YouTube Music Key launched in beta with offline listening option

[Jeffrey]

YouTube music subscription removes advertising, adds Google Play Music All Access

YouTube has launched its often-rumored music service, just one day after a report claims it struck a major deal with independent record labels. YouTube Music Key is a subscription-based streaming service which offers advertising-free viewing of music videos on YouTube itself, as well as a few other features only paid subscribers will receive.

The main YouTube page, as well as the mobile apps, are being updated to make music easier to find. Artist discographies will be available in the coming days, with users able to play complete albums featuring the official music videos and other recordings from YouTube music partners. These changes will be visible to all YouTube users, not just subscribers.

The paid Music Key service adds the option to continue playing music in the background, including when the screen is locked or another app is started up, allowing it to be used in a similar way to other music apps. It will also include the ability to cache individual songs and listen to them without Internet access, all without any pre-roll or banner advertising.

Starting as a beta, YouTube Music Key is being priced at $7.99 per month, a promotional discount on its normal $9.99 price. Notably, the subscription will also include access to Google Play Music All Access, Google's existing music subscription service, providing a catalog of over 30 million songs and curated playlists.

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Source

 

[Ollie]

Will those of us already paying for GM All Access get this as well?

 

[Jeffrey]

Will those of us already paying for GM All Access get this as well?

Members invited to start using YouTube Music Key in the "beta" phase get six months free. After that, they'll pay a promotional price of $8 as long as they keep the service. More info about invites for the beta release, which YouTube said it's handing to its "biggest music fans first," is available at YouTube.com/MusicKey.

People who already subscribe or sign up for Google Play Music, which is a paid-subscription music service akin to Apple's Beats Music or the paid tier of the Spotify streaming music service, will be able to access Music Key too, and vice versa. Play Music, on its own, is $10 a month -- but now a subscription to either provides access to both without additional cost.

 

[Ollie]

Awesome. Much thanks for the info!

 

[UrbanBounca]

The problem I have with YouTube is when I turn the LCD off, the video stops playing. Is there a workaround for it?

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[cr6]

Pricepoint is too high IMO. Unless they completely change the UI for YouTube and its music channels.

S5 tap'n

 

[Jonny Kansas]

The problem I have with YouTube is when I turn the LCD off, the video stops playing. Is there a workaround for it?

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk 2

The paid Music Key service adds the option to continue playing music in the background, including when the screen is locked or another app is started up, allowing it to be used in a similar way to other music apps.

 

[UrbanBounca]

I completely missed that! Thanks!

That said, is there an app to do it on standard YouTube?

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jonny Kansas]

No idea. Could be useful when tracks aren't on Google play yet though.

Sent from my Note 4

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Play music was just updated today to show videos directly in it if you have All Access.

Still not really sure how useful it is since I already have all access, but I AM using it to stream a playlist in the background while I type this. So, background audio by itself would've been a nice enough feature.

Sent from my Note 4