Made On YouTube: New features for music fans

Today at Made On YouTube Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music announced new tools to bring music artists even closer to their passionate fan bases.

“Today you’ve heard how we’re building tools that bring creators and their passionate communities together…. And when we talk about passion, there's no community more powerful than music.

Music fandom on YouTube is unique.

Artists don’t just share their music; they build worlds. Fans don’t just listen; they belong. For years, we’ve worked hard to nurture the connection between artists and their fans, and today we’re stoked to unveil the next chapter. We’re introducing new ways for artists and their top fans to connect on a more personal level. It’s about rewarding loyalty to the fans who are there from day one.”

The new features announced include:

• New release countdowns and album pre-saves. Coming later this year, the features will allow YouTube Music fans to pre-save an upcoming album or single and view a countdown to its release on the album detail page, artist detail page, and album shelf.
• Exclusive video drops. Early next year, artists will have the ability to share things like “thank you” videos, behind-the-scenes clips, and other just-for-fans content directly to their most dedicated fans.
• Exclusive merch drops. Pilot program (US-only) that gives top viewers an opportunity to be first in line for their favorite artist’s exclusive merch.

You can read more details here and learn more about what we announced today at Made on YouTube. Stay tuned for more updates on fan-first music features on YouTube.