Apple Music vs YouTube Music:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, YouTube Music had more branded searches than Apple Music among music streaming services worldwide. YouTube Music was estimated to have 30.4M branded searches compared to Apple Music’s 3.4M, and held a 33.3% Share of Search versus Apple Music’s 3.7%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
Follow Apple Music vs YouTube Music and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Which is more popular in search, Apple Music or YouTube Music?
Compare the services people stream music on. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for YouTube Music, Apple Music. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Spotify | YouTube Music | Apple Music | Amazon Music | Tidal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 64.4% | 28.8% | 4.7% | 2.1% | 0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 65.2% | 29.1% | 3.9% | 1.8% | 0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 65.2% | 29.1% | 3.9% | 1.8% | 0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 65.2% | 29.1% | 3.9% | 1.8% | 0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 64.3% | 28.8% | 4.7% | 2.1% | 0.01% |
| Mar 2026 | 64.6% | 28.9% | 4.8% | 1.7% | <0.01% |
| Apr 2026 | 65.2% | 29.1% | 3.9% | 1.8% | <0.01% |
| May 2026 | 65.2% | 29.1% | 3.9% | 1.8% | <0.01% |
| Jun 2026 | 65.9% | 29.4% | 3.2% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Jul 2026 | 61.6% | 33.7% | 3% | 1.7% | <0.01% |
| Aug 2026 | 61% | 33.3% | 3.7% | 2% | <0.01% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Apple Music and YouTube Music comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- YouTube Music was ahead of Apple Music in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Apple Music’s estimated Share of Search among music streaming services worldwide moved from 4.7% to 3.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5M to 3.4M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, YouTube Music’s estimated Share of Search among music streaming services worldwide moved from 28.8% to 33.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 30.4M.
How did search popularity change for music streaming services worldwide in August 2026?
1 change
In August 2026, Apple Music gained estimated Share of Search among music streaming services worldwide, from 3% to 3.7%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Apple Music’s and YouTube Music’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Apple Music
1 branded search term
- apple music
YouTube Music
1 branded search term
- youtube music
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.