PewDiePie ‘avenged’ as MrBeast becomes YouTube’s most-subscribed channel

Bollywood music label T-Series had the most-subscribed YouTube channel for years after Felix Kjellberg, aka PewDiePie, conceded his protracted and problematic fight for the top spot to it. But now that honor belongs to YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, who posted yesterday that his MrBeast YouTube operation had ‘avenged’ PewDiePie by overtaking T-Series.

The news apparently prompted a rush, as Donaldson published a screenshot showing he’d gained 2 million more yesterday, which he said is a one-day record for the channel. The online tracker Social Blade now puts him at 268 million subscribers.

Donaldson made a big show of supporting Kjellberg’s campaign to stay on top back in 2019, having plastered every billboard in his town with ads promoting PewDiePie. He also showed up to the Super Bowl with several friends who wore shirts that together spelled out “SUB 2 PEW DIE PIE.” Given his 2-million-subscriber gain yesterday — a number it recently took T-Series a month to accumulate — it seems unlikely that T-Series will be able to catch up.