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Google Music Gains Free Ad-Supported Radio Tier in U.S.

Scotharrell7 said:
I'm sorry but am I the only one that agrees completely with the artists? Ad supported subscriptions are not fair to the artist. These services would not exist if artists did not create art/music. They should be compensated very generously. Google using adds as they always do feels like a way to get away with screwing the artist over.
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I do find it weird that Google chose this time to go this route.

That being said between apple music launch and google music offering a free tier I would not want to be a spotify investor.
 
Apple Music doesn't include a free listening tier, but it is accompanied by a free ad-supported radio service
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I'm glad that the radio section of iTunes isn't going to be forced out by Apple Music. Since I have iTunes Match, I'm assuming the radio will continue to be ad-free for me.
 
Why not just listen to the actual radio or a digital radio channel -- they are free

I thought the purpose of going to an online streaming 'radio' service was to avoid ads

It's like with youtube...this was the place to go for ad free videos made by other people -- now that google have taken over they slap ads on that too...

People don't want ads...it spoils the user experience
 
Scotharrell7 said:
I'm sorry but am I the only one that agrees completely with the artists? Ad supported subscriptions are not fair to the artist. These services would not exist if artists did not create art/music. They should be compensated very generously. Google using adds as they always do feels like a way to get away with screwing the artist over.
Click to expand...

Granted, without the music there would be no need for this service BUT equally without companies like apple and google providing music services then artist would struggle -- especially these small, almost unheard of, artists...

Before, the only source of music were shops, radio, and hopes (of appearing on TV, of being in the top then or at least top 100, or even being played on the radio) -- the music industry was very tough and only big names got through...

The digital age evened the playing field a little -- but the industry is suffering because many people have stopped buying CDs, people often download illegally, and no-one really wants ads and talk overs on radio -- this is the next step, a service that allows virtually the whole online apple/google store to be streams for a cost - meaning people will not be avoiding shelling out money on unknowns, or just buying a single song instead of an album, or running to piratebay for free music...

This kind of service mostly benefits the small artists -- the popular artists would be able to sell CDs and have less competition if companies like google and apple were around...
problem is, may of these new artists are teenagers dreaming big and demanding money before they are even famous!!!
 
I tried it earlier this evening. I spent a good 10 minutes choosing which genres/artists I liked, and then I got my stations. I like that you can start stations based on songs, albums, AND artists. I also like the circles at the back that show you what artists will be heard on the stations - Very nicely done design.

The stations were very relevant to my tastes. There's no "discovery" here, just music you probably really like - I didn't want to skip any of it.

It timed out on me many times though, but I'm sure it's going to get better.

It definitely is going to hurt Pandora/Slacker/and *maybe* iTunes Radio. The big thing that iTunes Radio has is the better curated playlists, and just the general top 100 which will be more appealing to people. The artist/song based radio is pretty bad though. I'm not sure if the new genre picker on Apple Music will make that a little better.

These type of services don't work very well without SOME data on your interests. Just because you might like pop music, doesn't mean you like the current crop of it, and having data on what pop artists you do like lets them provide you better results.
 
Is this different then the current Google Radio? I canceled Google music a couple of months ago because the radio stations were crap. If those are curated I would never tell anyone. Geez! iTunes Radio and hell even Slacker Radio kicks Googles ass in terms of relevant music to the genres. Music for Google has been an after thought until recently.

Update: Okay I just went online and checked out the radio station offering. There are a heck of a lot more stations now and the few I tested with several songs were pretty darn good. The music was relevant to the genre. I think this will be a smart move by Google. Given the number of stations they've added Apple and iTunes has their job cut out to match. In comparison iTunes music has maybe 1/10th the stations.

This still doesn't change my Note 3 and now Note 4 skipping during Bluetooth playing, but that is another topic all together.

Nonetheless I give Google Kudos on this change to GPM.
 
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MacRumors said:



Google today announced that it's adding a free tier to its Google Music subscription service, just a week ahead of the launch of Apple Music. Apple Music doesn't include a free listening tier, but it is accompanied by a free ad-supported radio service that provides users with a way to access music without shelling out cash.

Google's free listening tier is built around Songza, the radio-based streaming service that Google purchased last July. It includes curated radio stations and playlists, which Google describes as human-curated and crafted "song by song" for moods and activities like working out or driving. It's currently available in the United States and rolling out to Android and iOS devices this week.

Apple's own upcoming revamped radio service also has a heavy focus on human curation, headlined by the live Beats 1 radio station that will play music chosen by human DJs 24/7. It will be broadcast in more than 100 countries and led by former BBC DJ Zane Lowe and other famous DJs from Los Angeles, New York, and London, airing not only music but also exclusive interviews and music news.

Google, like Apple, is hoping that its free radio service will entice customers to subscribe to the company's paid music service. Google Play Music is priced at $9.99 per month and it offers a free 30-day listening trial.

Article Link: Google Music Gains Free Ad-Supported Radio Tier in U.S.
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So is the streaming music service going to be any different than the radio is today? If you have ads on it what's the difference? Isn't that the same just being transmitted in a different medium?
 
MacRumors said:



Google today announced that it's adding a free tier to its Google Music subscription service, just a week ahead of the launch of Apple Music. Apple Music doesn't include a free listening tier, but it is accompanied by a free ad-supported radio service that provides users with a way to access music without shelling out cash.......

I hate ads and have blocked over 90,000 ads and trackers. I hate ads and want ads removed.
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Scotharrell7 said:
I'm sorry but am I the only one that agrees completely with the artists? Ad supported subscriptions are not fair to the artist. These services would not exist if artists did not create art/music. They should be compensated very generously. Google using adds as they always do feels like a way to get away with screwing the artist over.
Click to expand...

There is an invention called radio which works in a similar way, now, instead of having to go out and get a gramophone record when you hear a song on the wireless that you like (which is Ad supported), you can just click to buy it.

Did you even think your comment through?
 
Popeye206 said:
The whole industry is "Monkey see... Monkey do" anymore. Sort of getting boring. Wake me up when somebody does something really cool.
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This has been in the works for far longer than anything about Apple music.... just saying...
 
SlCKB0Y said:
There is an invention called radio which works in a similar way, now, instead of having to go out and get a gramophone record when you hear a song on the wireless that you like (which is Ad supported), you can just click to buy it.

Did you even think your comment through?
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Well said.... :)
People somehow are COMPLETELY clueless.... it's internet radio.... supported by ads.... like that thing in the dash of your car called a radio.... supported by ads.... since the first radio station went live in Pittsburgh over a hundred years ago.... that was.... supported by ads.

Internet radio has also been around since the last 90's!!!! Kids today...
 
Scotharrell7 said:
I'm sorry but am I the only one that agrees completely with the artists? Ad supported subscriptions are not fair to the artist. These services would not exist if artists did not create art/music. They should be compensated very generously. Google using adds as they always do feels like a way to get away with screwing the artist over.
Click to expand...

Being that artists make more money from ad supported radio play than album sales these days.... even the artists don't agree with you. They are, however, upset that people can download their music to a device ad free and they get fractions of a fraction of a cent for each play.... but you'd have to know what you were talking about before truly stating you agree with the artists. Radio is what has sold records since the beginning of time. Artists love radio. Internet radio is not the same as music subscription services that the artists do loathe.... but not nearly as much as napstering their tunes
 
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