Google has launched two new services: YouTube Premium and YouTube Music. Except they aren’t really new. YouTube Music is Google Play Music with a new name, and YouTube Premium is YouTube Red with a new name. Confused? Don’t worry, we’re confused as well.
Google has so many fingers in so many pies it sometimes has a hard time keeping track of them all. Just look at the assortment of messaging apps Google manages. The same is true of Google’s music and video streaming options, which Google is now trying to fix.
YouTube Premium YouTube Music Premium YouTube
At the time of writing there’s Google Play Music and YouTube Red. The first of which is a premium music streaming service. The latter being a premium version of YouTube. However, that’s all changing. Going forward there will now be two new options:
YouTube Music Premium will offer ad-free music streaming, offline downloads, and the option to listen in the background. This will set you back $ 9.99/month. There will also be a free, ad-supported version simply called YouTube Music.
Secret’s out. Ready for a new era of music streaming? #itsallhere ? https://t.co/mEertqG7tM pic.twitter.com/xlrbIRGcCf
— YouTube Music (@youtubemusic) May 17, 2018
YouTube Premium, meanwhile, is basically YouTube Red by another name. For $ 11.99/month, you’ll get YouTube Music Premium, plus access to YouTube Originals, ad-free video viewing, offline downloads, and the option to watch in the background.
YouTube Music Premium and YouTube Premium will be launching first in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and South Korea. It will then be rolled out to new markets, with Google promising the ramp up its expansion through 2018 and beyond.
It Will All Become Clear (We Think)
This is all rather confusing. Still, the important thing is that existing YouTube Red subscribers will be switched over to YouTube Premium at their current price, and Google Play Music subscribers will automatically have access to YouTube Music Premium.
If this has piqued your interest then here is some further reading. For those interested in YouTube Premium there’s our guide to YouTube Red. And for those considering YouTube Music Premium here are the cool things you can do with Google Play Music.
