YouTube Kills Discord Music App Rythm

Discord is about to lose its groove. YouTube has killed one of the online hub's YouTube integration apps, Rythm, with a cease and desist notice that goes into effect Wednesday.

Rythm allowed users to stream audio directly from YouTube, meaning any music or video hosted there could get played while members of a server game or hang out. It was one of the most popular apps on the platform, with over 560 million users. It was also installed in over 20 million servers. Google killed a similar app, Groovy, two weeks ago.

Speaking to The Verge, Rythm's developer Yoav admitted they sensed a C&D was coming.

"One way or another we knew this was due to happen eventually," they said, "which is why we started working on something new a year ago. Groovy receiving one just meant it would happen sooner rather than later."

Discord has had some form of music integration since its inception, but it has all been run through third-party plugins, which allows Discord to skirt legal responsibility in the event of future C&Ds.

Mashable speculated that Google's steps to take down music integration plug-ins might indicate that the company is looking to come up with its own way to integrate into Discord. At the time, there is a YouTube Together watch party bot in beta that Discord has been in beta for most of the past year, though it doesn't quite recreate the experience apps like Rythm and Groovy provided.

Discord users expressed their frustration with the cease and desist on Twitter, with some going so far as to say they'd quit using YouTube altogether in protest.

first groovy now rythm . i am never using youtube again bye pic.twitter.com/wpruBctDMS

— 🐱🐱 (@spacektiy) September 12, 2021

First Groovy, now Rythm. The golden age of Discord is over.

RIP. pic.twitter.com/34KW4WbgQO

— Nath 🔜 Cubed! 2021 (@ThisIsntNath) September 12, 2021

A tribute to Rythm <3 https://t.co/SiOw6UybVz pic.twitter.com/L9GCuJ9VhJ

— PewDiePie Submissions (@LWIAY_bot) September 13, 2021