YouTube Embraces Music Streaming With New App

YouTube has stepped into the music streaming game with the new app YouTube Music.

With YouTube being one of the primary outlets for online music streaming, it’s a no brainer that they would create a service solely dedicated to music. YouTube Music seems to curate almost any video on its site categorized under “music” and creates a searchable database. This database not only includes official uploads from artists and labels, but also unofficial uploads from users (which may or may not already be linked to official sources for revenue) and other music-related videos such as commentary and tutorials.

Unique features of the app include an audio-only mode that plays only the audio from videos (therefore saving mobile users loads of data) and personalized recommendations based on what you’ve been watching and listening to. Users will enjoy the service’s vast catalog that includes releases you couldn’t find on Spotify’s or Apple’s services, such as live performances, acoustic sessions and unofficial releases (for example, I was able to find Lil Wayne mixtape tracks that were never available on any “official” outlet). However, it will be interesting to see how artists and labels feel about these unofficial streams being monetized on the app.

If users subscribe to the premium service YouTube Red, they’ll also get perks including ad-free videos, offline listening and the ability to play a song in the background while using other apps, a feature than many users have been wanting for years. You’ll receive a free trial of YouTube Red when you first log in to the app, with the option to later subscribe for $9.99 a month.

YouTube Music is currently only available in the U.S. and is for free to download for Android and iOs users.

Watch the service’s reveal trailer, which features clips from music videos ranging from Bob Dylan and Queen to Kanye West and Justin Bieber, below.