Song Stories

Every song has a story to be told. Falling down the rabbit hole and discovering what inspired our greatest artists, producers, and songwriters makes the song you’re listening to or the video you’re watching much more meaningful—and also more fun.

We’ve teamed up with Genius—the internet’s biggest encyclopedia of music, and no stranger to rabbit holes themselves—to experiment on an immersive new product that will give fans a deeper look inside their favorite artists and how some of their most iconic hits came to be.

Introducing Song Stories. Song Stories will combine in-depth Genius artist interviews and a wide range of YouTube content—including concert footage, music video clips, and playlists—with interactive elements and behind-the-music details that play along as you move through each Story. Where did that lyrical phrase come from? How did that beat come together? What inspired that song’s music video? These are just a few of the questions Song Stories will explore.

You can catch a sneak peek of the new experience starting today: Song Stories spanning music genres and eras—from Lil Uzi Vert’s “XO TOUR Llif3” to Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart”—are rolling out on Genius.com and the Genius iOS and Android apps.

“At YouTube we're working every day to push the envelope and find new ways to enhance the overall music experience by better connecting artists and fans," said Lyor Cohen, YouTube's Global Head of Music. "This project with Genius provides a more immersive way to explore music—it's the perfect example of innovating in pursuit of this goal.”

“A song is so much more than an audio file. We're constantly working to deliver users interesting and delightful information to make the music experience richer,” said Ilan Zechory, Genius’s co-founder and president. “Genius and YouTube, the two biggest sources of musical deep cuts and rabbit holes on the planet, are natural collaborators on this mission.”

You can find fresh Song Stories to check out here—simply click “Watch the story” at the top of the song page to launch the experience.

There are more Song Stories on the horizon, so keep your eyes (and ears) peeled.