Google has launched its ‘Play Music All Access’ streaming service in the UK, undercutting Spotify with a £7.99 subscription service for early sign ups. However, unlike rivals such as Spotify, Deezer, Rdio, Xbox Music, Sony’s Music Unlimited, Rara Google’s service will have no free ad-funded option. “With today’s launch, Google Play moves one step closer […]
Google has launched its ‘Play Music All Access’ streaming service in the UK, undercutting Spotify with a £7.99 subscription service for early sign ups.
However, unlike rivals such as Spotify, Deezer, Rdio, Xbox Music, Sony’s Music Unlimited, Rara Google’s service will have no free ad-funded option.
“With today’s launch, Google Play moves one step closer to your ultimate digital entertainment destination, where you can find, enjoy and share your favourite apps, games, books, movies, magazines, TV shows and music on your Android phone or tablet,” says Paul Joyce, product manager for Google Play Music.
All Access launched in the US in May, and then in Australia and New Zealand in July. Its UK debut is part of a wider European rollout: Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain are also getting it today.
In the UK, the subscription-based service will usually cost £9.99 a month, like most of those rivals, but people signing up before 15 September will pay £7.99 a month.
Apple has yet to launch an on-demand streaming music service as part of iTunes, although it is preparing for the US debut this autumn of iTunes Radio, which will focus on personalised radio. A UK launch date has not yet been announced.
BPI figures show that UK music fans streamed more than 3.7bn tracks in 2012, generating more than £49m in revenues for British record labels and accounting for 15.2% of the industry’s digital music income.
