Streamlabs Music is no longer available: Streamlabs removed it from its app store for new users on March 6, 2025, and it stopped working in Streamlabs Desktop after March ended. If you are looking for instructions to set it up today, the practical answer is to choose a current music source and check its licence for YouTube live broadcasts and archived streams.
Streamlabs says music previously used from its app remains DMCA-free in past recordings and YouTube uploads. That statement is about music previously used from Streamlabs Music in those past recordings and uploads; it does not make other music, or new uses through another service, automatically safe.
Is Streamlabs Music still available?
No. The Streamlabs Music player has been discontinued, so its former installation and playback instructions are not a route to getting it running now. Streamlabs’ support notice says the app was removed from the app store for new users on March 6, 2025. Existing users could continue using it through the end of March; from April 1, it was no longer available in Streamlabs Desktop.
That distinction matters if you have found an old guide, video, or forum answer that still describes adding the app or choosing tracks in its player. Those steps reflect a product that has ended, not an alternate setup that you can still follow. Do not spend time troubleshooting a missing app as though it were a local installation problem.
The useful question now is which current source fits the way you broadcast. A devotional channel may need a long, continuous playlist and clear rights for an archived stream. A local news channel might only need short transitions. A study station may care more about quiet playback and a predictable repeat schedule. The right substitute depends on both the workflow and the rights attached to the particular tracks.
If your channel runs continuously, music is only one part of the operating plan. You may also need to decide when tracks change and how the stream recovers after interruptions; the guide to creating a daily schedule for a 24/7 YouTube music stream covers the scheduling side. It does not change the need to verify each track’s permission.
What Streamlabs announced and when
Streamlabs published its “Changes to Streamlabs Music” support notice on March 5, 2025, and last updated it on August 30, 2025. The notice set out two stages: removal from the app store for new users on March 6, and the end of access in Streamlabs Desktop for existing users after March. Streamlabs’ stated effective date for the end of availability in Desktop was April 1, 2025.
You can read the Streamlabs discontinuation notice directly if you need to confirm the announcement. The dates answer why an older setup guide may no longer match the product. They do not describe a temporary outage, a regional restriction, or a problem that can be fixed by reinstalling the old player.
Streamlabs’ current music page lists other products, including Pretzel Rocks Music Player and Slip.stream. Its descriptions distinguish access and features: it describes a free Pretzel player with an upgrade for more tracks, while individual-track interactive mode and playlist creation require premium according to its discontinuation notice. Streamlabs describes Slip.stream access as available to Streamlabs Ultra subscribers. These are vendor descriptions, not a guarantee that a particular track is cleared for your use.
Product availability and subscription terms can change, so check the live product page and the relevant service terms before deciding. The important point is not to treat a music player’s presence in Streamlabs’ catalogue as proof that every track can be broadcast on YouTube, kept in an archive, used in every territory, or monetised. Those questions belong to the specific licence.
What happened to existing users
Existing users did not retain a working Streamlabs Music player indefinitely. Streamlabs gave them access until the end of March 2025, then ended availability in Streamlabs Desktop. If your production depended on the app, you need to replace that part of the workflow rather than expect an old configuration to keep playing.
Before changing a live channel, write down what the old music app was doing for you. Was it providing background music continuously, letting you select individual tracks, supporting a playlist, or giving viewers a way to request material? These are different needs and may call for separate tools. A replacement player can supply background music without providing the same request controls; a request feature does not itself grant permission to play a song.
For a 24/7 channel, test the replacement outside your main broadcast first. Check that the audio level is sensible against speech or other sound, that a track change does not create an unwanted gap, and that playback behaviour is clear if the source or connection stops. Keep a fallback that you are permitted to use, such as a silent holding image or an approved alternate playlist, rather than assuming a stream will recover cleanly on its own. The article on recovering a sleep-sounds stream after an internet outage can help with continuity planning, although it does not settle music rights.
If you use Streamlabs Desktop, distinguish a music player from Media Share and Cloudbot. Streamlabs describes Media Share and Cloudbot as separate features for viewer-submitted public YouTube video links. They are not a way to restore the discontinued Streamlabs Music app. A song request is a public video submission, with its own moderation and copyright implications, rather than a licensed music catalogue.
What Streamlabs says about past recordings
Streamlabs says that music previously used from the Streamlabs Music app remains DMCA-free in past recorded streams and YouTube uploads. This is the specific reassurance in its discontinuation notice. It concerns past uses of music sourced through that app; it should not be widened into a claim that all music in your channel’s old videos, or any new music you choose, is free of copyright issues.
If you have an archive, note which recordings used Streamlabs Music and keep the original context of the notice with your records. Do not assume the statement applies to music mixed into the same recording from a different source, viewer-submitted videos, or tracks you add after the app ended. If a claim or other rights question arises, refer to the notice and the actual track history rather than relying on a broad recollection that the stream had “safe music”.
