YouTube to reportedly launch paid music service in March

AppleInsider

YouTube is preparing a new subscription streaming music service that parent company Alphabet hopes will challenge industry incumbents Spotify and Apple Music, according to a report on Thursday.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports YouTube's music service, referred to internally as Remix, will debut in March with support from at least one major music label. The initiative is yet another attempt by Google to enter the streaming segment as the internet search giant plays catch-up with the likes of Spotify and Apple Music.

One of the world's top three music labels, Warner Music Group, has already signed on to offer its catalog for the service, the report said. YouTube is also in talks with Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group, though concrete deals have yet to materialize.

Merlin, which represents a group of independent labels, is also said to be in discussions to join YouTube's new product. The consortium inked a deal to offer its music catalog for Apple Music streaming just days before Apple's service was set to launch in 2015.

How YouTube will differentiate its product from existing offerings remains to be seen. The rumored service is said to combine on-demand streaming with YouTube elements like video clips. Apple Music provides a similar experience, offering subscribers on-demand music, a variety of music videos and original content like "Carpool Karaoke" and "Planet of the Apps."

YouTube has come under fire from major music labels for not forking over fair compensation for music streamed through the platform. In addition to official music videos, a number of YouTube users post remixes and other content to their own pages. The practice makes it difficult for YouTube to identify copyrighted music and pay out content owners.

Google first attempted to address the problem in 2014 with YouTube Music Key in 2014, a premium service that offered subscribers access to ad-free music. The project was folded into YouTube Red, which initially put an emphasis on music, complete with offline caching. Red has since been refocused as a vehicle for YouTube's original content.

While YouTube is aiming for a March debut for its as-yet-unannounced music streaming service, the company still faces a number of roadblocks, the report said. Beyond continuing negotiations with Universal and Sony, YouTube must also navigate an upcoming deal with Vevo, which is owned by the two major labels.

Google earlier this year announced plans to fold Google Play Music and YouTube Red into a single entity better positioned to compete with streaming music products from Spotify, Apple Music and other industry leaders.

tekfranz

I really hope they create a separate App that does not rely on Chrome. 

You our need to be able to stream music without having Chrome Open and the Google Music Mini Player has not worked for several years.

linkman

And Google needs to enter the money-losing space of streaming music for what reason?

jasenj1

linkman said:

And Google needs to enter the money-losing space of streaming music for what reason?

Because the listeners are the product. Couple all the information Google gathers about your web browsing & search behavior with what you listen to, and you have a better profile for marketers to use.

AF_Hitt

linkman said:

And Google needs to enter the money-losing space of streaming music for what reason?

What do you mean “needs to enter”? I ask, why do they need yet ANOTHER streaming music service? Google Play Music, YouTube Music Key (now YouTube Red), the completely separate YouTube Music, etc. What are they actually trying to accomplish?

tekfranz

Another issue with Google Music is that it is not as high quality audio as iTunes and Apple Music.

If they would make some nice apps for Mac and Windows  (iOS is decent) and make their Audio Higher Quality they might get somewhere.

ike17055

tekfranz said:

Another issue with Google Music is that it is not as high quality audio as iTunes and Apple Music.

If they would make some nice apps for Mac and Windows  (iOS is decent) and make their Audio Higher Quality they might get somewhere.

They stream mp3 in 320 mbps, pretty high resolution for a compressed format. Apple is standard 256 mbps, but in AAC format, which is lower rez, but AAC is more efficient than mp3. Frankly, I don’t detect a great deal of difference between my Google Play streaming and my iTunes download library on my home audio equipment. 

ike17055

Presently, Google Play Music is paired with You tube Red, the no-ads version of YouTube. I am a subscriber and enjoy both a great deal. So, I will watch this thing develop and hooe it doesn’t mess up an alrrady good thing. 

GeorgeBMac

linkman said:

And Google needs to enter the money-losing space of streaming music for what reason?

For the same reason they created Google _______ .   To spy on you and sell the information on your habits to whoever wants to buy it.

matrix077

Hope this will annoy the hell out of my girlfriend so she'll use it less and less.

I barely use YouTube anymore and won't come back until YouTube app on iOS had PiP. I will never reward someone for a shit job.

rogifan_new

GeorgeBMac said:

linkman said:

And Google needs to enter the money-losing space of streaming music for what reason?

For the same reason they created Google _______ .   To spy on you and sell the information on your habits to whoever wants to buy it.

Considering how many people use Google services that’s a) hyperbolic and b) people are willing to give up some privacy in return for better more personalized services. When someone can prove my individual information (not anonymised) is being shared directly with advertisers maybe I’ll get worried.

gatorguy

linkman said:

And Google needs to enter the money-losing space of streaming music for what reason?

They entered that space way back in 2011, some fours years before Apple Music. Is anyone making money from music streaming? Apple's Jimmy Iovine suggests they are not. 

sergioz

tekfranz said:

I really hope they create a separate App that does not rely on Chrome. 

You our need to be able to stream music without having Chrome Open and the Google Music Mini Player has not worked for several years.

Here is a separate app YouTube Music https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/youtube-music/id1017492454?mt=8 It works exceptionally well it's very smart and plays music that you like the more you listen the better it gets. I like how YouTube Music draws a fine line between video and audio-only content. You should give it a try!

dysamoria

So will they finally crack down on all that illicit "free" music on their site?

oh and "yay, another effing music streaming service".

matrix077

rogifan_new said:

GeorgeBMac said:

linkman said:

And Google needs to enter the money-losing space of streaming music for what reason?

For the same reason they created Google _______ .   To spy on you and sell the information on your habits to whoever wants to buy it.

Considering how many people use Google services that’s a) hyperbolic and b) people are willing to give up some privacy in return for better more personalized services. When someone can prove my individual information (not anonymised) is being shared directly with advertisers maybe I’ll get worried.

I don’t know. Just because someone else doesn’t care about it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t. I always does a google search on one ID. Using YouTube on another ID. And gmail the third one. Those are Google products I’m mainly using because it’s necessary but I always limits its using to as low as possible. 
I know Google & I don’t trust them. YMMV.