Google Play Music Releases Free Version Of Music Streaming App

Google has launched a free version of the Google Play Music app, which will allow users to stream music without a subscription to the service.

Much like Pandora and Spotify, the free version will require users to listen to advertisements.

The free version of Google Play Music also does not allow users to make playlists or stream songs on demand like the popular features on Spotify. However, Google was likely trying to avoid the criticism that Spotify has been under for offering these features and not paying artists enough.

Google also already has agreements already set in place with many artists, which will allow users to still have a big selection of songs and artists even though the free version Google Play Music will be more of a music radio app.

Any tracks that users stream using the paid Google Play Music will also be available without subscription, just not instantly.

Google Play Music product manager Elias Roman told The Verge that he believes many people won’t mind the change, since most are into a more passive listening experience.

“They want the music to be awesome. They want it to be contextually relevant, but they don’t want to tweak a lot of knobs.”

The playlists from Google Play Music will not be left up to a computer to randomize songs or follow an algorithm however.

A team of music experts programmed the playlists based artists, moods, decades, or activities, meaning that what users will hear on Google Play Music was selected by real people.

However, when a user creates a new station based off of an artist or song, Google Play Music relies on an algorithm to pick related music.

Like Pandora, free users are limited to a certain number of skips per hour – six in the case of Google Play Music.

The new version of Google Play Music was launched for desktop users Tuesday, and an update to the app will be available for iOS and Android device users later in the week.

A fee of $9.99 a month allows users to ditch the advertisements, create custom playlists, and listen to songs on demand.

The most recent Google Play Music was released ahead of Apple Music’s scheduled release date of June 30.

While Apple Music is offering a three month free trial, users of the service will have to pay the $9.99 a month without a non-subscription offer – which is the way Google used to operate until this recent release.

[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]