Overview

• YouTube detailed the features at its Made On event on September 16, positioning them as tools for artists to reach their most engaged listeners.
• A release countdown with pre‑saves will arrive later this year, with timers shown on album pages, artist profiles and album shelves.
• Starting early next year, artists will be able to send exclusive thank‑you messages, behind‑the‑scenes clips and other content to top supporters.
• A U.S. pilot is underway for exclusive merchandise drops that listeners can access within YouTube Music.
• The push follows last month’s 10th‑anniversary updates such as collaborative playlists, badges and album or playlist comments, with TechCrunch noting similarities to Spotify’s offerings.