YouTube Music Rewards Fans: New Tools for Artists

YouTube Music Enhances Artist-Fan Connections with New Features

At its Made On event held on Tuesday, YouTube unveiled three upcoming features for YouTube Music. These additions are specifically designed to strengthen the relationship between musicians and their most dedicated listeners.

Release Countdown and Pre-Saves

Users will soon have the capability to initiate countdowns for forthcoming releases. They can also pre-save anticipated tracks or albums. This countdown timer will be prominently displayed on the album details page, the artist’s profile, and within the album shelf.

Scheduled for release later this year, this feature intends to generate anticipation leading up to a release date. It mirrors a similar functionality currently available on Spotify, known as Countdown Pages.

youtube music launches new tools for artists to reward fans with exclusive merch and videos

Exclusive Content for Top Fans

Beginning in early next year, artists will gain the ability to directly engage their most loyal fans. This will be achieved through the offering of exclusive “thank you” videos.

These personalized videos are akin to those provided during Spotify’s year-end Wrapped experience. Additionally, artists can share behind-the-scenes footage and other exclusive content.

The company states that this approach is intended to reward dedicated supporters and foster a more intimate connection between fans and the artists they admire.

Exclusive Merchandise Drops

YouTube Music is currently piloting a program for listeners in the U.S. This pilot will grant access to exclusive merchandise releases from various artists.

Spotify has also indicated plans for a similar program aimed at “super fans,” potentially including comparable features.

Recent Updates and Platform Anniversary

This announcement follows the recent implementation of new features on YouTube Music last month. These updates celebrated the music streaming platform’s 10th anniversary.

Included in the previous rollout were collaborative playlists, which combine the shared musical tastes of multiple users, badges, and the ability to directly comment on albums and playlists.