Who would ever have thought that a video channel would prove a global phenomenon in a few short years? But that’s been exactly the case with YouTube - whose users have now amassed to over one-third of all people on the internet.
Billions of views are generated each day with hundreds of millions of hours spent trawling its great database of video content - ranging from comedy to how-tos. The social media platform has also proven a valid way of earning a living, as made testament by Forbes magazine’s The World’s Highest-Paid YouTube Stars 2015 list.
Ranking at number one is Swedish-born video game streamer Pewdiepie, who earned an impressive $US12 million in the past year for his video game commentary channel. While the list was heavy with male pranksters, one beauty vlogger shone through - Michelle Phan ranked number seven on the list. The American has earnt $US3 million in the past year thanks to her expansion into a subscription service and a cosmetics line.
The top ten ranked as follows:
- Video game commentator Pewdiepie - $US12 million
- Pokemon re-creators Smosh -$US8.5 million
- React video creators Fine Brothers - $US8.5 million
- Violinist Lindsey Sterling - $US6 million
- Comedians Rhett and Link - $US4.5 million
- Video game streamer KSI - $US4.5 million
- Beauty vlogger Michelle Phan - $US3 million
- Comedienne Lilly Singh - $US2.5 million
- Prankster Roman Atwood - $US2.5 million
- Baker Rosanna Pansino - $US2.5 million
