Google Takes On Spotify & Pandora With New Streaming Music Service
UPDATE: Google Play Music All Access is live here.
Google today launched a streaming music service that borrows from both Spotify and Pandora. With the rather unwieldy title of Google Play Music All Access, the $9.99 per month music service includes curated playlists, Pandora-like song driven streams and acces to tracks from all the major labels.
As expected, a rumored streaming music service for YouTube was not announced today.
There is a 30 day free trial, and U.S. users who sign up before June30th get an introductory price of $7.99. But unlike most music streamers, Google Play Music All Access offers no free ad supported tier.
Users can blend their own uploaded songs with a catalog with the millions of tracks available on All Access. Music discovery is also a part of the new service. "We set out to build a music service that didn't just give us access to
great music, but that helps guide you to it," Google engineering director
Chris Yerga said.
No Game Changer
While nothing game changing was announced today, Google often launches a basic product and then adds to i.
Google's expansion into music subscription is logical for a company who already owns the world's largest free streaming music service, YouTube, and whose Android operating system powers tens of millions of smartphones worldwide.
While late to the game. Google did beat Apple to music streaming. iTunes is reported to be planning a free ad supported radio-like music streaming service for launch later this year.
I don’t understand why it has to cost money though. It’s weird for a Google product not to be free. I use Torch Music, which is a free music site and I love it – totally recommend it!
Google Play keeps all the other websites such as YouTube on their toes. Sorry that we have to pay!