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First find out where the sound disappears: in your headphones, at the streaming encoder, or in the YouTube player. Check the song source’s mixer meter as the next track starts, then inspect the encoder output and YouTube Studio for stream-health or copyright notices. A song change alone does not identify the cause, and a rights notice is different from an audio-routing fault.
Locate where the audio stops
Compare what you hear with what viewers hear. Check the stream in YouTube’s player, and, if available, listen to a local recording. YouTube recommends checking sound directly in the encoder and reviewing a local archive to help identify audio problems (YouTube’s live-stream troubleshooting guide).
- You cannot hear the transition, but viewers can: investigate your headphone monitoring or local playback path.
- The encoder and local recording are silent too: the fault is likely before or within the encoder’s output path; inspect the source and its routing.
- The encoder sounds normal, but the YouTube player is silent: check YouTube stream health, the outbound internet connection, and Studio notices.
These comparisons narrow down the stage to investigate; they do not identify a particular device or cause by themselves.
Check the song source at the transition
In OBS, watch the mixer meter for the source that should carry the music as the new song begins. The meter helps distinguish audio that is not reaching OBS from audio that is reaching OBS but may not be routed to the stream correctly. OBS explains that a missing input indicator means audio is not arriving at that source; possible explanations include audio not being available yet or a disconnected audio interface. A quiet meter alone does not prove that hardware is disconnected (OBS Audio Mixer Technical Details).
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- No meter activity: confirm the music source is playing and that OBS is listening to the intended input. Check whether the source or audio device changes when the playlist advances. A missing indicator means audio is not reaching that OBS source, but it does not tell you why.
- The meter moves: audio is reaching the OBS mixer. Check that the source is not muted, its fader is not turned down, and its filters, output track, and routing allow it to reach the stream. OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide describes mixer meters and channel behavior.
If you use an encoder other than OBS, apply the same distinction: determine whether the incoming music signal is present at the encoder before changing later output or network settings.
Check the encoder output and YouTube delivery
Listen to the encoder’s output and, when available, a local recording. YouTube recommends checking how the stream looks and sounds in the encoder, reviewing the local archive, and checking stream health and the internet connection (Troubleshoot your YouTube live stream).
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- Encoder output and local archive are silent: focus on the encoder’s selected audio sources, source changes, routing, and any reported encoder errors.
- Encoder output is audible but the YouTube player is not: review YouTube Studio’s stream-health information and check the connection carrying the stream to YouTube.
- The public player has sound but your headphones do not: the viewers’ stream is working; investigate your local monitoring path rather than changing the broadcast mix.
Look for YouTube Studio warnings, including copyright notices
Check YouTube Studio for warnings or interruptions at the time the song changes. YouTube scans live streams for third-party content. An identified match can trigger a warning and placeholder; if the issue is unresolved, YouTube may temporarily interrupt or terminate the stream (Copyright issues with live streams).
A copyright notice is not proof that every audio dropout is rights-related. Verify the specific track, the permissions that apply, the relevant territory, and the notice shown in Studio. YouTube’s livestream terms place responsibility on the provider to have the necessary rights for live content, including music licensing rights from artists, record labels, publishers, and other participants (Livestream terms and conditions).
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If you have licensed third-party music, YouTube says to ask the rights owner to allowlist your channel. A licence by itself may not prevent a live interruption if the channel has not been allowlisted.
Test a song change before the next stream
Test the actual source or playlist transition, not just the opening track. YouTube recommends testing with audio and movement similar to what the planned stream will contain and monitoring stream health during the event (Troubleshoot your YouTube live stream; Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions).
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- Start a test stream using the same encoder, source, and scene or playlist change you plan to use.
- Watch the relevant mixer meter as the next song begins; confirm that the source continues to reach the mixer.
- Listen to the encoder output and, if available, a local recording through the transition.
- Check the YouTube player and Studio stream-health information, then review Studio for a warning or interruption.
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