Google Podcasts is officially shut down. This has been going on for a week for him, but YouTube Music, which has been designated as a replacement, has not yet realized it. The podcast experience on YouTube Music is rough, and users aren't shy about giving feedback.
Thankfully, it looks like the YouTube Music Podcasts team is listening. They posted on his Reddit to let us know that they heard us and are “working on even more improvements,” but also shared a short list of what has already been accomplished regarding the podcast.
- Sorting options: You can now sort your podcast episodes from newest to oldest, oldest to newest, most popular, or the default. However, it's very puzzling that this wasn't a day one feature.
- International love: Users outside the US can now get podcasts on their home feed. This also includes a new “Recommended Shows” shelf, already available to US users, that makes discovering new episodes much easier.
- Search adjustments: Improved search results make it easier to find the podcasts you actually want.
While these adjustments are a start, it's shocking that they weren't in place before Google Podcasts was shut down. Currently, YouTube Music is missing a key feature that even casual podcast fans will notice.
Many of the suggestions in the Reddit thread involve basic content that frustratingly doesn't exist yet. Searching for episodes within your subscription, chapter navigation, and the ability to mark episodes as played are some of the coolest features.
