Assessing YouTube’s Impact on the Music Industry: A Scoping Review

Abstract Music video streaming has become a central force in the U.S. music industry since YouTube’s launch in 2005 as the first ad-supported platform to offer royalty payments. This scoping review examines the impact of music video streaming on the industry, with a particular focus on YouTube, which dominates both scholarship and practice. Of the 22 peer-reviewed studies analyzed, 21 focused on YouTube and only one addressed YouTube Music, with no substantial coverage of Apple Music, Spotify, or Amazon Music. Three primary themes emerged from the literature: music discovery, monetization, and data. The most distinctive finding is the pivotal role of user-generated content (UGC), which sets YouTube apart from other digital service providers by enabling fans and artists alike to create and distribute music-related content. UGC has altered pathways for music discovery, reshaped fan engagement, complicated copyright enforcement, and introduced new models of monetization. In addition, YouTube has made data analytics on audiences and music consumption a routine part of industry practice. These findings underscore YouTube’s unique position as both a streaming service and social media network, while also highlighting gaps in the literature on other music video streaming platforms. Future research should address the impacts of music video streaming services beyond YouTube, the intersection of live music and streaming, and the implications of artificial intelligence for music production, distribution, and revenue.