Parents' Guide to

YouTube Music

By Chris Morris, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Comprehensive music service almost has it all.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Free Music
YouTube Music Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • YouTube Music App: Screenshot #1
  • YouTube Music App: Screenshot #2
  • YouTube Music App: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

See all
age 12+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Tez B.
Tez B. Parent of 11 and 13-year-old
November 21, 2022
age 14+

Can't turn off explicit content permanently

At present it appears as a parent you can't switch off the explicit content permanently. This is incredibly frustrating and should be a crucial part of being a family account. The industry should be protecting children, not exploiting them
The Idle modding expert
The Idle modding expert Adult
September 25, 2022
age 2+

It's just music

It's just music

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Easy to play/use
See all 5 parent reviews

Privacy Rating Warning

  • Personal information is not sold or rented to third parties.
  • Personal information is shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • User's information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Unclear whether this product creates and uses data profiles for personalised advertisements.
Learn more about our privacy ratings

What’s It About?

With YOUTUBE MUSIC users can listen to audio selections and watch videos from their favorite artists. The app automatically uses any existing Google accounts on your device to log you in. Once you get going, it creates a daily playlist for you called "My Mix," which combines liked and listened-to tracks as well as songs it believes you'll enjoy. You can also search for artists and music you love by name or category, download playlists to listen to offline, keep music on in the background while you're using other apps, and toggle to audio only. YouTube Red subscribers get all the features, while others will have to deal with commercials and limitations on use.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (9 ):

With a deep, diverse catalogue of artists and videos, this music streamer is a definite contender; however, its interface could use a little streamlining. One cool feature is the ability to toggle between audio and video seamlessly with the video picking up exactly where the song is playing, and the inclusion of fan-shot videos of live performances gives the service something its competitors can't offer. Also, videos can be "cast" to your TV using Google Chrome. That said, there's a lot going on here, and the app sometimes stumbles over itself. The user interface could use some refinement to make it more intuitive: An introductory tutorial (beyond the pop-up hints) would help. A parent's biggest concern will be the content of the music and videos, since there are no filters or a safety mode, but if your kids already have Google accounts and are allowed on YouTube, they already have access to iffy content. Parents can access recent searches and videos viewed in settings, and checking out videos by your kids' favorite artists will give you an idea of what's available.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about your rules around music and videos. What's allowed and what's not? Check out our guide to YouTube to get tips on how to manage your teen's use.

  • Talk about the imagery in videos and what it represents. Ask teens what they think certain lyrics or images mean.

  • Discuss your teen's favorite music. What do they love, and why?

App Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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