Going Live for Music Channels

Some of your most dedicated fans subscribe to your channel to stay close to the music. Going live on YouTube can give them a front row seat to your biggest music moments, in real time.

Jump to Live Quick-Start Guide

Going Live on YouTube for the first time? Enable live streams by verifying your account at least 24 hours before you plan to go live.

HOW: Go to Create (+) → Select Go Live → Click Enable and verify your account with your phone number.

Your Live Quick-Start Guide

Just getting started and focusing on the essentials?

Consider these first steps:

Pre-Release

Before a new video or live stream

Set a Premiere for your new music video or upload.
Make a new release moment with a live stream before or after your music video Premiere.
Set up Live Redirect to seamlessly connect fans between your live stream and Premiere.

Release Day

“Game day” or the day your new video comes out

Go live before or after your video Premiere.
Interact with fans by pinning  and replying in the live chat  and comments.

Post-Release

After your video Premiere

Make your stream available as an  on-demand video. Your live streams can add depth to your visual storytelling around a release, so allow fans to dive deeper even after the stream is done.

PRO TIP

Test your live stream in an unlisted stream before your go-live date, especially for high production or high investment events.

Why Going Live on Youtube?

YouTube’s live features not only connect you with your existing audience, but also allow you to:

Create live content to your desired scale and production level.

Immerse fans in a live experience that builds on your  music’s visual storytelling and allows you to engage with  them in real time.

Boost discovery and expand the life of your live content across formats. Your stream may also appear on youtube.com/live.

Use shopping features, supers and turn on ads for your live streams to earn revenue. Learn more about monetizing your live stream.

More and more, fans are eager for live experiences. On average, over 30% of daily logged-in YouTube viewers watched live content in Q2 2025 alone.*

When building your live strategy, decide what you want to go for...

Low-lift, relatively consistent and targeted towards your  core fanbase.

Built around a major moment, intended for a broad audience, and typically involves planning and promotion.

…and how you want to go live.

Horizontal Live Streams

Traditional, likely what you think of streaming on YouTube
More and more, fans are enjoying their favorite music moments on TV screens. Horizontal streams can give fans flexibility in how they want to tune in.

The label STREET MOB live streamed their DON’T FALL IN LOVE festival for fans to tune in from all over the world.

Yeri Mua hosted a “get ready with me”-style vertical stream to chat candidly with fans before the release of ‘De Chava (Deluxe).’

Vertical Live Streams

Unlike horizontal streams, also appear in the YouTube Shorts feed for mobile viewers

(Available on Desktop)

If you’re already planning to do a horizontal stream, enable dual streaming to maximize your reach.

Live stream simultaneously in both vertical and horizontal formats through a single broadcast. Fans are able to join the same chat, regardless of the device they’re watching from.

Level up your stream with an encoder, which gives you more customization and control over your stream than a simple mobile or webcam stream. Learn more here.

PRO TIP

If you’re planning on using copyright protected music during your live stream, we recommend coordinating with your label or distributor to avoid any issues, like copyright strikes.  Learn more here.

Live Redirect

Live Redirect allows a channel to seamlessly direct a live audience to another
live stream or Premiere before it starts.

For example, fans tune in to your live stream.

When the live stream ends, Live Redirect takes fans to your Premiere.

Fans automatically land on the Premiere landing page and a countdown will start.

Connect as many live experiences as you’d like, including:

Live stream → Premiere
Live stream → Premiere

Premiere → Live stream
Live stream → Live stream

Premieres

Premieres allow you and fans to watch your music video together in real
time with a live chat as soon as it’s out.

Upload music video → Schedule desired time → Select “Set  as Premiere”

Make Your Premiere a Full Fan Event

Set a Trailer
Use a Countdown Theme
Pin a message in the Live Chat. The Live Chat is available once a Premiere is set up. Use the space to build hype for the event and engage with fans during the Premiere.
Tag merch. Bring your merch stand to your music video Premiere. Take it a step further, and add exclusivity to your event by tagging limited stock or unique merch, only sold during your music video Premiere.

THEODORA’s “MASOKO NA MABELE” video Premiere provided a space for fans to express their excitement for
the new music and visuals.

Make Sales with YouTube Shopping

Learn how to connect your online store to your channel here.

Drop surprise merch for fans during a live stream. Fans will see a shopping bag image until the product goes live.

LEARN HOW

Tag merch in your live streams and Premieres so clickable buttons appear while fans watch.

LEARN HOW