Google Play Music
Google Play Music is a music streaming service that integrates with other Google services like YouTube and YouTube Red. It is a full-featured music locker available to anyone with a Google account.
- Feature-rich music streaming application
- YouTube and YouTube Red integration
- Millions of songs to choose from
- Audio quality is very good
- Large selection of music
- Easy to purchase music from Google Play
- Family plan is reasonably priced
- No access to lyrics
- Set-up is difficult
- Non-musical content is very limited
- Curated lists are hit or miss
Some people automatically shy away from Google services. That would be a mistake when it comes to Google Play Music. Google's music streaming service is full-featured and has a lot of bells and whistles that you won't find at Amazon or Pandora. There are a few areas in which the software could be improved, but all-in-all the platform delivers a satisfying experience at just $9.99 per month. That is competitive with other services which offer much less. Google Play Music can be used on the Web or by downloading apps for the Android and iOS systems. The sound quality is very good, and a sizable music locker makes it possible for users to create large playlists. The software also integrates with YouTube and YouTube Red for access to more songs. You can find channels that are devoted to specific genres or artists, and there are also on-demand streams to choose from. There is a free option, but it comes with ads that some users may find annoying. You're also permitted just six skips in an hour, so be prepared to accept the program's song choices. Otherwise, the free plan allows users access to millions of songs. The program will also make recommendations based on your preferences and curate personalized content. You can also store up to 50,000 audio files which is probably more music than you will listen to in a lifetime. The paid plan starts at just $9.99 and offers a number of advantages. For starters, you can download music and play it offline. There are no ads to contend with, and the plan also comes with access to YouTube Red. Those who wish to purchase a plan for the entire family will like the $14.99 price point. Six family members can share this account and receive all the benefits of a paid plan. You can't record audio with Google Play Music. The program is also a bit lacking when it comes to lyrics. The setup can be a little tedious, too, and there isn't a lot of non-musical content to choose from. Even with its limitations, Google Play Music is a solid choice if you stream a lot of tunes.
It would be perfect if they didn't keep trying to "save us time" by finding a matching file in their system instead of uploading the file I am TRYING to upload myself! It is ridiculous. They have censored files which change many of the lyrics of a lot of my songs and no matter how many times I try "fix incorrect match" they won't replace it with the file I specifically chose!!! This is the most frustrated I have ever been with a music service. The only reason I'm not using iTunes is because I have an Android cell phone and it's not very user friendly if I try to use it on my phone.