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In OBS, add a track-list overlay as a Browser Source if you have a provider URL that reliably receives your current track metadata. If you cannot confirm a working automatic feed, add an OBS text source and update the title and artist manually. Test the display and audio before going live. A track credit is not permission to use the music: YouTube scans live streams for third-party content and may interrupt a broadcast.

Choose how the track information will update

A now-playing display is an on-screen graphic. OBS can show a web page or local text and image sources in a scene, but the source itself does not identify the music. Automatic updates require a dependable connection between your audio player and an overlay provider.

Method Automation Dependency Best use Fallback
Browser Source overlay Automatic only if the provider receives accurate, current track metadata. An external overlay URL and its provider. A changing playlist when you have verified the metadata feed. Keep a manually editable text source ready in case the feed stops or becomes stale.
OBS text source (optionally with an image source) Manual; edit the title and artist when the track changes. The local OBS scene and whoever updates the text. A show with few track changes, or when no reliable metadata connection is available. Update the text source directly or hide it if the information is no longer accurate.

OBS documents how Browser Sources render web pages and how sources work in scenes; those capabilities do not verify any particular overlay provider’s music-player integrations. See the OBS Browser Source guide and OBS Sources guide.

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Add a now-playing display in OBS

  1. Confirm your metadata method. For an automatic overlay, check that its provider can read metadata from the exact player or audio setup used for the podcast. Change tracks and confirm the displayed title and artist change too. If you cannot verify that link, plan to edit an OBS text source manually.
  2. Add the source to the right scene. In OBS, select the scene used for the podcast, then use the Sources panel’s add control. Choose Browser for an overlay URL, or a text source for manual credits. For a Browser Source, enter the provider’s URL and set its width and height to suit the overlay and your canvas. OBS’s Browser Source page explains its URL and viewport options: obsproject.com/kb/browser-source.
  3. Position and layer it. Place the source above the background in the Sources list so it is visible. Drag it into position and size it in the preview. Keep it clear of faces, captions, and other essential graphics. OBS’s source-ordering guidance is in its Sources guide.
  4. Style manual text for readability. Use a clear title-and-artist format, with enough contrast against the scene background. If desired, add an image source for a logo or artwork you have permission to use. Check the display at the size viewers will see; small text that looks readable in the editor may not be legible on a phone.
  5. Check the audio and stream setup. Confirm that OBS is using the intended microphone and program audio. The OBS Quick Start Guide covers checking audio devices and stream settings.
  6. Run a private or otherwise appropriate test before the show. Confirm the overlay loads, the text is legible, the track changes update rather than leaving stale information, and the broadcast carries the intended audio. OBS recommends testing settings before a first stream; these checks are practical applications of that guidance, not a claim that a particular overlay has been tested.

Keep the displayed track list accurate

For an automatic overlay

Watch the overlay after changing tracks and after reconnecting or restarting the player. If the title remains stale, treat the feed as unavailable: correct the provider or player connection, or switch to your prepared manual text source. Do not assume that a browser page loading means its metadata integration is working.

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For a manual text source

Assign someone to update the title and artist whenever the music changes. If a track ends early, is replaced, or the show moves to speech, update or hide the text rather than leaving a misleading credit on screen.

Music rights are separate from track credits

Showing a song title or artist does not grant permission to broadcast the recording or composition. YouTube says that “All live streams are scanned for matches to third-party content, including copyrighted content in the form of another live broadcast.” It warns that a match can lead to a warning, a placeholder replacing the live stream, interruption, or termination. YouTube also says, “If your channel isn’t added to their allowlist, your live stream can be interrupted even if you’ve licensed the third-party content.” Read YouTube Help’s live-stream copyright guidance.

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  • Confirm that your permission covers the specific recordings and compositions, and the intended live transmission.
  • Check whether permission also covers the archived replay. Live-stream rights and replay rights may not be the same.
  • If you are licensed to use third-party music, ask the rightsholder or distributor whether your YouTube channel must be added to its Content ID allowlist.
  • For copyright-protected music, YouTube for Artists advises coordinating with the label or distributor. Its guidance also says first-time creators should enable live streaming and verify the account at least 24 hours ahead; check your channel’s current instructions in YouTube Studio. See YouTube for Artists: Going Live for Music Channels.

Spotify for Creators has separate guidance about rights in video episodes published on Spotify. That is a Spotify publishing concern, not a YouTube live-stream rule: Respecting everyone’s rights.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Troubleshoot common display problems

Symptom Likely cause What to check
Browser Source is blank The URL is wrong, unavailable, or not rendering as expected. Recheck the provider URL and viewport dimensions; open or preview the source again. If it remains unavailable, use the manual text source.
Overlay appears, but the title does not change The player’s metadata is not reaching the overlay, or its feed is stale. Change tracks and verify the provider supports the exact player and setup. Correct the metadata connection or update text manually.
Track text is hidden behind other graphics The source is below an opaque source in the scene order. Move the track source above the covering source in OBS’s Sources list.
Text is difficult to read Text is too small or lacks contrast at the broadcast size. Increase its size, improve contrast, reposition it, and inspect the scene at the intended canvas dimensions.
Viewers cannot hear the intended program audio OBS may be using the wrong device or audio source. Check OBS audio devices and meters, then make another test recording or stream before the show.
YouTube interrupts the stream after a music match YouTube detected third-party content; a displayed credit does not prevent enforcement. Review the applicable rights and replay permissions, and ask the rightsholder or distributor about channel allowlisting.
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Or let it run in the cloud

If the podcast is a pre-recorded video you want to keep live on YouTube, StreamNeo runs an uploaded video or playlist from the cloud: upload it, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It does not create a camera-based live show or generate track metadata; add and verify any track display in your production workflow before uploading.

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