Google reveals YouTube Music and Premium surpassed 80 million paid subscribers

This week, Google announced that YouTube Music and Premium has crossed the 80 million paid subscriber milestone. The company reports that the paid streams of revenue from YouTube saw a 30 million increase in subscribers since 2021.

The uptick in paid subscribers spans both YouTube Music and YouTube Premium. A paid subscription to YouTube Music provides users access to an ad-free experience while listening to a catalogue of music. YouTube Premium offers ad-free YouTube, the ability to download videos for offline viewing, access to YouTube Music, and other perks like Picture-in-Picture.

In a blog post, Google’s Global Head of Music for YouTube, Lyor Cohen, states that the rapid growth of 30 million subscribers is due to a number of things. First off, Google is investing in new features. This also includes partnerships with global carriers across Japan, Europe, and Korea. Additionally, Cohen believes the adoption of YouTube’s paid services can be due to the introduction of features like afterparties. Discounts on hardware and services are also said to be playing a part.

Google states it has become the number one contributor of revenue to the music industry. In September, Google announced it was contributing $6 billion USD (roughly $8.02 billion CAD) to the music industry. 30 percent of this contribution stems from user-generated content.

Last month, Google announced a price increase for the YouTube Premium Family plan in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and other regions. Starting on November 21st, YouTube Music’s Family plan will cost $29.99 each month, a $5 increase from the current $17.99 monthly subscription. The Family plan enables users to share the perks with up to six accounts. A standard plan for YouTube Premium costs $11.99 per month. Prices on the individual plan remain the same.

Source: Google via: Android Police