Watch Out! YouTube Intros Music Subscription Service
The home of such classics as “Chocolate Rain” and little kids perfecting Rush songs on drums, YouTube, has introduced Music 
Key, a new paid subscription service targeted toward smartphone and tablet users.
Rolling out this coming Monday in beta mode, YouTube’s ‘biggest music fans’ will first get a glance at a service that’ll allow viewers to watch music videos without being bogged down by advertising. Also, subscribers will be able to continually listen to music videos when in lock screen mode, or when another app is being used. Also included in the monthly fee of $10, is a subscription to Google Play Music.
It’s been reported by Rolling Stone that Music Key will not terribly alter how people enjoy YouTube.com, but rather ‘group tracks by artist and albums in a more streamlined way,’ thus pushing aside lyric videos or weird song covers (shucks!).
“We’ve signed deals with every major label and hundreds of indie labels worldwide to make these features available,” explained Christophe Muller, YouTube’s Global Head of Music Partnerships, in an interview with Rolling Stone. “We didn’t expect this to happen overnight.”
Those chosen to test out Music Key, be notified via email and get to do so, for free, for six months. The general public will have access to the service in 2015 for an initial promotional price of $8/month.
-Adam Grant
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