Image credit: KAL VISUALS

YouTube announce an unbelievable figure of payouts to creators in recent years, a boon for video creators and music artists.

How much does YouTube pay to channels and content creators? Last week, on YouTube’s behalf, MrBeast revealed that YouTube had paid out $70 billion in ad revenue to creators in the last 3 years. That’s the amount of money that YouTube have paid to creators, artists and media companies through their Partner Programme.

YouTube offered a once-unique and still-notable open platform that empowered anyone, anywhere to be a creator. In the nearly 20 years since launching, YouTube has become one of the world’s biggest platforms with over 2 billion monthly active users. That huge audience powers YouTube’s advertising revenue, enabling a huge stream of revenue to creators on the platform.

As MrBeast himself says: “This has changed mine and millions of other’s lives. Such a beautiful stat.” There are around 2 million creators signed up to YouTube’s Partner Program, allowing them to generate ad revenues on their videos.

Why YouTube’s payouts mean success for musicians

YouTube is one of the most accessible platforms for music. It’s free for creators to upload and free for viewers to access and watch content on. This makes it one of the best opportunities for exposure.

For artists, this means the potential to get seen and heard like nowhere else. Over 2 billion monthly active users have the potential to land upon your music videos or track uploads.

That huge reach isn’t just great for exposure, but is a massive potential source of income for artists.

However, the impact goes beyond sheer numbers. YouTube fosters unique engagement:

  • Music Videos: Visual storytelling and performance captures audiences in ways audio-only platforms can’t.
  • Livestreaming: Direct interaction with fans builds deeper connections and fosters community.
  • Cover Songs & Remixes: Creative reinterpretations expand reach and expose artists to new audiences.

YouTube’s so influential that artists have seen their views on the platform contribute to their chart success. Justin Bieber’s Peaches amassed over 770 million views on YouTube.

Overall, YouTube’s $70 billion payout signifies a huge potential for artists. Their unique offering empowers music discovery and listens from a huge audience.

How artists can monetize their music on YouTube

YouTube have a library of copyrighted content called Content ID. Using this library, they can detect any uses of music and direct the revenue from views on content to the artists pocket.

Artists can upload their tracks to Content ID for free on RouteNote. This means that their songs will generate revenue whether you upload it to your own channel or if someone else uses your music in their content.

It also offers protections if you don’t want your music to be used by others – though once you’re monetised through Content ID, other users’ uploads can be a great extra source of income.

Add your music to Content ID and start earning from your music at www.routenote.com.