YouTube on Wednesday introduced a subscription music video service that promises ad-free access to tunes in a challenge to Spotify, Pandora, Apple and others.
YouTube Music Key launched in a test, or beta, mode, with a discounted monthly fee of $7.99.
"Thanks to your music videos, remixes, covers and more, you've made YouTube the biggest music service on the planet," the YouTube music team said in a blog post.
The Google-owned video sharing platform launched YouTube Music Key with the intent of creating the "perfect music service," the post maintained.
The service is being launched first with invitations sent to big music fans at YouTube, then will be made available worldwide, according to Google.
YouTube Music Key is designed to let users listen to music without ads; to keep playing music videos even if device screens are locked or other applications are in use, and to play music even when not connected to the Internet, the blog post explained.
Subscriptions to the new YouTube Music Key will come with access to Google Play Music service for mobile devices.