Not even a freestanding app on Android TV, just a tab in the YouTube app. Not even possible to background play, if you search for a song the one you are playing stops. Seriously? Is there any workaround for this? Sideloading the phone app or something? I'm using a Sony Tv and a Nvidia shield. Both running Android TV
SmartTubeNext (a youtube wrapper that removes ads and has a custom interface) has background play/pip mode. It automatically background plays/PIPs current video/song if you access "search 🔍" from the video player ui, and there is also a specific background mode "button" in the video player ui to put current video in background/PIP mode so that you can use the entirety of the app's interface with background play, not just search.
Not even possible to background play
Google said the other day [...] that it is going to support background play with a Premium subscription by pressing the home button where it takes to home screen to show the top banner as other music apps do currently, we're still waiting for that ever since the year they announced it, still YouTube Music really needs an standalone app and not that stupid and unfinished tab.
You can always use the built in chromecast to case from your phone to the tv or shield.
Yup! I don't want YouTube available on my TV since the kids watch stupid cr@p but then you lose YouTube Music including the ability to use that device in a music group, at least on CCWGTV.
You cast from your phone.
It's crap, you install YT Music and it opens normal YT with other Music tab selected..
YouTube Vanced?
Google does a little bit of everything with minimal effort.