YouTube Music is a music streaming service developed by YouTube, a subsidiary of Google. It was first unveiled in October 2015 and released the following month original Google Play Music. Being a former Android user it was still best music option since it allowed you to rip your own music(CDs) and stream it on your own device. The service initially operated parallel to Google Play Music, which was shut down in December 2020. YouTube Music has undergone several upgrades and improvements since its launch. In May 2018, a new version of the service was announced, featuring a web-based desktop player, redesigned mobile app, more dynamic recommendations, and the use of Google artificial intelligence technology for song search based on lyrics and descriptions. I believe it integrate Songza(it was acquired by Google on July 1, 2014) into its curating capabilities.
Features
YouTube Music offers a tailored interface for music streaming, allowing users to browse through songs and music videos based on genres, playlists, and recommendations. Some of the features include:
- Personalized playlists based on individual’s YouTube history and usage patterns.
- Access to a vast library of music, including unofficial releases, remixes, covers, live performances, and rare recordings.
- Seamless switching between video and audio versions of songs for Premium subscribers.
- Improved artist diversity in song and playlist radios.
- Family mix and single song queues for shared subscriptions.
Comparison to Other Music Streaming Services
Compared to other music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, Tidal, Pandora, and Amazon Music, YouTube Music has some unique features and advantages:
- Access to a wealth of remixes, covers, music videos, and live performances beyond official album releases. Any audio you can find on YouTube you can likely play on YouTube Music.
- Personalized playlists based on and individual’s YouTube history and other usage patterns.
- Seamless switching between video and audio versions of songs for Premium subscribers.
- Improved artist diversity in song and playlist radios.
- NEW: YouTube Music’s “Samples” feature is a personalized music discovery tool that presents users with a seamless feed of short-form video clips of songs that the platform thinks they will like1. It is designed to make music discovery fun, effortless, and immersive3. Users can explore new music, save songs to their library or playlists, share with friends, go to full videos, and find related videos that use the song. The Samples feature can be found in the YouTube Music app by tapping the “Samples” tab in the bottom menu.
- NEW: YouTube Music now offers a live lyrics feature that automatically scrolls lyrics as a song plays, similar to the option available in Spotify. Live lyrics can be accessed via the “Lyrics” tab on the “Now Playing” screen, but only on Android and iOS devices. The live lyrics feature is powered by LyricFind, which has been a partner of YouTube since 2013.
However, YouTube Music also has some limitations compared to its competitors:
- Audiobooks are not available on YouTube Music.
- The user interface may feel somewhat unfinished compared to Spotify and Apple Music.
- Sound quality may be slightly inferior to Spotify and Apple Music, lacking spatial audio capabilties.
Despite these limitations, YouTube Music remains a popular choice for many users due to its unique features and integration with the YouTube platform.