YouTube Premium often raises that exact question: does it include YouTube Music or are they separate services?
The short answer is yes—YouTube Premium does include YouTube Music’s full features—and it’s important to understand how that bundle works, the benefits you gain, the pricing nuance, and whether there are regional exceptions.
In this article, you’ll learn what YouTube Premium offers, how YouTube Music fits in, recent changes (2025), and tips to make the most of your subscription.
What Is YouTube Premium?
YouTube Premium is a subscription service that enhances your entire YouTube experience. For a monthly fee, it removes ads on all YouTube videos, allows background play, enables offline downloads of videos, and includes access to premium content like YouTube Originals. It is the more comprehensive plan compared to a standalone music subscription.
YouTube Premium has seen strong growth. As of 2025, the service—with bundled music access—has over 125 million paying subscribers globally. This bundle positions YouTube as both a video and music platform powerhouse.
YouTube Music: What It Is
YouTube Music is YouTube’s dedicated music streaming platform. It’s designed for listening to songs, albums, curated playlists, and music videos. The free version includes ads, and playback requires the app open and screen on. The premium version unlocks ad-free listening, background playback (so music continues when your screen locks), offline downloads, and audio-only mode.
YouTube Music Premium functions similarly to Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music, but is tied closely to YouTube’s video infrastructure and recommendation system.
How YouTube Music Is Included in YouTube Premium
When you subscribe to YouTube Premium, you automatically get all the benefits of YouTube Music Premium at no extra cost. You don’t need to pay separately. You simply use the same Google account to access Music features.
Here’s how it works:
- Log into YouTube Music app (using the same account).
- You will see ad-free music, background playback, and downloads unlocked.
- All the features of Music Premium come bundled.
Thus YouTube Premium acts as an “all-in-one” bundle: premium video + premium music in a single plan.
This bundling makes Premium more attractive than subscribing to both services separately.
Benefits You Get with the Bundle
As part of YouTube Premium, your inclusion of YouTube Music gives you:
- Ad-free audio and music videos: Listen without interruptions.
- Background play: Continue music even when your phone screen locks or you open another app.
- Offline downloads: Save songs or playlists to your device and listen when offline.
- Audio-only mode: Use lower bandwidth by disabling video visuals.
- Seamless integration: Switch between video and audio easily.
In addition to these, the Premium plan also gives:
- Ad-free video on all of YouTube
- Offline video download
- Background video playback
- Access to YouTube Originals content
That means with one subscription, you cover both music and video experiences smoothly.
Pricing and Tiers (as of 2025)
YouTube’s pricing evolves over time, so always check your regional prices. In the U.S. (2025), the standard YouTube Premium plan is around $13.99 per month. That includes the full YouTube + YouTube Music package.
YouTube Music Premium as a standalone plan (for those not needing full YouTube perks) costs about $10.99/month. If your use is music-only, that might suffice. But for many users, paying $3 extra to get full YouTube benefits is an excellent value.
In early 2025, YouTube introduced a new “Premium Lite” tier in the U.S., priced at $7.99/month. This cheaper plan offers ad-free video playback (for most videos) but does not include ad-free music or many of the music features. It is aimed at users who primarily watch videos and rarely use music streaming. If you care about music features, you must stick with the full Premium plan.
Keep in mind: regional availability varies, and Premium Lite might not exist in your country.
Regional and Edge Cases to Watch For
In nearly all countries where YouTube Premium is offered, the bundle includes YouTube Music. There are rare cases or new tiers (like Premium Lite) where music benefits may not be included.
In some forum threads, users express confusion because certain smart devices or features (e.g. smart speakers) demanded a “YouTube Music Premium” subscription separately. But in almost all cases, that confusion stems from not logging into the correct account or using an older device/software version.
Also, the rollout of Premium Lite in 2025 means some users may unwittingly subscribe to a plan without full music benefits. Always check the subscription terms before confirming.
Why YouTube Bundled Them
There are several reasons YouTube chose to bundle:
- User simplicity: One subscription gives you both video and music without juggling two services.
- Value perception: It feels like more value to the subscriber.
- Retention: Users are more likely to stick with one service that covers all their media needs.
- Revenue strategy: Bundling helps YouTube compete with dedicated music platforms.
That strategy seems effective: YouTube already has large scale in the video domain. Adding music makes it harder for users to switch away entirely.
Real-User Experience
Many users confirm that subscribing to Premium gave them music perks automatically. One user in a community thread wrote: “I can confirm that yes, all YouTube Premium subscriptions come with YouTube Music Premium at no extra charge.” Others reported that smart devices sometimes responded with messages referring to YouTube Music Premium, leading to confusion—but the underlying subscription usually covered both services.
From my 30 years of writing and tech observation, that kind of confusion is common when companies evolve tiers and new plans (like Premium Lite). But the base bundle, in most core markets, stays the same: Premium = Music + Video.
Comparing to Alternatives
If you only want music and never watch YouTube videos, the standalone YouTube Music Premium is a cleaner (and often cheaper) option. But if you watch videos, browse YouTube, or want offline video downloads, Premium is much stronger.
In comparisons:
- Spotify / Apple Music vs YouTube Music: YouTube’s advantage is video integration and a rich library of live, remixes, and covers not always available elsewhere.
- YouTube Music Premium alone vs YouTube Premium: The latter gives you both services and extra perks beyond music.
If you are already paying for music elsewhere, YouTube’s bundle might still tempt you—unless your music needs are narrow.
Tips to Get the Most from Your Subscription
- Always log in using the correct Google account on both apps (YouTube and YouTube Music).
- On mobile, enable Offline downloads when on Wi-Fi to save songs/videos.
- Use background play to listen while multitasking.
- Explore playlists and mixes generated by YouTube’s algorithm—they’re strong.
- If you’re in the U.S., check if Premium Lite is offered—don’t accidentally downgrade.
- For family plans, ensure all members access the same account benefits.
- Keep the app updated—YouTube often tweaks perk rollouts.
Conclusion
Yes — YouTube Premium does include YouTube Music Premium in nearly every market that offers the full Premium plan. You get music benefits like ad-free playback, offline downloads, background play, and audio-only mode, all bundled under one subscription. The only major caveat in 2025 is the new “Premium Lite” tier in the U.S., which excludes music features. So if you value music, verify that your plan includes it before committing.
If you want one service to rule video and music, YouTube Premium is hard to beat. But if your focus is strictly audio, the standalone YouTube Music plan works. Use the tips above to ensure seamless access and avoid plan mismatches. With this knowledge, you can confidently decide which plan fits your lifestyle best.