YouTube has revealed that it paid more than $8 billion to the music industry between July 2024 and July 2025, marking a major milestone for the platform.
The announcement was made by YouTube’s Global Head of Music, Lyor Cohen, who said the achievement reflects the strong performance of YouTube’s dual revenue model that combines ads and subscriptions. Cohen described the payout as a sign of continued growth, emphasizing that YouTube’s goal is to build a lasting home for artists, songwriters, and publishers worldwide.
This is YouTube’s biggest annual payout to date. The company’s contributions to the music industry have grown steadily in recent years, from $4 billion in 2021 to $6 billion in 2022, and now $8 billion in 2025. Cohen shared the news during a session at Billboard Latin Music Week, highlighting how YouTube’s approach continues to evolve alongside the music business.
The update comes as YouTube’s main competitor, Spotify, announced earlier this year that it paid out $10 billion to the music industry in 2024, up from $9 billion the previous year. However, both companies clarified that not all of the money goes directly to artists, as payments are distributed among record labels, publishers, songwriters, and other industry partners.
YouTube credited its success to the growing strength of its ads and subscriptions. The platform now has more than 125 million Music and Premium subscribers worldwide, including those on free trials. Additionally, over two billion logged-in users watch music content on YouTube every month, giving artists a massive audience to reach.
The company said this global scale helps musicians and songwriters grow their fan bases and build sustainable careers. YouTube operates in more than 100 countries and supports 80 languages, allowing it to connect with audiences everywhere.
If this article helped you, please consider supporting our work. Every small contribution keeps Abijita.com independent and running.
Last month, YouTube also revealed that it has paid more than $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies over the past four years. This latest $8 billion music payout reinforces YouTube’s growing role as one of the most important platforms for artists in the digital age.
