YouTube, the world’s leading video platform, has reached a major milestone with over 125 million subscribers for YouTube Music and Premium. This is a significant jump from 100 million subscribers just a year ago. The figure includes users who are on free trial plans.
Additionally, YouTube is expanding its Premium Lite plan, now available to users in the U.S. for $7.99 per month. Compared to YouTube Premium ($13.99/month) and YouTube Music ($10.99/month), Premium Lite offers ad-free video viewing but does not include access to music, background play, or offline downloads. Furthermore, YouTube will launch Premium Lite in its existing test markets, including Thailand, Germany, and Australia, in the coming weeks.
Jack Greenberg, Director of Product Management, YouTube Premium, said,” “Since launching YouTube Music and Premium, we’ve focused on giving subscribers a variety of ways to enjoy their favorite content, and Premium Lite is the latest step in that evolution. YouTube Music and Premium, and the expansion of Premium Lite, also continue to create additional revenue opportunities for our creators and partners.” Greenberg added that YouTube has been testing Premium Lite to ensure it strikes the right balance between features and benefits for viewers who prefer an ad-free experience.
In YouTube’s pilot tests, more Premium Lite members opted to upgrade to the full Premium plan rather than downgrade, according to Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, YouTube, said, “The 125 million subscriber milestone is an incredible achievement that many laughed off as impossible when we first launched.”
Additionally, Cohen emphasized that this growth is vital for YouTube’s goal of becoming the top revenue contributor to the music industry.
Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, YouTube, said, “This momentum is critical to our goal of becoming the No. 1 contributor of revenue to the [music] industry, and we won’t stop until we get there.”
Furthermore, Cohen predicted a resurgence of music videos, stating that success is not just about big budgets but about creating authentic, memorable content that connects with fans.
Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, YouTube, said, “It’s not about having the biggest production budget; it’s about sharing authentic hero content that music fans can’t unsee. It’s about using the artist’s most influential asset — the music video — and cutting through the tidal wave of clutter and choice.”
Cohen also highlighted the role of artificial intelligence in transforming video creation. YouTube is heavily investing in AI tools to support artists and creators.
Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, YouTube, said, “We are investing heavily in AI tools, including Dream Screen, which generates images and video backgrounds for YouTube Shorts.” Dream Screen is now powered by Veo 2, Google DeepMind’s latest generative video model.
To celebrate the 125 million-subscriber milestone, Cohen shared a YouTube Shorts video of himself dancing to Shaboozey’s hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”