YouTube Music celebrated ten years last month with the introduction of new features aimed at stepping up how fans connect with artists. The platform rolled out badges, achievements, and live event tie-ins through a Bandsintown deal. Now, it’s adding even more tools designed to bring you closer to the artists you love.
At Tuesday’s Made On event, YouTube Music unveiled fresh features meant to tighten the connection between artists and their biggest fans. One standout lets you set countdowns for upcoming releases and pre-save tracks or albums, giving you a way to engage with new music before it officially drops.
Later this year, YouTube Music plans to roll out the countdown feature to help build hype for upcoming releases. Similar to Spotify’s Countdown Pages, it’ll show a live timer on album and artist pages, plus dedicated album shelves, so fans can track exactly when new music drops. It’s expected to boost pre-release engagement and fire up excitement for launch day.
YouTube Music is also getting a pre-save option, letting you claim upcoming albums and singles before they arrive. While an exact date isn’t locked in, expect to see it roll out in the next few weeks.
Exclusive “thank you” videos deepen artist-fan bonds
Furthermore, YouTube Music will let artists personally thank their biggest fans with exclusive videos early next year, much like Spotify’s Wrapped shoutouts. They’ll also be able to share behind-the-scenes footage and other special content, giving devoted listeners a more personal connection and a closer look at the creative process.
YouTube is also testing an exclusive merch program that gives a select group of top US fans first dibs on limited-edition items straight from artists. It’s still in the early trial stage and US-only for now, but YouTube says it’ll share more details once a wider rollout is planned.
