In a testament to its enduring popularity, Saturday Night Live (SNL) has ranked as the top YouTube channel in the United States by reach for the first half of 2025. According to new data from media analytics firm Digital i, SNL's YouTube channel reached 38.6 million U.S. users from January 1 to June 30, 2025.

This impressive feat sees SNL surpassing traditional YouTube giants like ABC News, ESPN, and Netflix, despite only airing one new episode per week during its season. The show's ability to maintain cultural relevance and attract a massive online audience is noteworthy, particularly as it's the only traditional TV show on the list.

In addition to topping the reach charts, SNL was also the most-searched term on YouTube in the U.S. during this period. Since its YouTube channel launch in July 2013, SNL has amassed over 18 billion lifetime views. For many younger viewers, SNL's online presence is synonymous with the show, even if they don't tune into the broadcast.

Top YouTube Channels by Reach in the U.S., First Half 2025

RankChannel NamePrimary CategoryReach (Millions) 1Saturday Night LiveEntertainment38.6 2YouTube MoviesMovies35.4 3ABC NewsNews & Politics33.3 4NBC NewsNews & Politics30.7 5IGNGaming30.0 6CNNNews & Politics29.7 7ESPNSports29.0 8Forbes Breaking NewsNews & Politics28.4 9NetflixEntertainment27.8 10NFLSports27.7

Source: Digital i. Interval: 01/01/2025 – 30/06/2025, Active YouTube users in the U.S.