To combine music stored in different folders into one continuous YouTube Live stream, add the selected files to an OBS Studio VLC Video source playlist, then enable Loop Playlist. Install VLC first; OBS documents playlist playback through its VLC source, but it does not establish that OBS can automatically scan nested folders or monitor them for new files.
Before you build the stream
Gather the recordings you have permission to broadcast. A purchase or personal listening access does not by itself establish permission to rebroadcast music. YouTube scans live streams for third-party content, and matching material can lead to a warning, a placeholder, or interruption or termination if it continues. YouTube also says licensed music can still interrupt a stream when the rights owner has not added your channel to its Content ID allowlist. Confirm permissions and, where applicable, allowlisting with the rights owner before relying on a track in a long broadcast. See YouTube’s guidance on copyright issues with live streams.
Check YouTube Studio for current channel restrictions and live-stream access before scheduling a long broadcast; current eligibility steps and interface details are not established here. “24/7” describes your intended schedule, not guaranteed uptime. Google documents a 24/7 broadcast as a use case, but does not provide an uptime guarantee for your setup.
Prepare music from multiple folders
Make a deliberate selection from each folder, then add those individual files to one OBS VLC source playlist. OBS lists MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV among supported audio formats in its Media Sources documentation. That page confirms playlist playback, but does not promise recursive folder import, folder monitoring, or separate rotating categories for each folder. Check that every intended track appears in the playlist rather than assuming a folder selection includes nested contents.
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Build and loop the playlist in OBS
- Install OBS Studio and VLC. OBS’s VLC Video source requires VLC to be installed. Match the architecture: OBS says that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC for this source.
- Create a scene and add the source. In OBS, select or create a scene, use the Sources panel’s add control, and choose VLC Video. If the source is unavailable, verify that VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS.
- Add files from each folder. In the source properties, add the audio files you selected from their respective folders to the playlist. Review the full list for missing or unintended files.
- Choose playback order. Leave Shuffle Playlist off for the listed sequence, or enable it for randomized playback. Enable Loop Playlist so playback starts again after the list reaches its end. OBS documents these separate playlist controls in its VLC source guidance.
- Apply the source settings and test playback. Start the source and confirm tracks play as expected. If the list ends without starting over, reopen its properties and check Loop Playlist.
OBS’s standard Media Source is documented for one local media file and has a loop option; for a multi-file playlist, the VLC Video source is the direct documented fit. A playlist is a sequence of songs, not a set of separate audio streams sent to YouTube. Google’s LiveStreams documentation says an ingested feed containing multiple audio streams must contain only one audio stream.
Add a visual and connect the YouTube broadcast
- Give the scene a visual source. Add a still image or another suitable visual alongside the VLC audio source. OBS scenes combine sources in the output; see the OBS Sources Guide. The cited materials do not establish whether YouTube currently accepts an audio-only stream, so do not assume it does.
- Create or select a YouTube Live broadcast. In YouTube Studio, create or choose the broadcast you intend to use and check that the channel can stream. Labels and eligibility steps can change, so follow the current Studio interface.
- Connect OBS to that broadcast. Configure OBS to send its output to the selected YouTube broadcast using the connection options currently shown in YouTube Studio and OBS. Keep the stream key private; anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to your channel.
- Start the stream and check YouTube’s preview. Confirm the visual is present, the music is audible, and the intended playlist is playing before leaving the setup unattended. Google distinguishes the broadcast from the incoming audio/video feed in its explanation of broadcasts and streams.
Check it before leaving it unattended
- Verify that the VLC playlist contains the intended tracks from each folder and no unintended files.
- Confirm whether shuffle is on or off, and test that looping restarts the list at the end.
- Listen to the YouTube preview and check that the visual source remains in the scene.
- Confirm YouTube Studio shows the broadcast as live and watch for copyright warnings or interruptions.
- Do not treat a successful initial preview as proof of continuous uptime. OBS running locally depends on the computer and its connection remaining available; no reliability figure is established for a particular setup.
Troubleshooting
VLC Video is missing from the Sources menu
Install VLC, then restart OBS and check again. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC as OBS specifies.
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Some tracks do not appear
Check the playlist itself and add the missing files directly from their folders. The documented workflow does not promise recursive folder scanning or automatic detection of later additions.
The playlist stops at the last track
Open the VLC source properties and turn on Loop Playlist. Shuffle affects order; it does not replace the loop setting.
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YouTube preview has no sound or image
Check that the VLC source is playing, the scene is active, and the intended visual and audio sources are present. Then inspect the YouTube preview and broadcast status. If audio is missing, check the OBS source and output configuration rather than adding multiple separate audio streams to the YouTube ingest.
The stream is warned, interrupted, or terminated
Review YouTube Studio notifications and the track rights. YouTube scans live streams for third-party matches; even a licensed recording may be interrupted if the rights owner has not allowlisted the channel through Content ID. Resolve permissions and allowlisting with the rights owner before restarting with that material. If you archive the stream, note that YouTube says Content ID claims may also be made after the live stream ends; that post-stream process is distinct from live matching.
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The stream goes offline while unattended
A local OBS stream requires the running computer and network connection to remain available. Check the computer, OBS, and connection, then restore the broadcast using YouTube Studio’s current controls. If avoiding a computer running at home matters more than managing the local setup, see the cloud option below.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo keeps an uploaded-video YouTube stream running from the cloud: upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, then go live. Nothing has to stay on at home. It plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting a camera, and YouTube copyright permissions and allowlisting still matter. A slot streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card; monthly billing is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
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Sources and further guidance
- OBS Project: Media Sources
- OBS Project: Sources Guide
- Google for Developers: LiveStreams
- Google for Developers: Understanding Broadcasts and Streams
- YouTube Help: Copyright issues with live streams
- U.S. Copyright Office: Copyright Act, Chapter 1
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