YouTube’s Music Streaming Service Launches
YouTube's new streaming service has been announced, and it's... just YouTube? Wait, what? We explain.
Google and YouTube have finally unveiled their long-simmering music streaming solution, rumored in August) — with the three major labels and “hundreds of indies,” according to a spokesperson (more on that below) — advertisements on non-video music, and a series of features intended to make finding music and organizing those preferences easier. In a video demonstration to Billboard (via Google Hangout, naturally), the service appeared to be no different from the YouTube app, separated from the original service by a tab, with a few tiny new buttons added to the default mobile interface we were shown.
Meanwhile, went public with concerns over licensing negotiations with the company. As mentioned earlier, YouTube has confirmed deals with “hundreds and hundreds” of indies, but a report from the Financial Times yesterday (Nov. 11) says that YouTube has inked a contract with Merlin, the “fourth major” which represents over 20,000 independent labels. For those keeping score at home, that’s more than “hundreds and hundreds.” The disconnect is that, while Merlin represents indies, it doesn’t dictate digital licensing for all of them. One label may use Merlin for its distribution deals but handle everything else in-house, for example.
Whatever YouTube can add to the bottom line of the industry will no doubt be more than welcome, but it doesn’t mean the immediate end of the debate over streaming’s contributions to artists’ wallets and its effects on the listening and buying habits of fans. Time will tell.
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Update: The infringing upload mentioned in this article as appearing on YouTube, Taylor Swift’s 1989, has since been removed.