Apple Music Statistics: 31% US Share, 1 Cent per Stream

How big Apple Music really is

1. Nearly 100 million paying subscribers

Apple rarely shares official subscriber counts. Industry estimates put Apple Music at about 98 million paying subscribers by the end of 2024, with the service likely crossing 100 million in 2025.¹

2. Number three globally

That puts Apple Music behind Spotify and China's Tencent Music in the worldwide ranking. Its growth in 2024 was notably slower than Spotify's.²

3. Around 12 to 15% of the global market

Measured by paid streaming subscriptions, Apple Music holds roughly one eighth of the world market.³

4. Far stronger in the US: about 31% of subscribers

Apple Music is much stronger on its home turf. In the United States it holds roughly 31% of paid music subscribers, second only to Spotify and well ahead of Amazon Music.⁴

5. Estimated 2024 revenue around $10 billion

Apple does not break out Apple Music in its filings. Industry analysts estimate the service generated about $10 billion in revenue in 2024.⁵

6. Over 100 million songs in the catalog

Apple Music hit the 100 million song milestone in October 2022 and has continued to grow with roughly 20,000 new tracks delivered every day. The full catalog is available in lossless quality.⁶

What Apple Music actually pays

7. About 1 cent per stream

Apple Music pays roughly $0.01 per stream on average, about three times what Spotify pays. The higher rate is one reason artists often praise the platform.⁷

8. $6.20 per 1,000 streams in 2024

An independent 2024 analysis by Duetti put Apple Music at $6.20 per 1,000 streams, more than double Spotify's $3.00 and second only to Amazon Music among major services.⁸

9. Roughly $5.2 billion paid to rights holders

Of an estimated $10 billion in 2024 music revenue, Apple is believed to have paid around $5.2 billion to labels, publishers, and artists, a meaningful line item in the global music industry.⁹

10. Around 6% of Apple Services revenue

Big as Apple Music looks on its own, it is only one slice of Apple's enormous Services business. Estimates put it at roughly 6% of that segment.¹⁰

Apple Music in the United States

11. No free, ad-supported tier

Unlike Spotify, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music, Apple Music has never offered a permanent free tier. Apple executives have publicly defended that choice, calling free tiers a "terrible idea."¹¹

12. Individual plan: $10.99 per month

The standard US Individual plan costs $10.99 per month, or about $132 per year, with full access to the entire catalog ad-free.¹²

13. Family plan: $16.99 for up to six people

The Family plan is $16.99 per month and supports up to six people, each with their own library and personalized recommendations.¹³

14. Student plan: $5.99 plus Apple TV+

Verified college students pay $5.99 per month, the same as competitors, and currently also get Apple TV+ included at no extra cost.¹⁴

15. Apple One bundle from $19.95

Apple Music is also part of the Apple One bundle, which starts at $19.95 per month and includes Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 50 GB of iCloud+ storage.¹⁵

16. One month free for new subscribers

New users typically get one month free, with longer three-month trials available when buying eligible AirPods, HomePods, or Beats headphones.¹⁶

From Beats to streaming powerhouse

17. Launched June 30, 2015

Apple Music went live on June 30, 2015, a full seven years after Spotify, debuting in more than 100 countries on day one.¹⁷

18. Built on a $3 billion Beats deal

The foundation was Apple's 2014 acquisition of Beats Electronics for $3 billion, which brought in both the Beats Music streaming service and executives Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre.¹⁸

19. 10 million subscribers in six months

By January 2016, just over six months after launch, Apple Music had already passed 10 million paying subscribers, an unusually fast ramp for a music service.¹⁹

20. Lossless and Spatial Audio in 2021

In June 2021 Apple added lossless audio and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos to the entire catalog, both at no extra cost, undercutting paid hi-fi tiers from competitors.²⁰

21. Apple Music Classical launched in 2023

Apple released the standalone Apple Music Classical app on March 28, 2023, built on its earlier acquisition of Primephonic and included with most Apple Music plans.²¹

22. Available in 167 countries

After major expansions, including 52 new markets in 2020, Apple Music is now offered in 167 countries and regions, more than most competitors.²²

Replay, charts, and 2024 highlights

23. Apple Music Replay is Apple's Wrapped

Apple Music Replay is the platform's year-end recap of your top songs, artists, and albums, the direct counterpart to Spotify Wrapped, but updated weekly rather than once a year.²³

24. Most-streamed song of 2024: "Not Like Us"

Apple Music's global Song of the Year for 2024 was Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us," which spent six weeks at the top of the Daily Top 100 after its May release.²⁴

25. Most-streamed artist of 2024: Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift was the most-streamed artist on Apple Music in 2024, powered by "THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," which was also the year's top album.²⁵