Google will combine music streaming services

The search giant has cleared up any confusion and confirmed that Google Play Music subscribers will get free access to YouTube's new music streaming service, too.

The search giant has cleared up any confusion and confirmed that Google Play Music subscribers will get free access to YouTube's new music streaming service, too.

When YouTube Music Key -- the video channel's premium music and music video streaming service -- was officially unveiled on Friday, the company also revealed that if you signed up to the service you got free access to Google Play Music as an extra benefit.

Google Play Music is Google's more or less direct Spotify alternative. For $9.99 a month (€9.99 in Europe), users can upload their existing music collections to the cloud for all-access streaming and listen to any of the 20 million other tunes in Play Music's library too.

Google's initial announcement suggested that for an introductory rate of $7.99 people signing up to YouTube's streaming service were getting a very good deal while existing customers were being tuned out. But now the company has made it clear that the deal works both ways, making the new combined service a very attractive premium streaming option.

As well as audio, users will be able to watch music videos, access exclusive remixes and save audio-visual playlists for offline listening.

Now all Google has do is confirm when YouTube Music Key will be rolling out beyond the US.