, and August 2026 is proving to be one of the more eclectic months in recent memory.

Charts like this one move fast, and a single viral moment or major release can reshuffle the entire order within days. But as a snapshot of where the world's attention was pointed this August, it tells a pretty compelling story about just how borderless music discovery has become.