Photo Credit: YouTube Music
YouTube announces three new fan-engagement features coming to YouTube Music, designed to deepen the connection between artists and their superfans.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, YouTube’s Made On event this week unveiled three new features coming to YouTube Music. These new features are designed to further engage superfans and connect them with the artists they love.
“Twenty years ago, YouTube launched with the idea that everyone should have the opportunity to create and find a global stage,” the company said. “Since then, we’ve seen creators shape culture and entertainment in ways we never thought possible. Anyone with an idea—whether an individual artist, studio, or brand—can become a creator here.”
YouTube says it has paid out over $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies worldwide just in the last four years. “We didn’t just create a platform,” says Neal Mohan, YouTube CEO. “We built an economy.”
A new countdown for upcoming releases and the ability to pre-save tracks or albums in advance are coming later this year. The timer will be displayed on the album detail page, artist profile, and album shelf. Notably, this functionality is a clear effort to compete with YouTube Music rival Spotify. The Stockholm streamer’s Countdown Pages have been a big hit for the most dedicated fans, who eagerly await new content from their idols.
Artists on YouTube Music will also be able to engage with their most loyal fans starting next year by offering exclusive “thank you” videos, behind-the-scenes clips, and other exclusive content. This feature, again, is similar to one Spotify rolls out each year in the form of Wrapped. But YouTube’s version is focused more on rewarding top supporters and building a more personal connection between fans and artists, rather than a recap of a user’s yearly listening habits.
Further, YouTube Music is rolling out a pilot program for users in the U.S., allowing them to access exclusive merch drops from artists. Unsurprisingly, Spotify has also been testing a superfan-oriented program or subscription tier that it says would offer similar features.
YouTube’s latest announcement follows its music platform’s recent rollout of new features last month in honor of YouTube Music’s 10th anniversary. These include collaborative playlists, achievement badges, and the ability to comment on albums and playlists.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.digitalmusicnews.com ’
