The arrival of TikTok gave people a new way to scroll through an endless feed of algorithm-curated videos, and it wasn’t long before others took note. Spotify redesigned its app so users could vertically scroll through recommended music and discover new artists. Now, it looks like YouTube Music is attempting to redefine the app experience for its users as well. A new tab called Samples is being added to the app’s navigation bar, putting you one tap away from music videos curated for your personal taste.
Back in May, a screenshot was posted on Reddit that led many to believe that the new discovery feature was in the works. At the time, the image depicted a vertically oriented feed with music videos akin to TikTok. Now, YouTube Music users will see a new tab marked Samples, which can be tapped to load a personalized stream of short music videos. Upon swiping, you can load new content, just as you would on your TikTok feed. In its announcement of the feature, YouTube Music said it hopes Samples will help users dive deeper into their favorite songs without having to leave the app.
Once you load a video within the Samples tab, a handful of navigation buttons pop up on the right side of the screen. You have the option to like or play the video, add it to a playlist, share it with another person, or open Shorts. Now, you don’t need to switch back and forth between two apps to access Shorts and YouTube Music.
This isn’t YouTube Music’s first attempt at making it easier for users to discover new music. Earlier this year, for instance, the Artist Radios section was moved to the homepage of the app. Radio stations based on specific artists are not new to music streaming apps, such as Spotify, but YouTube Music put them front and center. A carousel featuring recommended albums based on users’ past listening activity also debuted back in May.
The Samples tab is now rolling out globally for all YouTube Music app users. YouTube Music added that it will continue to look for other ways it can expand upon short-form discovery in the app.
