As before, YouTube Music Premium subscribers can request specific songs, artists and playlists on demand. So while this free experience isn't nearly as flexible as what you get when you're signed up for a subscription, it does give Google something to compete with Spotify and Pandora's free offerings on smart speakers.

Meanwhile, YouTube Music is making inroads elsewhere despite its relatively late arrival to the streaming scene, arriving on Sonos and the Google Clock app for Android earlier this year, and pushing forward with its event partnerships.