Although at first we could confuse it with YouTube Premium , the reality is that YouTube Music has nothing to do at all, mainly because Music would become a complete music streaming service , acting as an independent app in a similar way to how, for example, YouTube works.
In this way, it acts as a mobile app (on Android and iOS) and as a web player if we access it through the desktop browser.
At the time, its objective was to merge the content of the music services provided by YouTube and Google Play Music , in order to become a direct competitor of Spotify. And it is that, indeed, at first glance we could say that it is largely Google Play Music, but with a new coat of paint and, also, with music videos.
As many experts agree, there is no doubt that the home screen is as excellent as it is useful and intuitive, while the recommendation engine would be on par with that of Spotify. In addition, it is extremely easy to use, and offers the possibility of fully enjoying the different music videos that we find within YouTube.
However, at first we can review some negative aspects that we would like to highlight from the first moment: we miss a desktop application (which we do find with Spotify, for example), and we do not find advanced user functions. In any case, let’s find out what it is and what it consists of.
What exactly is YouTube Music?
Basically we could say that YouTube Music has basically everything we expect to find in a music streaming service , including access to millions of songs, albums, playlists, and artist-based radio recommendations.
Therefore, it is a music streaming service , which has the benefits and characteristics of YouTube.
Of course, one of its main differential characteristics is related to its catalog of remixes , live presentations (something that we cannot find on other platforms), and access to versions and music videos.
How is it different from YouTube Premium?
It is common to think that YouTube Music and YouTube Premium are the same, especially when we discover that Music is commonly known under the YouTube Music Premium label (when we opt for a subscription plan). However this is not entirely true.
In fact, while YouTube Music , as its name suggests, is mainly focused on music lovers , in the case of YouTube Premium , however, it is a subscription plan that offers us a series of additional advantages like, for example, downloading content for offline viewing or watching ad-free videos (something, by the way, quite useful).
For this reason, even though it is possible to use the YouTube Music app completely free of charge (but with ads, in a similar way to YouTube itself), if we choose to subscribe to YouTube Music Premium we will be able to view videos without ads and download music to listen to in the background or offline.
However, you should know one thing: if we subscribe to YouTube Premium we can have “free” access to YouTube Music Premium , since this service is integrated into Premium.
YouTube Music Premium subscription and price
Although YouTube Music can be used for free, it is true that its operation is similar to that of YouTube for free, being able to view music videos with ads. However, it is possible to contract a monthly subscription for a price of 9.99 euros .
This price is reduced for students, having a price of 4.99 euros. While it is also possible to opt for the Family Plan, which offers the possibility of sharing the same account with different users for a monthly cost of 14.99 euros.
But if you are not convinced, and you prefer to use the premium option without paying, you should know that you can subscribe with a free month , using the service for free for a period of 30 days (you can cancel whenever you want).
But remember: if you have a Premium account already contracted, you should know that you already have access to YouTube Music Premium, as it is included in the service.
How to use YouTube Music Premium
It is extremely simple. If you have a YouTube account, you can try YouTube Music or sign up and subscribe to a monthly plan. Once this is done, it is necessary to download the YouTube Music app directly on your device (Android or iOS), or access the official page directly from the web browser.
When you access for the first time, the platform will ask you to choose 5 artists that you like; in this way, the system gets a rough idea of what kind of music you like. However, the more songs you listen to, the better the experience will be.
Therefore, the operation of the platform is actually very simple and simple, being similar to how the original YouTube app itself works.
