YouTube launches new music streaming service

Video sharing website YouTube recently launched its own music streaming service, ‘YouTube Music’, to select countries around the world. In May, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Mexico and the US were made able to access the brand new music service. More countries are set to be able to access the new service soon, including the UK and Canada. The new service, like Spotify, has both a free ad-based version and a premium version for paying users, costing $9.99 per month.

With Spotify and Apple Music already dominating the music streaming market, YouTube Music will have an uphill struggle in order to compete. Like Spotify, YouTube Music’s primary selling point will be its extensive selection of playlists covering an array of genres. YouTube Music is also set to release its own mobile app alongside its desktop player. Existing YouTube Red subscribers will be transferred to YouTube Music premium, and Google Play Music subscribers will receive YouTube Music as part of their existing subscription.
The announcement was made by YouTube Music product manager, Elias Roman, who said:

“YouTube was made for video, not just music. On Tuesday, May 22, we’ll be changing that by introducing YouTube Music, a new music streaming service made for music with the magic of YouTube: making the world of music easier to explore and more personalised than ever. The days of jumping back and forth between multiple music apps and YouTube are over. Whether you want to listen, watch or discover, it’s all here.”

YouTube itself has always played a huge role in the music industry, providing a platform to budding producers as well as offering artists the opportunity to upload music videos. Many of the electronic music industry’s leading labels began their journey through YouTube, including UKF and NoCopyrightSounds (NCS).

The launch of YouTube Music comes shortly after the arrival of Lyor Cohen, who recently became Global Head of Music for YouTube. Cohen has been discussing the new service over the last few months, highlighting the benefits and opportunities created by the expansion. With a desire to work more closely with label partners, YouTube Music looks set to become a popular platform with those in the industry.

Previously, YouTube revealed plans to provide credits and music discovery information across music videos and content including music. This is a huge shift in the platform, allowing songwriters to finally get the credit they deserve. This comes soon after Spotify also started displaying songwriter credits on its uploads, allowing listeners to see every single name responsible for the final product. This change in policy signifies a more open future for the music industry, with increased access to track credits for listeners.
A post from YouTube stated:

“YouTube is committed to providing recognition to all of the people who contribute to the creative process, and this is just the beginning. Through our industry partnerships we will expand the scope and quality of data to ensure all creators are credited as completely and accurately as possible.”

For artists, YouTube Music’s launch grants even more opportunities to earn streaming revenue. This is a huge positive and offers artists the opportunity for even more exposure. With writer credits also becoming more easily accessible, the industry looks set to favour creators much more strongly, particularly those whose contributions may have previously been overlooked by listeners. Often, artists who aid in producing tracks are hidden away in the background while the leading artist is given all of the praise, and although some producers may be happy with this arrangement, many more are not.

With the platform’s dedication to provide a better service for artists, YouTube Music is definitely an exciting prospect for listeners and artists alike. With the introduction of access to writer credits, it appears the music industry as a whole is becoming more transparent regarding the origin of its music. This is a huge step in the right direction for the artists who’s contributions are often hidden from view.