YouTube Music will now offer free background listening (but only in this lucky country)

Google’s YouTube Music platform has got a major update today.

The company has announced that they will begin rolling out background listening to music listeners in Canada, free of charge, beginning on November 3, 2021. Normally a paid feature,  Canadian music lovers using the YouTube Music app will be the first to enjoy this new feature before it becomes available to listeners around the world.

This update will allow people to continue listening to YouTube Music while using other apps or when your screen is off. Within this, you can engage with the YouTube Music app through an ad-supported, radio-like experience featuring the artists, songs, and albums you love, plus personalized mixes on shuffle without the hassle of having to keep the YouTube Music app open on your device.

Here’s what you’ll get:

• Listen to your music in the background: You can now keep your music playing after minimizing the app or turning off your screen. Go on a run, answer a text, or check some emails without stopping your music.
• Enjoy continuous stations and shuffle: Dive into this new playback experience with continuous radio stations based on your favorite songs, albums, and artists. Further your listening through personalized playlists on shuffle, like Mixed for you on the Home tab, which features mixes inspired by your ever-changing music ecosystem. If you’ve uploaded songs on the YouTube Music app, you can continue to play them anytime, and you can also keep streaming music and videos, on-demand, with the YouTube app.
• Focus on what’s important: With Google Assistant driving mode, drivers can now keep their focus on the road while staying safe and entertained with a hands-free YouTube Music experience.

If you don’t already have YouTube Music, download the YouTube Music app in the Play Store or App Store.