UPDATE: Google Responds To Reports That YouTube, Google Music Services Have Just 16M Subscribers

UPDATE: YouTube Music and Google Play Music have a total of just 15-16 million subscribers and growth has plateaued, according to two new reports. The totals, which reportedly include customers who are on promotional trials, is being strongly disputed by Google.

The company added 5 million music subscribers since YouTube introduced the new service last May, sources tell Bloomberg. Compared to the 1.9 billion people who use YouTube monthly or even the 100 million that subscribe to Spotify, 15-16 million paid subscribers would be a disappointment to Google.

But a Google spokesperson strongly disputed a similar The Wall Street Journal report:

"YouTube Music & Premium paid subscribers grew 60% y/y from March 2018 to March 2019.

YouTube aggressively disputes the WSJ report stating YouTube Music subscription growth has plateaued, countering that healthy subscription growth continued through Q1 of this year."