Blog Made on YouTube 2025 - Updates to Live
YouTube just dropped its biggest Live update since 2013, and it’s a huge deal for music. In Q2 alone, 30%+ of daily logged-in viewers watched live content, and YouTube is clearly doubling down.
YouTube just dropped its biggest Live update since 2013, and it’s a huge deal for music. In Q2 alone, 30%+ of daily logged-in viewers watched live content, and YouTube is clearly doubling down.
30%+ of daily logged-in viewers watched live content
Why music teams should care
Live is where fandom forms in real time. For labels and artists, 24/7 channels compound watch time, surface more often across YouTube, and unlock new revenue touchpoints.
What's new (and why it matters for labels & artists)
🔵 New monetization tools: the new side-by-side ads are a less intrusive format for viewers, while helping brands get paid without pulling their audience away.
🔵 Members-only switch: seamlessly flip a public stream into a members-only experience mid-show for exclusives (e.g., album deep-dives, AMAs).
🔵 Music-fan features: album/single pre-saves + countdowns right inside YouTube Music, plus exclusive video drops and exclusive merch drops for top fans.
🔵 Simulcast across formats: go live horizontal + vertical at the same time with one unified chat. Great for running a living-room TV experience and Shorts-era discovery without splitting the audience.
🔵 React Live (mobile): Host real-time listening/watch parties reacting to premieres, festival sets, or artist collabs.
Zooming out, industry coverage frames this as YouTube’s big push to make live the next growth engine, especially on TV screens in the living room. YouTube’s vote of confidence is yet another sign of the appeal of live programming to new media companies. If you’ve been on the fence about 24/7, this is your green light.
Livestreaming is one of the fastest ways to build real connection and cultural relevance. But it’s also high pressure and can be technically tricky. If you’re exploring a 24/7 music channel strategy, please let us know. This is exactly what StreamPush is all about.