• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechFortune 500

Google Play Music and YouTube Red May Merge

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 27, 2017, 7:51 PM ET

Google may be planning to combine two of its streaming subscription services.

The search giant is exploring a new streaming offering that would merge its Google Play Music and YouTube Red service that lets people stream both videos and songs, according to several media reports.

At a music business conference in New York City, YouTube’s global head of music, Lyor Cohen, said that Google (GOOG) should combine Google Play Music with YouTube Red to make it easier for people who are confused about the two different services, according to news site The Verge.

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

As Billboard magazine notes, citing an anonymous source, YouTube Red and Google Play Music have nearly 7 million subscribers combined, which lags Spotify’s 50 million paid subscribers and Apple Music’s (AAPL) 27 million subscribers.

A Google spokesperson declined to comment about Cohen’s comments, and would only say in an email that “Nothing will change for users today and we’ll provide 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,” the spokesperson said.

Currently, subscribers to YouTube Red, which costs $10 a month, also receive a free subscription to Google Play Music, which also costs $10 a month—and vice versa. A combination of the two services could eliminate any misunderstanding by users about what the two services offer.

 

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
Fortune Secondary Logo
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

LawMedia
DOJ probes Netflix’s power over filmmakers in Warner deal review
By Josh Sisco and BloombergFebruary 21, 2026
9 hours ago
Big TechTech
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says Bill Gates told him his big bet on OpenAI would be a flop: ‘Yeah, you’re going to burn this billion dollars’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 21, 2026
17 hours ago
InnovationNuclear Energy
U.S. military airlifts small nuclear reactor for the first time, flying a minivan-sized microreactor nearly 700 miles on a C-17
By Matthew Daly and The Associated PressFebruary 21, 2026
17 hours ago
taylor
CommentaryMarketing
How fandom became culture’s power center — and a blueprint for Gen Z’s economic influence
By Reid LitmanFebruary 21, 2026
20 hours ago
Startups & VentureEntrepreneurs
‘I have a chip on my shoulder.’ Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with ‘no ties to my privilege or my last name’
By Sydney LakeFebruary 21, 2026
20 hours ago
tanmai
AIdisruption
You have 18 months to figure out your office job, $1 billion CEO says. But it’s not going away
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 21, 2026
20 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Innovation
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 21, 2026
22 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Big Tech
Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 21, 2026
21 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Fed confirms it obeyed U.S. Treasury request for an unusual ‘rate check,’ weakening the dollar against foreign currencies
By Jim EdwardsFebruary 19, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Startups & Venture
'I have a chip on my shoulder.' Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with 'no ties to my privilege or my last name'
By Sydney LakeFebruary 21, 2026
20 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
Elon Musk bans résumés and cover letters in hiring for his chip team. These are the 3 bullet points he’s looking for instead
By Jake AngeloFebruary 20, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Arts & Entertainment
Gen Zers and millennials flock to so-called analog islands 'because so little of their life feels tangible'
By Michael Liedtke and The Associated PressFebruary 20, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.