YouTube has Announced New Listening Options in YouTube Music

YouTube has announced an update for its dedicated YouTube Music app – you know, the one YouTube always asks you if you want to try, and you tap ‘Ask me later’ to get back to your video.

If you have actually gone through and downloaded it, YouTube is adding a new set of personalized music mix options to align with your mood or activity.

As explained by YouTube:

“On the Home tab, you’ll now see an activity bar that gives you easy access to music for four featured activities including Workout, Focus, Relax, and Commute. Starting a workout? Simply tap the Workout icon, which takes you to a dedicated personalized homepage full of playlists perfectly suited for your workout.”

You’ll also be able to access up to seven new and distinct personalized ‘My Mix’ playlists, ‘with each playlist capturing a different corner of your music world.’

“Pick your vibe and hit ‘play’ to hear hours of music that blend some of your favorite songs with new favorites, all tied together through a cohesive sonic theme.” 

There’s also a ‘My Supermix’ option – replacing the current ‘Your Mix’ – which will combine all of your music tastes into one listening experience.

YouTube’s personalized mixes will also include recommendations of other music you might like, providing you with more avenues for discovery of new artists, if you choose.

And while I joke about YouTube’s regular pushes to get more people to the app, they’re clearly working – according to data from App Annie, YouTube music had grown from 8 million active users in 2017 to more than 77 million active users by the end of 2019.

For comparison, Spotify has 286 million total users, so YouTube Music is still a way off. But still, a lot of people are tuning into their favorite tracks via YouTube, and these new mixes will provide another option to listen on the go.

Will that get more people to download the app? It likely comes down to its recommendations, and how attuned the app is to your tastes. But it could pique more people’s interest, and boost the app’s appeal.