Video hosting service Vevo will now be even more dependent on YouTube.
The service, which specializes in sharing music videos and is co-owned chiefly by the world’s two dominant labels, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, announced on Thursday it “will phase out elements of our owned and operated platforms.” That essentially closes the door on Vevo’s website and app.
“Going forward, Vevo will remain focused on engaging the biggest audiences and pursuing growth opportunities,” the company said in a blog post. “Our catalog of premium music videos and original content will continue to reach a growing audience on YouTube and we are exploring ways to work with additional platforms to further expand access to Vevo’s content.”
Vevo built its business on an advertising split with YouTube, acting essentially as a middle man between the labels and the world’s biggest video site. But the partnership hasn’t moved in Vevo’s favor of late, with YouTube stripping the service’s once-ubiquitous branding from its videos earlier this year. At the same time, Vevo’s salesforce was hit by the service’s latest deal with YouTube, removing its claim to first dibs on selling ads on Vevo clips, as Recode reported. Thursday’s announcement will make the service even more dependent on YouTube’s ability to generate ad dollars for its clips.
Vevo’s announcement comes just days after YouTube relaunched YouTube Music — where subscribers can pay $9.99 a month to watch ad-free music videos.
With its Droid and iOS apps shuttering, along with its site, Vevo will refocus on selling ads against its videos — although it’ll be competing against the strongest ad sales platform on the planet. Vevo announced Thursday it will continue to “invest in original content” through its dscvr and LIFT programs, “as well as new formats that we plan to roll out shortly.”