YouTube confirms subscription music service at some bands’ expense

18 Jun 2014

Despite much wrangling with some of the largest record labels, YouTube has confirmed it is to go ahead with its paid music subscription service despite the breakdown with some record labels.

The Google-owned video-streaming service was forced to admit it was working on the Spotfiy-like concept after it became clear major disputes were occurring between YouTube and a number of record labels and artists over royalties to come from the introduction to the fee-paying music service.

Worryingly for both paying and non-paying users of the service, YouTube has decided that it will simply remove their content entirely from the site so as not to make those paying for their service feel like they are being ripped off.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the service is expected to launch within the coming months and is reportedly going to offer subscribers a similar service to those using Spotfiy, whereby songs will be ad-free and available offline to mobile users.

The first expected change to be made will be the songs of a small number of independent artists who will most likely disappear from the site within the coming days.

It is understood that Google has reached deals with three of the largest record labels, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group, and others making up about 95pc of the industry.

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic

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