YouTube Music is Google’s music-and-podcast service for official songs, albums, music videos, live recordings, remixes, podcasts and personalized mixes. Open it at music.youtube.com or install the official mobile app, sign in with a Google Account, and you can start listening free with ads. Music Premium is mainly for ad-free music, background playback, audio-only listening and offline music downloads.
What YouTube Music includes
YouTube Music is organized around listening rather than general video browsing. Its catalog can include:
- Official songs and albums
- Music videos, lyric videos and live performances
- Covers, remixes, acoustic versions and alternate recordings
- Artist pages and personalized mixes
- Podcasts, Samples and Music Tuner recommendations
It is not identical to ordinary YouTube. Use ordinary YouTube for broader creator videos, interviews, concerts and unofficial uploads; use YouTube Music for a music-focused library and player. The same song may appear as an official audio track, video, live recording, remix or user upload, so check the version before saving it. Google describes the service and current free features at YouTube Music Help.
What you need before starting
- A compatible phone, tablet, computer, smart TV or supported casting device
- Internet access for streaming and initial setup
- The official YouTube Music app or web player
- A Google Account for synchronized history, recommendations, playlists and library items
You can listen without signing in, but a signed-in account is what connects your activity and saved content across devices. Recommendations can reflect music and podcasts you listen to or watch on YouTube, as explained in Google’s personalization guidance. Availability and features can vary by country, device, operating system and account type.
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Open YouTube Music and sign in
Phone or tablet
- Install the official YouTube Music app from your device’s app store.
- Open the app and tap Sign in.
- Select a Google Account or create one.
- Complete any optional listening-preference or artist-selection prompts shown for your account.
Computer
- Open music.youtube.com.
- Select Sign in.
- Choose the Google Account that should hold your YouTube Music library.
- Search or browse to begin playback.
Smart-TV and casting menus differ by manufacturer. Look for the official YouTube Music app or cast from a signed-in phone on the same supported network.
Find and play your first music
- Use search for an exact song title and artist, an album, a genre, mood, decade, activity or playlist.
- Open an artist result to browse albums, singles and related tracks.
- For a specific recording, add terms such as official audio, live, remix or acoustic.
- For spoken content, search the podcast show name or episode title.
Choose between Song, Video and Album results deliberately. Video playback can use more mobile data, battery and storage than audio, and background behavior differs by membership and content type.
The player provides play/pause, previous and next, seeking, volume, shuffle, repeat and a queue. Open the queue to reorder upcoming tracks; where both versions exist, switch between audio and video. Google currently lists on-demand playback, queuing, repeat and unlimited skips among free-tier capabilities, though product limits can vary by region.
Improve recommendations from the first session
- Tap Like on songs and artists you genuinely want more often.
- Use Dislike for tracks that repeatedly miss the mark.
- Search directly for preferred artists and genres instead of leaving unrelated material playing.
- Use Samples, personalized mixes or Music Tuner to explore and refine stations.
- Check which Google Account is active, especially on a shared device.
Accidental listening, children’s content, ambient tracks or unrelated ordinary-YouTube viewing can influence recommendations. Correct the signal with likes, dislikes, focused searches and relevant playlists; review Google or YouTube history controls if unwanted activity dominates.
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- MULTIPOINT CONNECTION: Quickly switch between two devices at once.
Save music, understand the Library and make a playlist
A Like signals preference and places the item in Liked Music. Save keeps supported albums, artists or playlists in your Library. Download is a separate action that stores eligible content for offline playback. The Library can contain playlists, podcasts, songs, albums, artists and downloads; filters and sorting options vary by platform.
Create a playlist
- Find a song, album or existing playlist.
- Open its More menu.
- Choose Save to playlist (wording can differ).
- Select an existing playlist or create a new one.
- Name it and choose a privacy option if prompted.
- Add more tracks from search, artist pages, albums or recommendations.
Playlists created in YouTube Music and YouTube appear in the YouTube Music Library. Google may change menu placement between Android, iPhone, desktop and TV versions.
Free YouTube Music versus Music Premium
| Feature | Free, ad-supported | YouTube Music Premium |
|---|---|---|
| On-demand songs, podcasts and music videos | Yes, subject to current product limitations | Yes |
| Music ads removed | No | Yes |
| Background music playback | Not generally | Yes |
| Audio-only music playback | Limited by content and feature | Yes |
| Music downloads | No | Yes |
| Podcast background play | Most podcasts | Yes |
| Podcast downloads | Some available | Available for eligible content |
| Ordinary YouTube ads removed | No | No; that requires YouTube Premium |
Google’s current feature explanations are available at free-tier help, Premium benefits and background playback help. Premium does not necessarily remove creator-read podcast promotions, branding or promotions embedded in certain live or other YouTube content.
