Thanks to Songza, Google Play Music now tells you what you want to hear

By Malarie Gokey Published October 21, 2014

google play music integrates songza new recommendations web — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Songza and Google joined forces not that long ago after the search giant bought the company for an undisclosed amount. Google Play Music incorporated some of the best aspects of Songza into its music-streaming subscription service. Those who pay to listen to music from Google’s service will now have access to the smart, customized listening suggestions.

Google completely redesigned the “Listen Now” tab in Play Music in the style of Material Design for Android 5.0 Lollipop. Songza’s Concierge, which suggests tracks based on your listening preferences, your location, and the time of day, is now baked into the Play Music app. As soon as you open up the “Listen Now” tab, you’ll be greeted by personalized suggestions of mixes you might want to listen to at that specific moment. So if it’s Sunday morning, you might be greeted by lazy, relaxing songs, but if you’re about to go for your daily afternoon run, Google will suggest your workout mix.

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The updated Play Music app uses context to figure out what you might want to hear next. It also aims to help you discover new songs and artists that you might enjoy, but without the annoyance of ads or a limited number of skips. If you choose to listen to one of Songza’s mixes on Play Music, you’ll be able to see all the tracks, reposition them, and delete the ones you don’t want to hear. Google’s team of music experts hand selects the tracks, though, so you shouldn’t need to skip tracks too often. The “Listen Now” tab will show a list of your most recently played music, new releases you might enjoy, and radio stations based on your preferences.

The new version of Play Music and the recommendations are available now for subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. You’ll be able to use the feature on Android, iOS, and the Web.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…

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