YouTube Red and Google Play Music to merge, create new service

Subscription music streaming services YouTube Red and Google Play Music will merge to create a new service, according to YouTube’s Head of Music Lyor Cohen. 

He was speaking at the New Music Seminar conference in New York and was replying to a question from the audience about YouTube Red’s lack of popularity among consumers. 

“The important thing is combining YouTube Red and Google Play Music, and having one offering,” Cohen responded. 

The merger, he said, would help educate consumers and attract new subscribers. 

He gave no indication as to when this would happen. But given that the two teams working on the different services were merged in February and Cohen is openly talking about it, it doesn’t seem too far away. 

Google released a statement, “Music is very important to Google and we’re evaluating how to bring together our music offerings to deliver the best possible product for our users, music partners and artists.  

“Nothing will change for users today and we’ll provide plenty of notice before any changes are made.” 

YouTube Red is only available in five countries: Australia, the US, New Zealand, Korea and Mexico. 

It offers subscribers exclusive access to music shows, the ability to save music videos offline and removes ads from videos as long as they’re not in paid content. 

A Google Play Music subscription, available in 64 countries including Australia, allows unlimited music streaming on phones (including recommendations on listening habits) but doesn’t allow music videos to be viewed offline. 

Subscribers to Google Play and YouTube Red services have full access to both platforms.