YouTube acquires music startup BandPage to boost Red Original subscriber base. (Photo : Twitter/BandPage)
YouTube has gained possession of the online music startup BandPage, with a view to increase bands as well as attract more viewers to the online streaming giant's recently launched Red subscription service.
"Today we take a big step forward in our mission to create a better future for musicians around the world. We are very excited to announce that BandPage is joining YouTube, a move which dramatically accelerates our shared goal of helping musicians everywhere thrive," BandPage stated in its official blog post recently.
Although neither YouTube nor BandPage has disclosed the terms of the acquisition, with BandPage in its kitty, the online streaming giant is expecting to draw more subscribers to its $9.99 monthly ad-free service. The company is of the view that the move will help Red subscribers to access their favorite bands and stop the migration of musicians to other platforms like Facebook, IB Times reported.
BandPage is dedicated to helping musicians build their careers by growing their fan bases and increasing their revenue on the largest digital music services in the world. By joining forces with the team at YouTube, we can help artists reach their fans in more powerful ways than ever before," the BandPage blog added.
Aside from the launch of YouTube Red in October 2015, YouTube is also offering four new original programs via its Red Originals. Such programs include Awesomeness TV, Lilly Singh, PewDiePie and Rooster Teeth. With the offering of new original programs on YouTube Red, the California-based online streaming giant has joined the likes of Netflix and Amazon, which also offer parallel online entertainment to youngsters.
San Francisco-based BandPage, which started its journey in the form of an app, is basically a marketing platform that allows musicians to get through to their fans and promote their music. The online music startup claims that as of now, there are as many as 5000,000 musicians on the platform. In addition, BandPage also assists musicians to develop their own websites, publish their music and videos as well as promote them on Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, Rhapsody as well as several other social and music sites.
Watch the video on YouTube announcing the launch of YouTube Red below:
