YouTube paid over $8B to music industry in 2025
What's the story
YouTube has announced that it paid over $8 billion to the music industry between July 2024 and July 2025. The figure was revealed by Lyor Cohen, YouTube's Global Head of Music, during a talk at Billboard Latin Music Week. The milestone marks a new record for the platform and shows a significant increase from previous years.
Revenue growth
Payouts have more than doubled
YouTube's annual music industry payout has more than doubled in four years. In 2021, the platform announced a $4 billion payout to the industry over a 12-month period. The figure rose to $6 billion in 2022 and now stands at an impressive $8 billion for the period between July 2024 and July 2025.
Business strategy
YouTube's dual revenue model drives success
YouTube credits its impressive payout numbers to its dual revenue model of ads and subscriptions. The platform currently has over 125 million Music and Premium subscribers worldwide, including those on trials. Additionally, it boasts two billion logged-in users who watch music videos every month. This massive user base is a major contributor to the platform's financial success in the music industry.
Industry comparison
Comparison with Spotify's payouts
YouTube's latest payout announcement comes after Spotify revealed it paid $10 billion to the music industry in 2024, up from $9 billion in 2023. However, it's important to note that not all of this money goes directly to artists; a significant portion also goes to labels, publishers, songwriters, and other stakeholders involved in the music production process.