YouTube Music Key subscription service is unveiled

Google's YouTube is starting a subscription service that allows users to stream ad-free music videos and to download them for offline use. The £9.99 monthly fee for Music Key also provides membership to Google Play All Access, its existing "all-you-can-eat" song stream and download facility. It is set to pose a challenge to Spotify, Rdio, Beats Music and other audio-only "unlimited" music services. The launch had been delayed by a dispute with independent labels. However, Google said it had now signed deals with hundreds of indies worldwide. That has enabled it to include tracks from artists including Billy Bragg, who had previously said YouTube was trying to "strongarm" labels into agreeing to "low rates" by threatening to block their material altogether if they did not take part.

He told the BBC his music had been included as part of an agreement signed by Merlin - which represents indie labels - but that he had not been informed about the details. The BBC understands that the terms of the deal state that the more plays a video has, the bigger the share of the subscription pool its publisher receives. YouTube Music Key Subscribers can download complete albums, suggested playlists and personal mixes for offline playback Brad Nevin, chief executive of The Orchard group of indie labels, said he thought the deal struck was both fair and "a phenomenal opportunity".