YouTube Music ‘Listening Room’ beta program launching [Update: Sign-ups closed]

Abner Li | Jan 22 2023 - 12:10 pm PT

To “help shape the future of YTM,” the YouTube Music team is launching a “Listening Room” program to give selected users early access to features and provide feedback.

Update 1/22: The sign-up form for YouTube Music Listening Room is “no longer accepting submissions.” It closed approximately 24 hours after launch, with an “overwhelming response” cited by the YouTube Music team.

Thank you for your interest in helping to shape the future of YouTube Music! Due to an overwhelming response, we are no longer accepting submissions. We’re so thankful to have passionate users who are willing to give us feedback. 🙏

Besides beta testing new features, the program will “ask for feedback on pre-development concepts, or even have casual discussions about your routines and needs as a music listener.”

We’ll continue to read this subreddit regularly to hear your feedback. Thanks again for all the opinions and ideas!

Original 1/19: If selected for the “Listening Room,” you’ll get early access to new features and join an “exclusive group of users” on Discord, with the YouTube Music product team, to provide feedback.

Another perk is a free year of YouTube Music Premium. Requirements include:

Be a lover of music
Use YouTube Music as your primary music streaming service for a year (you can still continue using another music streaming service at the same time)
Give regular feedback through conversations and polls on Discord
Agree to NOT share any information – i.e., taking screenshots, pictures, or recordings of conversations or early features with anyone outside of the Discord group

The sign-up process on Google Forms asks how often you listen to streaming music, and what you consider to be your primary service. One interesting distinction is between the main YouTube app and YTM.

In addition to listing favorite artists and genres, there are seven possible user types that you’re asked to select from:

Music is a huge part of my identity, and my friends know it. I’m always listening to new music, and I stay up-to-date with big music trends.
I like discovering new music, but it’s not a huge part of my life. I often listen to music while socializing, gaming, or eating.
I like staying in the know and being part of a music community, although I don’t have super strong opinions about music. I don’t want to miss out on the latest music trends.
I like to listen to the same music over and over.
I use music to change the mood and make moments more enjoyable. I usually rely on music services to stream music for me.
I like to listen to nostalgic music, and I usually listen to music in the background while doing chores, traveling, commuting, or working out.
Music defines and inspires me. I am highly opinionated about music, and I don’t care as much about music that is considered popular.

The team is also asking about form factor usage and frequency: Phone, Laptop / Desktop computer, Tablet, TV, Smart speaker, Smart display, and Smart watch.

There are questions about short-form video consumption, and how often you listen to audio-first content: podcasts, interviews, audiobooks.

There are then demographic questions, while you have to agree to not share any in-development features publicly, use YouTube Music as your primary streaming app for the next year, and provide regular/active feedback.