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YouTube today announced a new subscription streaming service, YouTube Music Key, which is currently in beta. The service offers up ad-free music on YouTube, along with background play and offline viewing.

Priced at $7.99 (discounted from $9.99), YouTube Music Key also includes a subscription to Google's Spotify competitor, Google Play Music (formerly Google Play All Access), which includes more than 30 million songs and will feature the ability to watch official YouTube videos directly within the app.

Some streaming music services, like Spotify, offer a limited number of music videos, but ad-free access to high-quality popular videos is a feature that will be unique to YouTube Music Key and its sister service, Google Play Music.

Alongside YouTube Music Key, the YouTube apps for iOS and Android and YouTube.com have been updated with a new section dedicated to music videos, which provides recommended mood-based playlists and features trending music. The new focus on music will also highlight full-length albums and artist pages.

YouTube Music Key is currently in beta, with access going to the company's "biggest music fans" first before seeing a wider worldwide launch. YouTube users who receive an invite to the Music Key beta will receive six months of access for free. Customers who sign up for Google Play Music will get immediate access to the YouTube Music Key beta.

Article Link: YouTube Announces 'YouTube Music Key' Subscription Streaming Service for $7.99 Per Month
 
So now instead of people watching and ripping pirated music videos, they can pay $7.99/mo to watch and rip music from legimately posted videos (I'm too cynical today). Well, maybe if they are watching the legimate ones under subscription it is a good thing: the artists and support staff get some compensation.
 
If the app still doesn't play music in the background or when you sleep your phone then... lame.
 
Why would I spend $8 per month when it is so easy to use adblock and download youtube content already? This is a bad move by Google.
 
Another music streaming service that you have to pay for? Really? How many of these do we need? This seems pointless.
 
Wait, so this is why I can't minimise the YouTube app while a song is playing? They want me to pay $7.99 for that privilege?

I'll stick to the various YouTube downloaders and store the music locally.
 
Google Play Double Track Listing?

I like the idea of Google Play but for some reason my entire library is a mess as every playlist or album I have ends up with a bunch of duplicate tracks in the playlist and album views so I can't listen to them without constantly skipping which drives me crazy.
 
Taylor Swift won't like this either

If Taylor Swift didn't like Spotify, she certainly won't like this...and she'll drive her listeners to pirate even more.
 
Wait, so this is why I can't minimise the YouTube app while a song is playing? They want me to pay $7.99 for that privilege?

I'll stick to the various YouTube downloaders and store the music locally.

That works until the artists start making the videos/songs only available with this subscription. That day is coming soon.
 
Whats the bet this will make some YouTube execs richer, while artists will earn next to nothing out of it? Legalised piracy then, just like Spotify. As far as the artists are concerned anyway... :rolleyes:
 
It should really be mandatory to read a full article before posting. Way too comments already from people having knee-jerk reactions instead of reading and understanding the service.

That being said - no need for this for me - I already have AA - and this is likely to be included. So I say - bring it on!

Also - if you are not an AA subscriber and missed the 7.99 intro offer and didn't want to pay 9.99 - this is a great way to get both services for that lower price now.
 
Why would I spend $8 per month when it is so easy to use adblock and download youtube content already? This is a bad move by Google.

Anything that is digital you can technically get for free. What is your point?

And why is it a bad move? If you are not interested, then don't use it.
 
I like the idea, but . . .

We need larger capacity phones for offline viewing. The addition of Google Play with Offline viewing and background playback is pretty enticing though.

I also want to know if this is going to be limited to certain videos or if this will be implemented to anything on YouTube.

$8 might seem high, but unlimited streaming from Google play is well worth it to anyone who has used the service.
 
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