Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter
PewDiePie’s six-year reign as the world’s most popular YouTube channel has finally come to an end, after Indian music label T-Series passed the controversial YouTuber.
The takeover was originally predicted to take place in October but a sustained campaign from PewDiePie fans helped maintain his position as the most-subscribed-to channel.
PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, even called on Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in recent weeks to host a popular segment on his channel called Meme Review .
The rise of T-Series has proved controversial in some corners of the YouTube community, who see it as a reflection of YouTube’s increasing commercialisation in recent years.
Critics claim the video-sharing platform is turning its back on independent creators in favour of large corporations that hold greater potential for generating revenue.
Show all 18 1 /18Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict receives an electroencephalogram check at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A young Chinese internet addict sits on his bed near artificial flowers at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A new student (front) practices sits-up while other students take part in a close-order drill at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 26, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing Wang (L), who was addicted to internet gaming, helps clean a bathroom in his dormitory at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone. Picture taken February 19, 2014.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing An ex-military instructor (front) and students do push-ups during a military-style close-order drill class at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict receives an electroencephalogram check at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict receives an electroencephalogram check at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict receives electric shock treatment in his room at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict watches television as he receives an intravenous drip in his room at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict watches television as he receives an intravenous drip in his room at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A young Chinese internet addict opens the door of her room at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A Chinese 'internet addict' reads a book inside his room at a military hospital in Beijing June 22, 2005. A growing number of youth are getting addicted to the Internet as it continues to proliferate in China. China represents the world's second-largest Internet market with 94 million users at the end of 2004, a number expected to rise to 134 million by the end of this year, according to official data.
Reuters/Claro Cortes
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A student stands in front of a gate at his dormitory at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A teacher talks to an instructor who is an ex-soldier through a window in a door while pupils take part in military-style close-order drill class at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone. Picture taken February 19, 2014.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing An ex-military instructor teaches students during their military-style close-order drill class at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone. Picture taken February 19, 2014.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing Students laugh as they receive a group punishment during a military-style close-order drill class at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone. Picture taken February 19, 2014.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing An instructor who is an ex-soldier talks to female students in their dormitory at the Qide Education Center in Beijing June 10, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: Young Chinese internet addicts learn how to play a billiards game at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
“It’s incredible to see how media companies like T-Series are flourishing in this space. Whilst YouTube continues to be a pivotal platform for influencers like PewDiePie, media companies have really doubled down on the platform this year,” Denis Crushell from social video analytics firm Tubular Labs recently told The Independent .
“T-Series and its sister channels now see well over 4 billion views per month, making it YouTube’s most viewed media company globally.”
The growth of T-Series can be attributed to India’s online growth, which now counts close to half a billion internet users in the country.
Despite encouraging his fans to help him in his bid to remain the number one channel, Mr Kjellberg claimed he is not bothered by the Indian channel.
“I don’t really care about T-Series, I genuinely don’t, but I think if YouTube does shift in a way where it does feel more corporate, [then] something else will take its place,” he said. “I think people enjoy this connection so much, I think something else will just show up, if it feels too corporate.”
Both channels now have more than 89 million subscribers at the time of writing. Projections from statistics website Social Blade suggest T-Series will pass 100 million subscribers by June.
The takeover comes just three days after a terrorist in New Zealand urged people to “subscribe to PewDiePie” , just minutes before entering a mosque in Christchurch and opening fire on people inside.
Mr Kjellberg said he was “absolutely sickened” by the mention of his name by the gunman and did not post a video to his channel on Friday “out of respect for the many families in New Zealand” affected by the tragedy.
At least 50 people died in what is the deadliest terror attack in New Zealand’s history.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies