Google Play Music And YouTube Red To Merge

Two of Google’s subscription services, Google Play Music and YouTube Red, are expected to merge sometime in the future.

A report from The Verge said Google is planning to merge its streaming music service with its premium ad-free YouTube subscription to create a new offering, based on comments from YouTube’s head of music Lyor Cohen.

“The important thing is combining YouTube Red and Google Play Music, and having one offering,” Cohen said.

Google Play Music subscribers already get access to YouTube Red for free, and vice versa, and both are also able to access the separate YouTube Music app ad-free.

No additional information about the merge is available, including when it would potentially occur, how it would be branded and how users would be affected.

Changes to these services will not occur for some time according to Google, which reassured users that they will receive “plenty of notice before any changes are made”.

“Music is very important to Google and we’re evaluating how to bring together our music offerings to deliver the best possible product for our users, music partners and artists,” Google said in a statement to The Verge.