YouTube Music gets ready to improve music discovery with new 'Related' tab [Updated]

By Michael Allison
published

YouTube Music on a Pixel 4 XL
YouTube Music on a Pixel 4 XL (Image credit: Joe Maring / Android Central)
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Update, June 16: Related tab is rolling out to Android users today.

What you need to know

  • Google is testing a new tab for discovery in YouTube Music.
  • The tab will sit alongside the Up Next and Lyrics tab in the new Player UI.
  • Google recently announced a transfer tool to YouTube Music as it plans to make that its only streaming service going forward.

Google has been improving the YouTube Music app ever since it repositioned it as the successor to Play Music two years ago, and now, as Play Music prepares to be shuttered completely, the company is testing out a new feature that'll help improve discovery.

Youtube Music Related Tab

Source: XDA Developers (Image credit: Source: XDA Developers)

Spotted on Reddit via the folks at XDA Developers, Google is adding a new 'Related' tab next to the new Lyrics and Up Next tabs introduced with last month's YouTube Music update. While the appearance of the tab varies across users, the gist of it is that the app would show you related artists, albums, or playlists. It already has a precursor to this recommendations interface as a scrolling list under artist pages, but now it'll be added to the Now Playing interface as a natural jumping-off point for listeners.

The change is only being tested, and while it differs in implementation, it's something that Google could go forward with. Despite YouTube's fairly decent recommendation features, YouTube Music struggles with exposing users to different artists. That may change with this update, and the sooner the better.

YouTube Music: Everything you need to know

Update, June 16 — Android users will start seeing the Related tab in YouTube Music today.

Once your device receives the update, you'll see a Related tab in your now playing window beside the Up Next and Lyrics tabs. This new feature will bring you related songs and artists, recommended playlists, more albums and EPs from the artist, as well as a section that gives additional information on the artist that is currently playing. The Related tab will continue to get new features as time goes on to further improve song and artist discovery.

Youtube Music Related Tab

Source: YouTube Music (Image credit: Source: YouTube Music)

Currently, the update is heading out to Android mobile devices, but iOS mobile users should see new feature in a future update.

Michael Allison
Michael Allison
17 Comments
  • Google needs to get YouTube music right asap... It's killing Android because first time buyers are going to Apple, because their music service works. It is unconscionable that Google has created a music service disaster... They appear to have no clue. A broken music service is a deal breaker.
  • I don't actually think they're getting it wrong they've improved YouTube music music a lot. And they're still seven months for them to keep updating YouTube music to get closer to you Google play music. Plus there podcast app is actually really good.
  • I've never tried their podcast app, but if it just does podcasts, then it makes sense that it works well. If they just had a music app that concentrated on music instead of video, and use that for music ... oh wait, they already do. That's what does not make sense to me about this switch. I don't want my music app to concentrate on showing me videos. I want it to concentrate on showing me music. I have not used many other music apps besides Play Music, but I cannot believe that they work this had to show me videos of music, rather than music tracks. They may have improved some things, but for 2 years in, and 7 months to go, it is a long way from being a replacement for Play Music. I also don't like that my music play history is mixed into my YouTube viewing. There needs to be some separation there as well. I guess we will see, but if in the end it is still the mess it is today, I may have to find another music app.
  • Have you even used YouTube music? Your statement is so ignorant.
  • I have and agree with all of the above. YTM is a mess. Youtube mixing with the Music app is a disaster. There's so many missing artists and tracks on YTM compared to GPM. It plays the crappy video versions (some have "thanks for watching our video **** after the song or long theatrical intros) of things you have in your playlists instead of the quality album version. The Uploads section is a nightmare of unrecognized file naming and misread tags. Things that were perfectly organized in GPM are scattered and mislebeld now or simply "unavailable". And then there's the paywall for basic things people used GPM for.
  • I'll give this service it's credit , it is trying but it's just not ready to replace GPM entirely.
  • There is still seven months to get it right, though, so let's not despair yet...
  • Has anybody besides the writers here been able to transfer their playlist over from Play Music? The tool in YouTube Music still hasn't showed up for me.
  • I haven't...still waiting
  • See
    https://www.androidcentral.com/youtube-music-transfers-have-been-delayed...
  • This has nothing to do with getting the transfer tool in the app, this is when you have the app and start the transfer. I still don't have the transfer tool in the app!
  • In the last paragraph, it says it may take longer to get the transfer tool, and this is a form link to request early access. That's why I posted it. Should have pointed that out.
  • You still can't tap the Artist tab and have the songs & albums, in your library, appear. What's the use of having the artist tab in the first place.
  • Has anyone noticed that music sounds louder in the YTMusic app than in Google Play Music?
  • YouTube music is now my favorite music app!
  • AC, could you put the version number that is related to these updates? I cannot figure out reading your YouTube Music coverage what I should and should not be seeing. My biggest problem with this is it is video based, not music based. One of the questions I have is where can I purchase music? Is it still going to be part of the Play Store? They had a perfectly fine music app, did everything I wanted. YTM is a mess, and they have been working on it for 2 years, so I don't know why anyone thinks that they will have it working as well as Play Music in 7 months. It does not appear to be moving very fast for that to happen.
  • This is the first new feature I actually REALLY like, I've been using it today to sort of chain my own list of "related" songs together into a playlist. I like that it links not just to other songs, but playlists, artists, an other albums from the artist. I might not agree with how they are "related", but it gives me a good way to wander around discovering stuff I might not have ever heard.