YouTube is expanding its “Stations” feature, a continuous 24/7 streaming format, beyond the limited group of music artists involved in its initial pilot. The expansion will now include selected creators, media channels, podcasts and additional music artists.
Announced in an August 21 update, Stations allows viewers to watch a curated, always-on stream built from a channel’s existing video catalogue rather than selecting individual videos. The experience also includes real-time live chat, allowing audiences to interact with other viewers while the stream is playing.
YouTube describes Stations as an “always-on, lean-back viewing experience” that enables fans to watch collections of videos from their favourite creators while engaging with one another through live chat.
The company said Stations recommendations are now appearing across the Home and Search feeds on the YouTube and YouTube Music apps, including mobile, desktop and connected TV devices. The feature is currently available globally, with Portugal, Switzerland and Türkiye among the exceptions.
For creators, however, the expansion remains limited. YouTube said it is initially working with “a limited number of new creators for this experiment” and will provide further updates as the programme expands.
YouTube initially tested the concept as a music-focused experience. The first version launched in April around the 2026 Coachella Festival, combining livestreams, replays and behind-the-scenes footage into a continuous viewing experience.
The latest expansion represents a significant shift in the format’s scope, opening it to podcasters, media organisations, creators and a broader range of musicians.
One early example is Green Day, which launched “Green Day TV” on August 6. The 24/7 channel combines live footage, music videos, archival material, previously unreleased footage and original programming.
The band’s Station draws on more than 100 hours of archival content. It includes new programming such as a variety show hosted by drummer Tré Cool, alongside trivia, giveaways, and merchandise promotions designed to keep audiences engaged with the channel.
One of the most significant aspects of Stations is how it differs from conventional livestreaming.
Creators can already operate continuous streams using tools such as RTMP, OBS and third-party cloud playout platforms. However, these approaches typically require creators to manage their own streaming infrastructure, monitor stream performance and handle rights and content management.
YouTube’s native Stations format shifts much of that responsibility to the platform while also integrating the streams directly into YouTube’s recommendation and search ecosystem.
More importantly, the feature effectively transforms an existing content catalogue into a continuous programming service.
Creators, music artists and media organisations with substantial archives — including music videos, interviews, live performances, gaming content, documentaries and evergreen educational programming — can potentially package their existing content into a channel that operates more like linear television than a traditional on-demand video library.
This could particularly benefit established creators and rights-holders with large libraries of cleared content, giving them a way to extract additional value from material already produced.
The expansion also aligns with YouTube’s growing position as a television and connected-TV platform.
Continuous Stations could encourage longer viewing sessions by reducing the need for audiences to repeatedly select individual videos. Instead, viewers can enter a channel and let the programming continue, much like a traditional television station.
This approach could strengthen YouTube’s appeal on connected TVs, where audiences increasingly consume longer-form, professionally produced content.
For content owners, it also creates the possibility of maintaining a continuous audience presence without producing and publishing new material for every viewing session.
Despite the expansion, several questions remain unanswered.
YouTube has not yet detailed how creators will be selected for the pilot, what eligibility requirements will apply, or whether Stations will support standard advertising, sponsorship integrations and other existing YouTube monetisation tools.
The company has also not provided a timeline for when the feature could become available to a wider group of creators.
For now, Stations remains a limited experiment for selected creators and content owners. However, the expansion signals YouTube’s broader interest in combining the scale of on-demand video with the continuous viewing experience traditionally associated with linear television.
If expanded more widely, Stations could give creators, broadcasters, music companies, and other rights-holders a new way to turn existing content libraries into always-on digital channels—potentially further blurring the line between traditional broadcasting and online video platforms.
