This article was published on October 4, 2021
YouTube Music is lifting one of its most annoying limitations — but only in Canada. Today, YouTube announced that beginning November 3rd, customers in Canada will be able to continue listening to their music in the background while doing other tasks on their phone or when the screen is off.
Background listening will support both the standard ad-supported, personalized radio mixes and any uploaded content you’ve added to your account.
This is the first time that YouTube Music has offered the feature without requiring that customers step up to a Premium subscription to get it. As for when listeners in other countries can expect to get the same convenience, for now, YouTube is only saying to “stay tuned for additional information and expansion plans.”
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/4/22708688/youtube-music-free-background-listening-date