Opened | November 16, 2011 |
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Pricing model | Free for Standard, US$9.99/month for "All Access", US$14.99/month for "All Access" for up to 6 family members |
Platforms | Android, iOS, web browser |
Format | MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC, Ogg, ALAC |
Restrictions | Concurrent playback limited to one device, non-concurrent playback limited to 10 devices |
Catalogue | 35 million songs |
Streaming | On-demand |
Trial | 30-day free trial of "All Access" |
Availability | 62 countries |
Features | Free online storage and listening for 50,000 songs; Chromecast support; Custom radio stations and access to 35 million songs for "All Access" |
Website | play |
Google Play Music is a music streaming service and online music locker operated by Google.
Users with standard accounts can upload and listen to up to 50,000 songs from their personal libraries at no cost. An "All Access" subscription, sold in combination with YouTube Red, entitles users to on-demand streaming of any song in the Google Play Music catalogue. Users can purchase additional tracks for their library through the music store section of Google Play. In addition to offering music streaming for Internet-connected devices, the Google Play Music mobile apps allow music to be stored and listened to offline.
The service was announced on May 10, 2011, and after a six-month, invitation-only beta period, it was publicly launched on November 16.
Google Play Music offers all users storage of up to 50,000 files from their music collection online at no cost and the ability to listen to it through the service's web player and mobile apps. Songs purchased through the Google Play Store do not count against the 50,000-song upload limit. Songs can be downloaded on the mobile apps for offline playback. Standard users located in the United States and Canada can listen to free, curated radio, based on "an activity, your mood, or your favorite popular music". American and Canadian users of a Standard account can skip up to six songs per hour when listening to curated radio.
When subscribing to Google Play Music, users get access to 35 million songs, without advertisements during listening, no limit on number of skips, and offline music playback on the mobile apps. A one-time 30-day free trial for a Premium subscription to Google Play Music is offered for new users.
On computers, music can be listened to from a dedicated Google Play Music section of the Google Play website.
On smartphones and tablets, music can be listened to through the Google Play Music mobile app for the Android and iOS operating systems. Up to five smartphones can be used to access the library in Google Play Music, and up to ten devices total. Listening is limited to one device at a time.