How to Use YouTube Premium for Music Without Ever Opening YouTube Music
If you’re paying for YouTube Premium but actively avoid YouTube Music, you’re not alone. Many subscribers find the dedicated music app clunky, its recommendations off, or simply prefer the regular YouTube experience. The good news is that your Premium subscription already gives you everything you need for ad-free, background, and offline music listening without touching YouTube Music.
Stick With Regular YouTube for Music
The standard YouTube app and website are more than capable of replacing YouTube Music entirely. Here’s how to make the most of it:
- Search and play music normally. Look up songs, albums, official music videos, live performances, or lyric videos just like you would on any other platform. Premium removes ads and enables background playback, so the audio continues even when you lock your phone or switch apps.
- Build and save playlists. Create your own playlists directly in the main YouTube app. These work seamlessly for background listening and offline use.
- Download for offline listening. Download individual videos or entire playlists. Once downloaded, they play without an internet connection—perfect for travel or commutes.
This approach often feels better because you get access to a wider variety of content: fan uploads, remixes, live sessions, and rare recordings that aren’t always available on dedicated music services.
Smarter Alternatives to Pair With Your Premium Subscription
Since YouTube Premium already covers video and basic audio needs, consider layering a dedicated music service that better matches your taste. Many users run YouTube Premium alongside another app:
- Spotify — Excellent for discovery, curated playlists, and social sharing.
- Apple Music — Strong audio quality and seamless iOS integration.
- Amazon Music — Often a good value if you already have Prime.
- Bandcamp — Ideal for supporting independent artists with high-quality downloads.
- SoundCloud — Great for underground tracks, remixes, and emerging artists.
The Spotify + YouTube Premium combination is especially popular among users who want the best of both worlds.
Quick Ways to Minimize YouTube Music Friction
- Uninstall or disable the YouTube Music app on your phone.
- On Android, go to Settings > Apps and disable the pre-installed YTM app completely.
- Use browser-based YouTube or third-party clients (like NewPipe or Revanced on Android) for even more control.
- When searching for music on your device, set the default to open in regular YouTube.
Managing Your Subscription Cost
YouTube Premium bundles video and music, so you can’t easily separate them. However, you can:
- Share a family plan to reduce the per-person cost.
- Keep Premium primarily for ad-free video and use a cheaper standalone music service.
- Watch for occasional Google offers to pause or adjust your plan.
If the recommendations, interface, audio quality, or library features in YouTube Music are what bother you most, let me know for more specific workarounds. Your Premium subscription is already powerful—you don’t have to settle for an app you don’t enjoy.
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