Google is making a hard push to challenge Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music with a newly re-launched version of YouTube Music.
The revamped YouTube Music streaming service is available either for free with ads or for $9.99 per month without ads. For $11.99 per month you can get a bundle of YouTube Music with YouTube Premium, giving you access to YouTube Originals’ library of video content such as their breakout hit Cobra Kai.
This is a bold move from Google, who’re using the YouTube brand, (the biggest name in streaming video) and branching out as an upstart to compete with established music streaming services like Spotify.
Although YouTube Music admits to being in the “Early Access” stage right now, users have already complained in message boards about bugs, audio quality, and battery drain (if you’re a free user, you have to keep the screen on the whole time).
Despite these growing pains, there is no doubt that YouTube Music will eventually be a major player in the high-stakes, multi-billion dollar streaming game.
Google is promising to integrate their AI “search” wizardy so that users can find songs by humming a tune or repeating lyrics. This ability to search and organize can already be seen in the YouTube Music app’s home screen, which dynamically recommends songs based on your history, location, and activity. The biggest advantage YouTube Music will have is with content. Not only will it offer all the “official” versions of songs, concerts and videos, but will have access to thousands of “unofficial” live concert videos, playlists, remixes, and fan covers.
Check out the YouTube Music promotional video below.
