Google currently has two music streaming services: Play Music and YouTube Music. The latter is eventually supposed to replace the former, but it’s been out for months with very little real progression.
Andrew Martonik, writing at Android Central, makes an excellent point with a scathing look at the current state of YouTube Music:
Whether you look at it as three years or just six months old, one thing is clear: YouTube Music isn’t finished yet, is filled with issues and is incredibly frustrating to use on a daily basis considering it costs the industry-standard $10 per month.
YouTube Music is so unfinished and lacking features that I question whether Google has any intentions of following through with its vision of replacing Google Play Music entirely. Put simply, I can’t believe Google thinks anyone will pay $10 per month for it when all signs point to Google itself not caring about YouTube Music’s success.
And it couldn’t be truer. Just this morning I found myself toying with the idea of dropping Play Music/YouTube Music and moving my family over to Spotify. But then I remembered the kicker: YouTube Premium.
Martonik also points out that the real value in Google’s music streaming service(s) is the inclusion of YouTube Premium, which removes ads from all YouTube Videos (including movies)—so really, we’re all just paying for YouTube Premium and getting a music service for free. I’m completely in agreement with his assessment, because currently, both of Google’s music services treat subscribers like second-class citizens (even in Google’s own apps) and aren’t worth the monthly premium when compared to services like Spotify and Apple Music.
If Google truly plans on replacing Play Music—which is currently much better than YouTube Music, despite its own set of drawbacks—with YouTube Music, then it has a lot of work to do.
via Android Central
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