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Way back in August was the last time we wrote about the rumored “YouTube Music Key” subscription service. Today Google has finally made it official. So now that it’s here, what is it? Why does it exist alongside Google Play Music All Access? Let’s take a look at what Music Key has to offer.
Right now Music Key costs $7.99 per month, but it will eventually go up to $9.99. With that subscription you get ad-free music, background play, and offline viewing of all the music you can find on YouTube. The subscription also gives you access to Google Play Music All Access, and current subscribers will automatically get Music Key. Pretty sweet deal for everyone.
A new Music tab will be rolling out to the YouTube app for Android, iOS, and on the web in the next few days. Google is launching YouTube Music Key as a beta with their “biggest music fans first.” Later they will bring YouTube Music Key to the whole world, but a specific timeline was not given. You can sign up right here to be included in the beta.
What do you think of YouTube Music Key? Will you be signing up?
Background play for free stuff should be available to all.
Google owes you?
It’s a great deal, Play Music has been a great service and this adds to the value.
Through that logic web based youtube videos also shouldn’t play when you are on another window. It’s a feature of an app.
But to answer your question: In a way yes. Google owes me and every other user. There are many free videos on youtube. Google makes money off of these not only through advertisement but also through my personal information.
Maybe they should detect if the window is in focus and pause the video.
You have never had the feature of the app, they don’t owe you a new feature that you’ve never had. Do you think all this stuff is free? Google offers many great values for the low cost of advertisements and data mining. Quit acting entitled.
It’s not necessarily an entitlement since, as you state, we pay for it through data mining.
However I have to agree with the OP, for starters this would’ve killed spotify or any of the other streaming services from teh get go if Google allowed the YT app to play music while screen off/in another app.
How is this any different than on a browser? Imagine if Google made YT stop playing if you navigate to another tab or minimize the window..
You just argued against yourself. Google DOESN’T owe you for the very reason you stated. As THEY would be the primary (financial) beneficiaries of such a move, it behooves them to do it. But they don’t owe it to anyone to do anything beyond offer the services they’ve already promised. It’d merely be smarter if they did, for THEIR own sake.
I really hate the entitlement philosophy.
Just showed up for me. I’ve been with Play Music since it launched if that matters.
I’m glad they didn’t restrict all the music (from at least the official channels) and make them paid subscription like we’ve seen before in a few channels where you have to pay for subscribing and viewing the content.
I think this is a fair game!
I personally wouldn’t buy it, but there are many people out there dying to get this.
Google didn’t change anything, they just added more!
The ad is great and I would definately buy it if it’d be better than Spotify for me.
I got the Music tab, but so far I don’t really see any value in it.
availability for iOS?
Rip
Off
Thank you. Such a waste of money. If they bump it up to 9.99 it’ll be more than Netflix…
that was close! nearly lost faith in Google. I thought they were going to charge for PLay music and now for YouTube music, meaning I would have to pay $16 a month for both. It would be very unlike Google to try and nickel and dime people, so glad to see it’s an add-on for current Play music subscribers.
I’m glad to see this includes All Access for $7.99. I was an early adopter of the service but was swayed away by Beats Music and lost my introductory price. Beats Music got old and Ii ended up back on Spotify due to them having a PC app but will hop right back in bed with Google to save a couple bucks a month…………. wait…..
I swear this is just for the youtube users that still resent google over the g+ integration lol. This way it doesn’t have google in the name.
It’s bizarre to see almost the exact same product launched under a different subbrand.
Does anyone recognize the part where the people “dance” in the snow @1:05 into the vid?
Got it! Sweet ^__^
i was sure hoping for a 3.99 price point..its not like they are streaming movies like netflix.
I already pay for Google Play All Access. It’s worth the money to just have access to what ever you want whenever you want it. For me Youtube is just a bonus.