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YouTube counts over 150 million Music and Premium subscriptions – TV advertising grows

YouTube reports more than 150 million Music and Premium subscriptions including trials. More than a third of the 11,2 billion dollars in Q3 advertising comes from TVs.

From Social Rocket editorial team

This text was created with AI assistance and reviewed editorially before publication. All sources are linked below.

TV screen and remote control in a living room as a symbol for YouTube on connected TV
Photo: Jonas Leupe / Unsplash

YouTube is increasingly becoming a television channel – and a subscription business. In the third quarter of 2026, more than a third of YouTube's advertising revenue came from use on TVs. At the same time, the number of YouTube Music and Premium subscriptions worldwide exceeded the 150 million mark, including trial subscriptions. Alphabet publicly announced both figures on 28 October during its quarterly earnings call.

YouTube earns 11,2 billion dollars from advertising

The platform generated 11,2 billion US dollars in advertising revenue in the quarter, nine percent more than a year earlier. YouTube continues to grow, even though advertising momentum fell behind the previous quarter. Particularly noteworthy is the shift in screens: according to Google's advertising chief Philipp Schindler, more than a third of advertising revenue came from the "Living Room" – that is, YouTube use on TV sets.

This development changes how video advertising is planned. On the TV, longer viewing sessions, shared use and different usage habits take centre stage compared with scrolling through Shorts. For brands, it therefore becomes more important to execute creative ideas convincingly on both smartphones and the big screen.

The figures come directly from the official Alphabet earnings call of 28 October 2026. We have already explained how TV use affects ad formats in our guide to YouTube and connected TV in Germany.

More than 150 million YouTube Music and Premium subscriptions

YouTube is simultaneously expanding its revenue from direct user payments. Alphabet reported more than 150 million subscriptions for YouTube Music and Premium, counting free trial periods. In March 2025, Google had cited 125 million. In Alphabet's larger "Subscriptions, Platforms and Devices" segment, revenue rose eleven percent to 14,3 billion dollars; besides YouTube, other products also contribute to this.

This mix is interesting for creators: YouTube combines classic advertising, memberships, Premium usage, shopping and other revenue streams. Our report on YouTube microdramas and channel memberships shows how the platform wants to link serial content directly with paying communities.

Shorts, series and TVs are growing together

In September, YouTube presented new series features for Shorts at Made on YouTube 2026. Episodes can be organised into connected sequences, while features on TV are meant to make interaction with creators easier. The official Made on YouTube overview links these changes with AI tools and new opportunities for live and series formats.

This creates two distinct viewing situations on one platform: quick discovery via Shorts and longer viewing times in the living room. This opens additional routes for brand campaigns, but also requires a more deliberate split of production formats and budgets. Which new ad formats are coming to Shorts is covered in our overview of Google Demand Gen.

For media teams the direction is clear: YouTube must now be planned simultaneously as a social video platform, a streaming service and a subscription ecosystem. Anyone who only looks at mobile views leaves an ever-larger part of the business out of the picture.

Sources: Alphabet, official Q3 earnings call of 28 October 2026; Alphabet, Q3 financial figures; YouTube, Made On YouTube 2026; Social Media Today, reporting.

Illustrative image: Jonas Leupe / Unsplash.