YouTube Music has released a milestone announcement: Over $8 billion was paid out to the music industry in the 12 months between July 2024 and June 2025. That riveting metric was released at a conference by Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music.
The dollar figure includes both advertising revenue and subscription earnings. Cohen refers to a “twin-engine model,” referring to display ads alongside free content, and subscription plans which remove the ads.
“The $8 billion payout is a testament to the fact that the twin engine of ads and subscriptions is firing on all cylinders,” Cohen observed.
He emphasized that the news does not represent an end point, but a continuing story. He frames the ultimate goal as “to build a long-term home for every artist, songwriter, and publisher on the global stage.”
Two years ago, YouTube announced a total industry payout of six billion dollars. Cohen has publicly aspired to make YouTube that largest revenue contributor to the music industry globally — that position currently held by Spotify.
“We have a long vision,” Cohen stated. “We are not going to stop until we become the number one revenue source, not just the best partner.”