The Harlem Shake began as a 2012 electronic track by American producer Baauer, but it became a global internet phenomenon in February 2013 when short YouTube videos followed the same formula: one person dancing alone, then a cut to an entire room dancing wildly once the bass dropped. Millions of versions spread across schools, offices and sports teams, turning the track into shorthand for sudden, absurd chaos. It remains popular because that instant contrast still works perfectly in short-form video.