To add even more to its already burgeoning acquisition profile, Google has announced they have bought music streaming service Songza. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but Google announced that the main features of the service, particularly its expertly curated playlists, will remain the same. Further integrations into other Google products like Google Play Music will be explored in the next few months.
Just like its competitors Spotify and Pandora, Songza, which has been around since 2007, relies on information about the user and the context to determine the algorithm in creating a specific playlist for you. But what it says is a distinct advantage they have over competitors is that these playlists were curated by music experts, like DJs, musicians, music magazine writers, etc. It says it will bring you “the right music at the right time.”
Google said that what service users currently enjoy with Songza will remain intact for now. But they are also already exploring how it can be integrated into other Google services like YouTube and Google Play Music. However, there has been no announcement regarding how this will affect all of Songza’s existing employees who are holding office at their Long Island City establishment. Eventually they will of course move to the NYC HQ of Google, but will all the personnel be absorbed as well?
The official statement from Songza said that there are no immediate changes planned as they join the “inspiring company” that will help improve the service. Songza boasts of around 5.5 million active users, but it is not known how many of these subscribe to the $.99 a week ad-free service.
Download Songza from the Google Play Store
SOURCE: Google
VIA: TechCrunch