For future broadcasts, treat live and recorded uses as separate licence checks. A service may permit a live performance or stream but impose different terms on saved videos, monetisation, territories, or attribution. If you archive your broadcasts, confirm that the intended licence explicitly covers the archive as well as the live transmission. You can also review the practical considerations in this guide to music licensing for a monetised 24/7 channel, then verify current terms with the rights holder or service.
How to choose a current music alternative
Start with the source, then examine the track rights. YouTube’s Audio Library is one place YouTube recommends for copyright-safe music and sound effects. If you look elsewhere, YouTube says to check the licence because it specifies where and how that music can be used. A “free” label, a credit line, or a vendor’s general description is not enough to establish permission for your specific broadcast.
Streamlabs currently lists Pretzel Rocks Music Player and Slip.stream on its music page. Streamlabs describes Pretzel as having a free player and an upgrade for more tracks; its notice says playlist creation and individual-track interactive mode require premium. It describes Slip.stream as available to Streamlabs Ultra subscribers. Treat these as access and feature descriptions from Streamlabs, not as an independent assessment of each service’s licensing scope. Check each provider’s current product page and track terms before choosing.
Compare the options against the work your channel actually does:
| Check | Questions to answer before using it |
|---|---|
| Access and cost | Is the feature currently available in the software you use? Is it free, paid, or tied to a subscription? Confirm current terms on the provider’s own page. |
| Track control | Can you choose individual tracks or build playlists? Can you prevent unsuitable tracks from entering a long-running rotation? |
| YouTube permission | Does the licence explicitly cover a YouTube live stream, rather than only personal listening or offline use? |
| Archive and monetisation | Does it cover saved VODs and your intended monetisation, as well as the live broadcast? |
| Territory and attribution | Are there geographic limits, required credits, or restrictions on how the music is presented? |
| Claims and disputes | Does the provider explain what to do if a claim appears, and does the licence give you evidence to support your permitted use? |
This comparison may rule out a source even when the player is convenient. For example, a track could be suitable for a live broadcast but not for leaving the replay available. In that case, decide in advance whether to disable archiving, replace the music before a replay is public, or choose a different track whose terms cover both uses. Do not assume that an automated claim process or a “DMCA-safe” label removes the need to read the applicable licence.
If the main pain is keeping a prerecorded channel running without leaving your own computer on, rather than selecting music, solve those as separate decisions. StreamNeo turns an uploaded video into a 24/7 YouTube live stream and removes the need to keep a personal computer running for that broadcast; you still need permission for every music track in the file. If your priority is comparing operating costs for a continuous radio stream, first consider the trade-offs described in cloud streaming versus a spare PC for a 24/7 YouTube radio stream.
Check licensing before using music on YouTube
YouTube says it scans live streams for matches to third-party content. If it detects such content, it may replace the stream with a placeholder and warn the creator; if the content remains, the broadcast may be interrupted or terminated. YouTube also says that Content ID claims on archived live streams are made after the live stream finishes, if the creator archives it. Read the current YouTube Help guidance on live-streaming restrictions before going live with music.
A track playing without an immediate interruption is not proof that the rights are in order. The broadcast and the archive can have different consequences, and YouTube’s detection does not decide what your licence permits. Keep the licence text, track name, date you obtained it, and any required attribution together with the schedule or production notes. If a service changes its terms, review them before the next broadcast rather than assuming an earlier permission still covers a new use.
YouTube’s livestream terms also put responsibility on creators to have the rights needed for live content, including music licensing rights. That is a reason to verify the specific track and use, not a promise that a platform or catalogue will approve every broadcast. Check the official YouTube guidance and the music provider’s own terms, particularly for a channel that runs overnight or keeps recordings public.
When the source is a viewer-submitted video, check it separately from background music. Streamlabs’ Cloudbot song request instructions and Media Sharing guide describe tools for requests involving public YouTube video links. Those controls can help you manage a queue or review submissions, but they do not grant rights to the underlying video or music. Moderation and licensing are separate jobs.
Before you change a live channel, trial the new source in a private or otherwise controlled test where possible, and make a short checklist: track source, applicable licence, live use, archive use, attribution, and response if YouTube flags content. If you cannot verify one of those items, do not treat silence from the system as permission. Choose a different track or ask the rights holder or provider for clarification.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Is Streamlabs Music discontinued?
Yes. Streamlabs removed it from the app store for new users on March 6, 2025, and ended access in Streamlabs Desktop after March ended. Old player setup instructions are no longer actionable.
What does Streamlabs say about music in past recordings?
Streamlabs says music previously used from its app remains DMCA-free in past recorded streams and YouTube uploads. Its statement does not cover every other track in those recordings or new music chosen from another source.
Can viewers still request songs through Streamlabs?
Media Share and Cloudbot are separate from Streamlabs Music and support submissions of public YouTube video links, according to Streamlabs’ help material. A request feature does not provide permission to broadcast the submitted music, so you still need to moderate requests and check rights.
Is a music service described as free or DMCA-safe automatically suitable for YouTube?
No. Read the current track or service licence and confirm that it covers YouTube live use, archived videos, your territories, and your intended monetisation. YouTube recommends its Audio Library and says to check licences for music from other sources.