Google-owned popular video site YouTube on Wednesday rolled out a beta version of its subscription music service dubbed ‘Music Key.’
The ad-free music streaming service will let users watch videos offline and listen to music while working on other apps and even while the screens of their mobile devices are locked.
Initially, Music Key will only be offered on an invitation basis in the US, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Finland.The first batch of beta-offers for YouTube Music Key will be made available to some of YouTube’s “biggest music fans first,” on Monday, Nov. 17. Anyone interested in an invitation can also request for one at http://YouTube.com/MusicKey.
Beta users will get the service free for a six-month trial period and thereafter will be charged with a lifetime promotional subscription fee of $7.99 per month, however the same will cost £9.99 a month for other non-beta subscribers. The service is expected to witness a full launch sometime next year.
In addition to offering access to YouTube music videos, Music Key also includes a subscription to Google Play Music, which offers a pool of more than 30 million songs and curated playlists.It is expected that in the coming days users will be able to watch YouTube official music videos right from Google Play Music app.
“Thanks to your music videos, remixes, covers, and more, you’ve made YouTube the biggest music service on the planet,” the YouTube music team noted in a blog post on Wednesday.
“To turn YouTube into your perfect music service, we’re launching YouTube Music Key as a beta with our biggest music fans first, and then we’ll bring YouTube Music Key to the whole world together.”
The new service will be made available through YouTube’s apps for Android and iOS devices, as well as on its website YouTube.com.
