YouTube’s music streaming service and ad-free viewing tier are celebrating an impressive milestone with 100 million now subscribed.

It feels like just yesterday that YouTube were shutting down Google Play Music (I’m still not over it) and replacing it with YouTube Music. But in fact, it was nearly 10 years ago in 2015 that YouTube launched it’s flagship destination for a pure music experience. Their Premium, ad-free YouTube experience came alongside it back in 2015.

Now, 19 years later they are celebrating 100 million total paying subscribers across both services. Since launching, they have made their subscription offerings available in over 100 countries and regions around the world.

YouTube head Lyor Cohen writes: “In 2015, many doubted a subscription model could thrive on YouTube. They said the market was crowded and our platform was too different. Today – 100 million subscribers later – our distinctiveness is precisely what drives our success and why I still see so much room for growth.”

He reveals that they have gained 20 million subscribers in just over a year. Not only that, the 100 million figure is double that reported in September 2021, representing clear exponential growth. The growth comes even in the wake of subscription price increases last year.


Upload your songs and albums to YouTube Music for free and earn streaming revenue from every play whilst getting discovered on one of the world’s biggest music platforms. Sign up for free at www.routenote.com.