Susan Wojcicki, who led YouTube for nearly a decade – and was personally involved in the platform striking landmark deals with the music industry – died yesterday (August 9) aged 56.
Wojcicki’s death after two years of living with cancer was confirmed by her husband, Dennis Troper, in a social media post.
“It is with profound sadness that I share the news of Susan Wojcicki passing. My beloved wife of 26 years and mother to our five children left us today after 2 years of living with non-small cell lung cancer,” Troper wrote.
“Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many. Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable. We are heartbroken, but grateful for the time we had with her. Please keep our family in your thoughts as we navigate this difficult time.”
Susan Wojcicki joined Google in 1999 as its 16th employee, and, amongst many other achievements, oversaw the company’s $1.65 billion purchase of YouTube in 2006.
Wojcicki then became YouTube CEO from 2014 to 2023, a period in which the platform rapidly scaled its global reach.
Her achievements included expanding YouTube to smart televisions and launching YouTube TV, as well as leading the early development of Google’s image search.
In addition, Wojcicki and her team at YouTube transformed the platform’s relationship with the music business.
Out of that improved relationship came milestone licensing agreements and, ultimately, the successful launch of YouTube Music / YouTube Premium in 2018.
Tellingly, Universal Music Group leader Sir Lucian Grainge personally congratulated Wojcicki when YouTube Music surpassed 50 million subscribers in 2021.
For over a decade at YouTube, Wojcicki worked closely with Robert Kyncl – now CEO of Warner Music Group, but previously Chief Business Officer at Google’s video platform.
Alongside Kyncl, Wojcicki played a key role in the hiring of Lyor Cohen as Global Head of Music at YouTube in 2016.
Today, under Cohen’s leadership, YouTube Music (and YouTube Premium) has expanded to over 100 million paying subscribers globally.
YouTube is currently the second-largest commercial partner of music rightsholders, paying over $6 billion annually to recorded companies and music publishers.
The platform has publicly stated its ambition to overtake Spotify as the music rights industry’s No.1 commercial partner in the years ahead.
In a tribute to Wojcicki posted on X yesterday, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, said, “Unbelievably saddened by the loss of my dear friend @SusanWojcicki after two years of living with cancer. She is as core to the history of Google as anyone, and it’s hard to imagine the world without her.”
Pichai continued: “She was an incredible person, leader and friend who had a tremendous impact on the world and I’m one of countless Googlers who is better for knowing her. We will miss her dearly. Our thoughts with her family. RIP Susan.”Music Business Worldwide