⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

Heads Up Music Lovers: YouTube to Create Streaming Music Service With free on-demand mobile streaming and its own offline mode, YouTube could put Spotify on the defensive.

By Benjamin Kabin

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

When it comes to music, YouTube is said to be making a big move that might have Spotify looking over its shoulder.

Six million customers pay Spotify $10 each month to listen to any song in its library, commercial free, at home or on a smartphone. Now YouTube wants in on the on-demand action. The Google-owned video streaming service is said to be working on its own on-demand music platform that could compete with Spotify head to head.

The service, as Billboard reports, will likely let mobile users stream an unlimited number of songs, on-demand, for free. A premium paid service could offer users unlimited access to Google's subscription All Access music service, ad removal and an offline mode.

Spotify, in comparison, charges users $5 to listen to artist- or track-based radio stations commercial free. On demand access and offline mode costs $10.

Related: YouTube Marketing: What to Consider Before Getting Started

YouTube's main objective, however, is to attract more users to advertise to. YouTube would remove the ads if you pay them, but that's the revenue they're really after. In contrast, Spotify hopes users will pay them to get rid of pesky ads, which interrupt free users after every 15 or so minutes of music play.

When contacted, YouTube declined to comment about its plans for a new music service.

"We're always working on new and better ways for people to enjoy YouTube content across all screens, and on giving partners more opportunities to reach their fans," a spokesperson said. "However, we have nothing to announce at this time."

For years, high school and college students have been using YouTube in just this way: streaming official and unofficial uploads of their favorite songs instead of downloading them from someplace like iTunes or even illegally. YouTube's new plan could make it easier to use the service in a manner people already enjoy.

Last month, YouTube announced plans to let users temporarily download video clips to be watched offline later. Both features could potentially give artists more exposure and revenue since fans will be able to enjoy their content more frequently and in more places such as airplanes and subways.

Related: YouTube's New Offline Feature Could Boost Video Views for Businesses

Benjamin Kabin

Journalist

Benjamin Kabin is a Brooklyn-based technology journalist who specializes in security, startups, venture capital and social media.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.