YouTube has paid out more than $8 billion to the global music industry between July 2024 and July 2025, marking a new annual record for the platform. The figure reflects combined earnings from its advertising and subscription revenue, according to Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music.
Cohen announced the milestone during Billboard Latin Music Week on Wednesday and later elaborated in a company statement, calling it proof that YouTube’s “twin engine” model of ads and subscriptions “is firing on all cylinders.”
The payout marks continued year-over-year growth for YouTube’s music business. The company paid $6 billion between July 2021 and June 2022, up from $4 billion in 2021. This year’s total represents an additional $2 billion increase since the last reported period.
Growth Driven by Ads and Premium Subscriptions
YouTube attributes the growth to its combined revenue model, which monetizes both advertising-supported content and paid subscriptions. The company reported having 125 million Music and Premium subscribers globally, including trial users, and said more than two billion logged-in viewers watch music videos on the platform every month.
“As YouTube’s global footprint continues to expand, so does the potential for artists and songwriters to build long-lasting music careers and fan bases on the platform,” YouTube wrote in a company blog post.
The platform now operates in over 100 countries and supports 80 languages, positioning it as one of the most accessible global streaming services.
The announcement comes after Spotify revealed that it paid out $10 billion to the music industry in 2024, up from $9 billion in 2023. While both platforms serve as major revenue streams for record labels, publishers, and rights holders, the artists themselves receive only a portion of these payouts, as the funds are distributed across various stakeholders in the music supply chain.
Beyond music, YouTube said during its Made on YouTube event last month that it has distributed over $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies over the past four years. The company has increasingly positioned itself as both a music streaming platform and a video-centric ecosystem for creators, emphasizing sustainability and long-term partnerships with the entertainment industry.
Featured image credits: JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images
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