Download music for offline listening
Music downloads require YouTube Music Premium. In the mobile app:
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- HIGH QUALITY SOUND: Great sound quality customizable to your music preference with EQ Custom on the Sony | Headphones Connect App.
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- CRYSTAL CLEAR CALLS: A built-in microphone provides you with hands-free calling. No need to even take your phone from your pocket.
- MULTIPOINT CONNECTION: Quickly switch between two devices at once.
- Open an album or playlist and tap the Download arrow, or open More and choose Download.
- For one song or podcast episode, open its detail page, tap More and select Download.
- Find completed items under Library → Downloads.
- Use download settings to choose quality, storage behavior and connection type.
Downloads are app-bound playback data, not ordinary MP3 files that can be copied freely. Your app must reconnect to the internet at least once every 30 days to maintain downloaded content. Video downloads generally consume much more storage than audio, so check available space and quality settings. Some podcast episodes can be downloaded without Premium, but support varies by show and episode; full-show podcast downloads and Smart Downloads are not currently available for podcasts.
Smart Downloads on Android
Go to Profile picture → Settings → Downloads & storage → Smart downloads. Google says this feature can automatically download up to 200 recently played songs on Android; it is not currently available for podcasts. Downloaded playlists may refresh in the background over Wi-Fi. See Google’s download instructions for current controls. Desktop instructions are documented at the desktop help page.
Choose the right subscription
Start with free YouTube Music if you
- Mainly listen at home with the screen on
- Primarily use podcasts
- Want to test the catalog and recommendations
- Do not need offline music
Choose Music Premium if you
- Regularly lock your phone or switch to another app while listening
- Commute or travel without dependable connectivity
- Want music without ads and downloadable music
- Want music-focused benefits without paying for broader YouTube features
Music Premium does not remove ads from ordinary YouTube. If you also want ad-free viewing, background play and downloads across ordinary YouTube and YouTube Kids where supported, compare YouTube Premium. Plan availability, prices, taxes, promotions and features vary by geography, device, operating system and billing platform; check the logged-in checkout page rather than relying on a universal price. See Google’s Premium terms.
Special plan options
- Student: eligibility is verified through SheerID annually; membership can last up to four consecutive years where offered. Details: student-plan help.
- Annual: an individual, prepaid, non-recurring plan available only in listed countries; it is paid upfront and the cited terms describe it as non-refundable and non-pausable. Details: annual-plan help.
Fix common beginner problems
Music stops when the screen locks
Background music playback generally requires Music Premium. Most podcasts can play in the background without Premium, so test the content type and account membership first.
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A downloaded playlist is missing
- Confirm you are using the Google Account that downloaded it.
- Check that Premium is active.
- Reconnect within the 30-day requirement.
- Verify the download completed and the device has free storage.
- Open Library → Downloads, not just the ordinary playlist view.
The wrong recording plays
Search the artist and title again, choose official audio, video, live, remix or acoustic as appropriate, then save that exact version to a playlist.
Recommendations are irrelevant
Check for a shared account or device, accidental likes and unrelated YouTube history. Dislike unwanted tracks, like preferred ones, build focused playlists and remove irrelevant activity through Google or YouTube history controls where appropriate.
A menu does not match this guide
Labels differ across Android, iPhone/iPad, desktop and TV, and can change with account, country and app experiments. Look for the equivalent More, Downloads, Downloads & storage or Library control.
Premium still includes a promotion
Premium removes platform music ads, but it cannot guarantee removal of creator-inserted podcast ads, sponsorship reads, branding or some live-event promotions.
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If you are moving from Google Play Music
Google Play Music is no longer available. Google directs former users to YouTube Music at its Play Music transition page. Do not assume every historical item or preference migrated perfectly; sign in, inspect your Library and rebuild missing playlists as needed.
Alternatives to consider
- Ordinary YouTube: better for concerts, interviews, creator uploads and broad video discovery.
- Spotify: a strong choice if cross-platform playlists, social sharing and a music-first interface are priorities; verify current plans at Spotify Premium.
- Apple Music: worth considering for people invested in Apple devices and Apple’s library ecosystem; see Apple Music.
- Free YouTube Music: the lowest-commitment way to test the catalog, recommendations, playlists and podcasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is YouTube Music free?
Yes. The free, ad-supported service offers on-demand music, podcasts and music videos, plus queuing, repeat and unlimited skips subject to current product limitations.
Do I need a Google Account?
You can open the service without signing in, but a Google Account is needed to synchronize recommendations, playlists, library content and listening activity across devices.
Can I listen with my screen off?
Music background playback generally requires YouTube Music Premium. Most podcasts support background play without Premium.
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YouTube Music downloads require the app to reconnect to the internet at least once every 30 days.
Does YouTube Premium include YouTube Music Premium?
YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music Premium benefits. Music Premium alone does not remove ads from ordinary YouTube.
Can I use YouTube Music on a computer?
Yes. Open music.youtube.com in a supported browser and sign in.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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