YouTube Premium

Music Key is a paid subscription music streaming service operated by Google and marketed by its subsidiary YouTube. The service is an extension of Google's existing Google Play Music Unlimited service; along with the existing audio-only streaming functionality provided as part of All Access, Music Key adds integration with YouTube to provide advertising-free streaming of music videos hosted by the video hosting service.

Music Key launched in a limited beta on November 17, 2014, and will become generally available in 2015. Existing All Access subscribers will have access to the new service at no additional cost.

Features
A Music Key subscription will allow users to watch official music videos on YouTube without advertisements; through the YouTube mobile app, background playback is available, and users can also save music videos to their device for offline viewing. Google has reached deals with all major record labels, along with a number of independent labels, for their inclusion in the service.

Alongside Music Key, Google also introduced tighter integration between the Google Play Music and YouTube services and apps; music videos can be accessed from within the Google Play Music app, and music recommendations are now shared between both services.

Indie label licensing
In May 2014, prior to the official unveiling of the Music Key service, the independent music trade organization Worldwide Independent Network alleged that YouTube was using non-negotiable contracts with independent labels that were "undervalued" in comparison to other streaming services, and that YouTube would block all music content from labels who do not reach a deal to be included on the service. In a statement to the Financial Times in June 2014, Robert Kyncl confirmed that these measures were to "to ensure that all content on the platform is governed by its new contractual terms." Stating that 90% of labels had reached deals, he went on to say that "while we wish that we had [a] 100% success rate, we understand that is not likely an achievable goal and therefore it is our responsibility to our users and the industry to launch the enhanced music experience." The Financial Times later reported that YouTube had reached an aggregate deal with Merlin Network—a trade group representing over 20,000 independent labels, for their inclusion in the service. However, YouTube itself has not confirmed the deal.