YouTube fine tunes music video recommendations
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To get better in tune with its users, YouTube is revamping the way it serves up music videos.
The online video site on Thursday launched a redesign of its music page to provide more personalized recommendations, as well as more regular curated playlists from musicians and ‘tastemakers.’ YouTube has also added a Billboard Top 20 list that users can play in its entirety.
The idea is to help users discover music so they become more deeply engaged with the site -- not that YouTube really needs a leg up on its competition. The site has consistently been the top online video viewing destination for the last several years, beating out technology behemoths Microsoft and Facebook, as well as entertainment sites such as Hulu and Viacom.
Within YouTube, music videos are the most viewed category. Close to 40% of YouTube visitors watched a music video in July, more than any other type of video, according to ComScore, an online tracking firm.
When compared with television viewing, however, YouTube still has a lot of catching up to do. While the average TV household watches hours of TV a day, viewers of YouTube’s top 20 channels spend just 23 minutes a month.
By hooking its users with music that’s either endorsed by a celebrity or recommended to them based on what they like to listen to, YouTube hopes its viewers will stick around longer.
It’s starting off with a ‘Quintessential Rock Playlist’ from Red Hot Chili Peppers’ lead vocalist Anthony Kiedis, who discusses his picks in this video:
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-- Alex Pham
Twitter/ @AlexPham