Google launches free music streaming ahead of Apple Music debut

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As Apple Music nears its June 30th launch, Google is getting more aggressive about trying to sell users on its own Google Play Music service. The company is launching a free, ad-supported tier that offers curated playlists (a la Songza) designed to accompany every moment of your day. The handpicked stations themselves aren't new; Google brought them to Play Music's paying subscribers in 2014 after its acquisition of Songza. But now everyone in the US can listen; the curated playlists are available June 23 on the web and Android, with an update for iOS also due very soon.

For Google, sticking with playlists was an easier approach to free music than the on-demand, ad-sponsored tier that Spotify offers. The free half of Spotify's service has been the subject of harsh criticism from musicians who feel the company underpays artists. Google seems confident it can avoid this by going the "music radio" route, and its existing licensing agreements guarantee a big selection at launch. If you can already stream a band's music with Google's subscription music service, all of those same tracks will be part of the now-free radio side. (Yes, that includes Taylor Swift's back catalog.)


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