“Google is remixing the music on its YouTube video site with the addition of an ad-free subscription service and a new format designed to make it easier to find millions of songs that can still be played for free,” Michael Liedtke reports for The Associated Press. “The overhaul announced Wednesday includes “Music Key,” a subscription service that has been speculated about for months while Google Inc. wrangled over the licensing terms with recording labels.”
“Music Key initially will be offered on an invitation-only basis in the U.S., United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Finland,” Liedtke reports. “After a free six-month trial period, Music Key will temporarily charge $8 per month before escalating to its standard price of $10 per month. That’s comparable to other digital music subscription services sold by Spotify, Apple Inc.’s Beats and Google’s own 18-month-old streaming service tied to its Android ‘Play’ store.”
“Besides removing all ads, Music Key also will give its subscribers two other perks: the ability to continue playing songs on mobile devices when its app is closed and the option to download tracks so they can be played without an Internet connection,” Liedtke reports. “The offline music can only be played in Music Key’s mobile app.”
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