Replacing Google Play is YouTube's new streaming service YouTube Music, which will take on rival services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon. Having already been released in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and South Korea last month, the platform has now been launched in the UK which now makes it available in a total of 17 countries.

A subscription to the ad-free "premium" version of the service starts at £9.99 with a family plan available for £14.99, with benefits including being able to download music videos and music (including remixes, covers and mash-ups), and access to YouTube Originals, a library filled with television shows and films.

From July 1, figures from the new streaming service will be counted towards the UK Singles Chart. For a lot of artists, particularly in grime and UK rap, whose music is often distributed and consumed predominantly on YouTube, this change could prove critical for them. Beyond that, details are scarce, but the next few months are sure to be very interesting to say the least.