Google Play Music is dead - YouTube Music Transfer tool released

[harlan4096]

Google announced the release of a new transfer tool to move the Google Play Music library to YouTube Music on Tuesday. Google Play Music customers may use the online tool to transfer data from the service to YouTube Music as Google plans to retire Google Play Music later this year.

The company launched Google Play Music as a competing service to Spotify and other music services. Later, Google launched YouTube Music which competed not only with third-party services but also Play Music.

It was clear that one of these services would have to go eventually. Knowing Google, it is usually the older service that is put on the chopping block.

Google has not revealed a specific date for the termination of Google Play Music, only that it will "provide plenty of notice ahead" and that Google Play Music won't be accessible anymore "later this year".

Google Play Music customers who want to transfer the data to YouTube Music can do so in the following way:

1. Download the YouTube Music application for Android or iOS if it is not already on the device.
   
2. A transfer button is displayed in the YouTube Music interface. Select it to transfer uploads, purchases, added songs and albums, personal and subscribed playlists, likes and dislikes, curated stations, and personal taste preferences.
   

Updated recommendations should appear immediately on the YouTube Music home screen according to Google. Customers will be notified by email and notification when the transfer of the music library is done. Music is then accessible under the Library tab in the application.

Podcasts cannot be transferred to YouTube Music. Google has created another transfer tool, this one on the web, to transfer subscriptions and episode progress to Google Podcasts, a free Android and iOS podcast player.

Subscriptions will be carried over according to Google and Google Play Music customers who transfer the data to YouTube Music will continue to have access to Google Play Music until it is shut down.

Google highlights the features of YouTube Music in the announcement but fails to provide information about features that are not available or are only available to paying customers. One of the features that is limited to paying YouTube Music customers is Chromecast casting support.

Closing WordsYouTube Music's feature set is not identical to that of Google Play Music; the Google Podcast app requirement for managing and listening to podcasts is just one example on how these two differ from one another.

It is almost certain that some customers won't be pleased by the termination of Google Play Music and that part of the userbase will move to a different service.

Now You: Do you use Google Play Music or YouTube Music? What is your take on these services?
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