YouTube Music adds ‘activity bar’ to customize homepage, rolls out personalized ‘My Mixes’

Abner Li | Nov 9 2020 - 8:52 am PT

With the Play Music deprecation underway, YouTube Music continues its onslaught of new features. YouTube Music today is rolling out high-level filters that let you customize the homepage, as well as six “My Mixes.”

The top of the Home feed now features four filters: Workout, Focus, Relax, and Commute. Tapping an item on the “activity bar” will reload the feed with personalized recommendations and playlists for that “everyday” task.

Starting a workout? Simply tap the Workout icon, which takes you to a dedicated personalized homepage full of playlists perfectly suited for your workout. You’ll also receive up to four new personalized Workout Mixes, featuring songs you know and love, as well as other great recommendations.
Feeling more mellow and looking for some tunes to match your mood? Navigate over to the Relax or Focus icons and you’ll get personalized Mixes to help you keep calm and carry on.

Besides the carousel chip being highlighted, the usual black background will display an appropriate header image behind the Music logo, microphone icon, and your profile avatar. This feature was first spotted in testing this September, and you can tap your selection at anytime to return to the normal “Home” feed.

Meanwhile, Google is introducing more playlists that are algorithmically tuned for you. Each of the six YouTube “My Mixes” feature a “different corner of your music world.” The company notes that they are “always updating.”

Pick your vibe and hit ‘play’ to hear hours of music that blend some of your favorite songs with new favorites, all tied together through a cohesive sonic theme.

This dramatically expands the “Mixed for you” shelf from four items and joins the recent “My Supermix” rebrand. Formerly “Your Mix,” that flagship playlist “combines all of your music tastes into one eclectic listening experience.”

These two new features are rolling out now to Android and iOS.