In December 2022, YouTube Music initiated a poll on X, soliciting user feedback on desired features for the ad-supported tier of its platform. The poll, which garnered 4,145 votes, offered a range of options including better recommendations, a sleep timer, improvements to lyrics, and background play. Among these features, background play emerged as the clear frontrunner, securing 52.4% of the total votes.
Following the success of the X poll, YouTube Music extended the survey to its official forum in January 2023, providing an avenue for users to continue voicing their preferences. Unlike the X poll which concluded shortly after its inception, the forum survey remains open to date, allowing enthusiasts to continue casting their votes for desired features.
While the prospect of background play on the ad-supported tier may seem unlikely, given its potential impact on revenue generation, the persistence of the forum survey definitely got my attention. With the second-most upvotes of 939 and counting (improvements to lyrics leads the way with 971 and counting), users are actively advocating for the implementation of background play in the free tier, underscoring its significance within the YouTube Music community. Interestingly, Google did trial this feature in Canada back in 2021, but it never went global perhaps for obvious reasons.
Despite the resounding call for background play, recent updates from YouTube Music have focused on addressing other user-requested features. Last April, for instance, YouTube Music picked up support for sleep timers not longer after efforts to enhance music recommendations through the prominence of artist radio stations. Real-time lyrics were also integrated into the platform, complemented by initiatives aimed at improving content discovery, such as the introduction of a ‘Samples’ carousel and increased notifications for new releases.
However, amidst these commendable efforts, YouTube Music has conspicuously neglected the most popular feature request – background play for ad-supported listeners. The disparity between user demands and platform priorities raises questions about the extent to which user feedback influences product development decisions. One even wonders why YouTube Music is still taking user opinions when they are clearly not listening to what they already have.
As the voting continues in the YouTube Music forum, I encourage you to keep voicing your support for background play to emphasize the importance of honoring the community’s preferences. By actively participating in the survey, YouTube Music users can signal to Google the significance of adhering to the principles of user-centric design and fulfilling promises made through feature polls.
One certain thing is that the ongoing forum vote serves as a powerful reminder to Google — listen to your audience, deliver on your promises, and stick to the rules you set. After all, the most upvoted feature deserves its moment in the spotlight, wouldn’t you agree?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Hillary Keverenge
2114 Posts
Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.
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