How many streams on YouTube Music to make $5,000?

About 1,041,667 streams (704,226 to 1,041,667 depending on the source), before any cut. With a 15% distributor, you need more.

What if my distributor takes 15%?

On 1 million streams on YouTube Music, you keep about $4,080 instead of $4,800.

Does YouTube Music pay the same amount for every stream?

No: YouTube Music shares a monthly pool across all streams, so the rate moves with the listener’s country, the plan type and the month. That is why this is a range, not one exact number.

How much do 1 million streams on YouTube Music pay?

1 million streams on YouTube Music pay the master owner between $4,800 and $7,100, about $4,800. Here is the breakdown by deal, the comparison with other platforms and what moves the number.

1 million streams on YouTube Music

$4,800

Range: $4,800 to $7,100

about $0.0048 per stream. Rates checked on October 29, 2026.

1 million streams: what each platform pays

The same number of streams, before any commission.

Platform	Estimate	Range
Amazon Music	$8,800	$8,800
Tidal	$6,800	$6,800 – $13,000
Apple Music	$6,200	$6,200 – $10,000
Deezer	$5,500	$4,000 – $7,000
YouTube Music	$4,800	$4,800 – $7,100
Spotify	$3,630	$3,000 – $4,430
SoundCloud	$3,250	$2,500 – $4,000

What you keep from YouTube Music, by deal

The platform pays $4,800; your distributor or label takes its share from that.

Flat-fee distributor (no commission)	$4,800
Commission distributor (9%)	$4,368
Commission distributor (15%)	$4,080
Label license deal (about 50%)	$2,400
Traditional label deal (label keeps about 80%)	$960

Run the numbers with your own deal

Platform

Number of streams

Your deal

Your share of the track (%)

If you share the master with a featured artist or producer, enter 50 for a 50/50 split.

What you keep

$4,800

Paid by YouTube Music: $4,800
Distributor or label cut (0%): − $0
Collaborators’ share (0%): − $0
What you keep: $4,800

Across sources: $4,800 to $7,100

that is $0.0048 per stream for you

What you keep, per platform

Spotify$3,630
Apple Music$6,200
Deezer$5,500
YouTube Music$4,800
Amazon Music$8,800
Tidal$6,800
SoundCloud$3,250

Good to know about YouTube Music at this volume

Reaching 1 million streams in 12 months takes an average of 2,740 streams a day on YouTube Music.
These amounts pay the recording (the master). Songwriting royalties from your PRO (ASCAP, BMI, PRS) and The MLC come on top, and SoundExchange pays performers for US digital radio.

Frequently asked questions

How much do 1 million streams on YouTube Music pay?: About $4,800, within a range of $4,800 to $7,100, before your distributor’s or label’s cut.
How many streams on YouTube Music to make $5,000?: About 1,041,667 streams (704,226 to 1,041,667 depending on the source), before any cut. With a 15% distributor, you need more.
What if my distributor takes 15%?: On 1 million streams on YouTube Music, you keep about $4,080 instead of $4,800.
Does YouTube Music pay the same amount for every stream?: No: YouTube Music shares a monthly pool across all streams, so the rate moves with the listener’s country, the plan type and the month. That is why this is a range, not one exact number.

Sources for YouTube Music

Duetti, 2024 Music Economics Report
$4.80 per 1,000 streams on YouTube in 2024 (January 2025)
LabelGrid, YouTube pay per stream
$0.0071 on average per YouTube Music audio stream, from 5,127 streams (March 2025)

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