New Streaming Kid on the Block

YouTube Music will stream videos, live performances and unsigned artists alongside current chart hits.

20:10 19 June 2018

YouTube Music, which will replace the under-performing Google Play Music, is launching in the UK today. Seen as Google’s response to services like Apple Music and Spotify, it is set to stream not just videos and current chart hits but also amateur bedroom cover versions.

 

Many artists, including Justin Bieber, Alessia Cara and Chloe x Halle, have scored recording contracts after posting homemade recordings.

 

T Jay Fowler, head of product at YouTube Music, said: "If you're a bedroom musician and you've made a great cover, or you have an original composition, or you've made a mash-up, it's all in there," 

 

Users can sign up to YouTube Music for free. They also have the option to subscribe if they want to eliminate the ads and download tracks to their phones for £9.99/month.

 

Like Spotify and Apple, parents are also given the option to choose to hear censored versions of explicit songs. The app can also segregate kids’ music so it does not crop up in their parents’ playlist.

 

"We know that parents listen to music with their children," said Mr Fowler. "So it'll still be presented to you, but it won't be co-mingled.

 

"Because you probably don't want family music on your personal mixtape alongside Childish Gambino."