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YouTube's Key, the future of online music

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YouTube, the infinitely successful video streaming site now owned by Google, announced a new service yesterday, which might well out-do Spotify at their own game. If it lives up to its own hype that is. YouTube Music Key attempts to radically alter the way users listen to, and pay for music with a monthly subscription service that will allow members to watch music videos and listen to songs on YouTube without ads, essentially “Borrowing” Spotify's proven model of premium membership for “Power users.” The real boon with the service, however, is that users will not only have access to the millions of songs and music videos available via YouTube on their computers and smart devices, but they will also have access to Google Play All Access, which would be akin to Apple giving users access to the entire iTunes library for a reasonable, monthly subscription fee. Obviously the Google Play store isn't privy to quite as many songs as iTunes, but there are over 22 million songs available, with added cloud storage of up to 20,000, which will prove incredibly useful for those of us with smartphones lacking in on-board memory.

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YouTube Music Key attempts to radically alter the way users listen to, and pay for music with a new monthly subscription service

Initially available through the YouTube site or it's Android app (iOS will follow shortly), the service will appear as a music 'tab', through which users can play entire albums, compiles their own playlists and not only stream, but download their favourite videos to watch both online and offline. There's also a unique feature called “YouTube Mixes,” which recommends music to users based on what they've already listened to and downloaded. There is also a free version of Music Key (again, as with Spotify), which will allow users all the same features, only with ads. Free users will also be unable to download tracks. Whilst the Music Key is currently only available as an invite-only beta with a 6-month free trial, the final price for early adopters will be £7.99 a month, undercutting Spotify by £2.

YouTube Music Key Beta

For young people aged between 16 and 34, YouTube is already the internet's most popular destination for discovering new music and Music Key hopes to deepen this growing monopoly. YouTube's music partnerships director Christophe Muller, said they want to “Give fans more ways to enjoy music on YouTube, but also give artists more opportunities to connect with fans and earn more revenues.” YouTube's music content partnership boss Anjali Southward, meanwhile, said “YouTube today is the biggest music service on the planet,” and they “Want YouTube to continue to be the best place for fans and artists to connect.” He believes the new service will allow fans “To be able to connect with more of the music that they enjoy,” and artists “To have more opportunities to connect, as well as more revenue.” Considering the recent controversy surrounding Spotify (the great Taylor Swift debacle), that final point about giving artists more revenue from song plays could be the killer app. Indeed, Billy Bragg, the notoriously political songwriter who previously said YouTube was strong-arming artists and labels into joining the bandwagon, is fully onboard, as are hundreds of indie labels worldwide.

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There is also a free version of Music Key, which will allow users all the same features, only with ads and the inability to download tracks

The launch was delayed whilst numerous, stubborn independent labels and music rights agency Merlin were brought on board, which underlines YouTube's commitment to not only catering to chart followers, but all music fans. It also posits itself as a mobile-centric idea, as users will be able to listen to songs and videos in the background on their devices whilst using other apps. YouTube’s partner technology manager, Eddie Boyd said the subscription service was “Definitely a mobile proposition.” Above all, however, YouTube hopes the service will prove that they are a force for good in the music industry. Southward explains they have “Paid out over a billion dollars to the music industry to date,” and thinks the new service could provide a significant, “Additional revenue stream for artists.” A definitive launch date has yet to be announced, but those interested in signing up for the beta can do so HERE.

 

Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK. He is admittedly intrigued by YouTube's new service, and has himself signed up for the beta.

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