How YouTube’s New Music Streaming Service Is Holding the Competition
Google is back with yet another music streaming service. This time, the company is rebranding YouTube Red and dividing it into two new options: YouTube Music and YouTube Premium.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new YouTube streaming apps, whether you want to choose which version to choose, trying to compare with the competition, or just want to know what’s going on with your old Google Play Music account.
What’s different?
Of the two new Google options, YouTube Premium is the more familiar. Basically, it’s just an updated version of YouTube Red, offering music streaming and some original content. You also get special features like ad-free videos, offline video download, and the ability to play YouTube videos in the background on your phone. The only bad news is that YouTube Premium is $ 12 / month more expensive (compared to $ 10 / month for YouTube Red).
Meanwhile, YouTube Music is more like your typical streaming service. For $ 10, you get unlimited, ad-free music streaming, and there is also an ad-supported free version. Google is also trying to stand out with AI-powered search and discovery, but we won’t know if that really matters until the new apps launch on May 22nd.
These changes only apply to new customers, so if you’re already paying for one of Google’s current streaming services, you have nothing to worry about. And yes, that includes dedicated Google Play Music customers who have been here from the start and are still pegged to the original $ 8 / month price tag.
Comparison of competition
When it comes to pricing, YouTube Music is pretty standard at $ 10 a month, but Google didn’t mention if it will offer a discounted family plan – something that Apple Music and Spotify do. For an even better deal, try Amazon Music Unlimited, which only costs $ 8 a month if you’re already a Prime customer (and only $ 4 when limited to a single Echo speaker).
As for YouTube Premium, you pay more, but it might be worth the extra money. It’s already quite easy to get a YouTube video without ads. Combine that with the original YouTube shows and movies, and it’s a pretty good deal. If you’re a big YouTube fan (and don’t pay for YouTube Red yet) this is the option for you.
Of course, Google isn’t the only company trying to attract us with exclusive deals. Apple Music subscribers often get early access to new albums and music videos. The company is also developing a number of original programs (including an additional version of James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke ), which will likely also debut on the Apple Music app.
Finally, if finding new music is your top priority, Spotify is still for you. The company uses special algorithms to offer accurate music recommendations, including these awesome weekly Discovery playlists. By comparison, Apple’s music recommendations aren’t particularly good, although there is a way to improve them.
As far as YouTube Music / Premium goes, Google claims you’ll get robust music suggestions thanks to the company’s artificial intelligence advantage , but until we try it ourselves, you probably shouldn’t delete your Spotify account.