The 26 most-followed YouTube stars – where do PewDiePie, Shane Dawson, Like Nastya and Ryan’s World land?

YouTube has become the de facto launch pad for the next generation of celebrities, personalities and viral screen stars.

Well-known names like PewDiePie, Shane Dawson and Smosh have racked up millions of subscribers over the years by uploading videos on YouTube and forming seemingly personal relationships with their fans. From comedians to gamers to vloggers of all kinds, YouTubers have harnessed the video-sharing platform to build their followings and brands from nothing more than a video camera and a solid internet connection.

To get a closer look into which stars rule the steam-waves, we looked at the SocialBlade rankings to see which YouTube channels have the most subscribers. We focused on independent brand-builders disregarding YouTube channels from mainstream celebrities and record labels.

So, let the countdown begin – these are the top 26 YouTube personalities with the most subscribers:

26. DanTDM – 22.3 million subscribers

Also known as (AKA): The Diamond Minecart, Daniel Middleton

Location: UK

Video type: DanTDM rose to popularity for his content focusing on the video game Minecraft, but he's since expanded to daily game reviews and gameplay videos. In 2017, he created a short-lived web series for YouTube Red called DanTDM Creates a Big Scene.

25. Ninja – 22.4 million subscribers

Aka: Tyler Blevins