Canada will be the first testbed for a new YouTube Music feature that’s long overdue

One of the drags about using a streaming music service on your phone is that if you switch to another app, the music stops playing. YouTube Music knows this is frustrating, so they’re about to roll out what they called “background music.” And Canada will be the first to get this feature.

Come November 3, Canadian users of YouTube Music will be able to fire up a playlist and then move on to doing other things on their phones (answer a text, check email, turn off the screen) while the music keeps playing. I quote from the press release:

This update will allow people to continue listening to YouTube Music while using other apps or when your screen is off. Within this, you can engage with the YouTube Music app through an exciting ad-supported, radio-like experience featuring the artists, songs, and albums you love, plus personalized mixes on shuffle without the hassle of having to keep the YouTube Music app open on your device. 

More details from YouTube Music here.