YouTube Music’s free tier now available on Google Home speakers

Abner Li | Apr 18 2019 - 9:54 am PT

Following Home’s new “Gentle Sleep & Wake” feature yesterday, Google speakers and Smart Displays now support YouTube Music’s free tier. This allows you to listen to stations that feature ads, with availability starting today in 16 countries.

The free tier of YouTube Music features ads, with users only able to access “stations.” Skipping tracks will be limited, and song replays are not allowed. To play specific albums, songs, artists, and playlists, YouTube Music Premium at $9.99/month or YouTube Premium at $11.99/month is still required.

YouTube Music does excel at stations, with a wide selection “for any moment or mood.” Google does note that songs will be “customized to your tastes based upon your request.”

Need a groove to get you ready for a night out? Say, “Hey Google, play Latin vibes.” Looking to kick off a dinner party or pick a power playlist for your home workout? We’ve got you covered.

To enable, head into Google Assistant settings > Services > Music. Free, ad-supported YouTube Music is available in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands, and Austria. More countries for smart speakers and displays are coming soon.

Select YouTube Music as the default music service. If you are setting up a new Google Home speaker, choose YouTube Music as the default music service during the setup process.