Kazuhiko Kosaka: PPAP [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

2. Kazuhiko Kosaka: PPAP

Kazuhiko Kosaka, a middle-aged Japanese man dressed in a leopard print black and yellow jacket engulfed the internet with his song, Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen (PPAP).

According to an insider, the simple melody, straightforward lyrics and humorous dance movements, combined with the earworm effect - a phrase that describes a catchy piece of music that continuously repeats in a person's mind long after the song stops playing - led to the popularity of PPAP.