YouTube launches YouTube Music and YouTube Premium in 17 Countries

As previously reported in DTVE, YouTube has launched YouTube Music and YouTube Premium in 17 countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia. Starting today, YouTube Music is available in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, South Korea, Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

YouTube describes it as “a music streaming service built on top of all the music on YouTube that you can’t find anywhere else – personalised and organised in one new app and web player.”

The service covers music videos, albums, singles, remixes, covers and live performances and has “a home screen that dynamically adapts to provide recommendations based on the artists and songs (users) have played before, where they are and what they are doing.”

There are thousands of playlists and a smart search function to help users find songs, even if they can’t remember the title. YouTube will also offer ad-free listening, downloads and more, via YouTube Music Premium ($9.99 per month after an initial three-month free trial period).

YouTube Premium (formerly YouTube Red) also launches today in 17 countries, providing Music Premium, plus ad-free, background, and downloads across all of YouTube. YouTube

Premium members also get access to the full slate of YouTube Originals shows and movies including Cobra Kai (left), Impulse, F2 Finding Football and The Sidemen Show.

For a limited time, users can get three months free of YouTube Premium before switching to a standard price of US$11.99 per month. Current YouTube Red and Google Play Music members in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico will automatically receive access to YouTube Premium at their current price. Google Play Music subscribers in all other countries will automatically receive access to YouTube Music Premium at their current price as it becomes available there.