Every day we hear fresh rumours on how tech giants like Google and Apple are trying to elbow their way into the already well-populated music streaming space, and it seems the former intends to do so via its incredibly popular video-sharing community.
According to a report in Fortune that cites unnamed sources in both the record industry and Google, the internet company with its finger in so many pies plans to take on Spotify, Deezer, Pandora, and whatever other music streaming services are already jostling for position with YouTube.
Not a bad move, considering that YouTube is already a place where many go to consume music in the form of music videos. The success of YouTube’s partnership with record companies on Vevo (which streams 4bn music videos per month) is testament to this, and even the short-sighted can see the correlation between chart-toppers and YouTube views. Nine of the 10 most-watched videos on YouTube are music videos, and the most-watched video ever – Gangnam Style – became the third best-selling single of 2012.
Sources were claiming last week that negotiations were under way between Google and the higher-ups in the music industry to work out a deal for a streaming service, which is expected in Q3 this year.
It was believed then that the service wouldn’t be offered via Google Play, therefore offering non-Android users a look-in – which adds further weight to the prospect of YouTube-based music streaming.
