RIP Google Play Music? Service is set to be replaced by Spotify rival YouTube Remix

Thomas McMullan Read more April 25, 2018

Google is preparing to replace Google Play Music with a new YouTube music streaming service, according to reports.

RIP Google Play Music? Service is set to be replaced by Spotify rival YouTube Remix

From as far back as December 2017 there have been rumours of Google launching a Spotify-esque service called YouTube Remix. Based on a new report from Droidlife, it now looks like this upcoming service will spell the end for the company’s seven-year-old service, Google Play Music.

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Droidlife cites an unnamed source, who emphasises that YouTube Remix will encompass smart playlists and reactive music suggestions based on factors such as the time of day. All of this is reinforced by a statement from YouTube, that hints at incoming changes:

“We’ve previously announced the combination of the YouTube Music and Google Play product teams — music is very important to Google so it’s critical we have one offering that meets the needs of consumers and artists. Nothing will change for users today and we’ll provide plenty of notice before any changes are made.”

Combining YouTube’s authority over video content with a catalogue of music, along with Google’s search algorithms, makes a lot of sense. The company is coming to the space late, though, and it remains to be seen how it will compete in terms of music choice with rivals like Spotify.

It’s thought that, when YouTube Remix launches, Google Play Music users will be automatically migrated to the new service. This is rumoured to be happening before the end of 2018, although there has yet to be any official word from YouTube.

Music streaming is big business, with 2017 seeing recorded music revenues swell by $1.4 billion (£1 billion). Google understandably wants to have a bigger piece of this pie, and it looks as if Google Play Music users will automatically join YouTube Remix’s ranks, but will the company be able to tempt users away from the likes of Spotify or Apple Music?