RIP Google Play Music

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dafman

3919 posts

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#270564 15-May-2020 08:40

Today I got an email from Google inviting me to transfer my Google Play Music (GPM) library over to YouTube Music, giving me the option to use both services in advance of GPM being shut down later this year. I've known this has been on the cards for a while but it looks like they are now making traction on getting rid of GPM.

I'm gutted. GPM is one of the few entertainment apps from Google that I actually like. YouTube, on the other hand, is becoming increasingly frustrating as Google push more and more 'recommended' posts (not even videos) on me that I don't have any interest in and can't seem to turn off. I will trial YouTube music but suspect that it will be as frustrating as YouTube in putting cr-ap in front of me that I don't want to see.

I may consider Spotify but don't want to pay two subscriptions as will want to keep YouTube ad-free (yes, Google are quite clever at keeping you locked in). Also, I have a large music library with multiple playlists, so manually transferring these across to Spotify will be onerous.

However, any Spotify vs TubeMusic observations will be helpful. Also, if anyone has transferred from Google to Spotify, any hints on ease of transferring libraries over will be appreciated.

kobiak

1615 posts

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#2484212 15-May-2020 09:10

I transferred my uploaded library from GPM to YM yesterday with 2 clicks. Everything looks more or less the same, can selected uploaded artists, albums, tracks, shuffle, etc.

I really enjoy YM while using google home ecosystem. Everything syncs nicely around the house: TVs, Google Home 3 devices, PC YM tab, Android phones. I can quickly switch back and forth without loosing music/tracks/history. Recommendations works well for me, I absolutely love "start radio" option while listening to a single track and YM would play something similar.

and yes I have YouTube Premium subscription, no ads is just best thing ever happened to YouTube :D but $16/m :(

helping others at evgenyk.nz

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Batwing

668 posts

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#2484218 15-May-2020 09:18

How did you transfer? I'm probably being dense but I didn't see instructions in the email. I don't have GPM installed on my phone because google arbitrarily decided I had reached a device limit after a system update, since this has happened before and I had to call them I'm wary because last time they said I'd be cut off totally if it ever happened again despite paying for the service for years and what's the point of s device limit anyway :(

robcreid

243 posts

Master Geek

#2484225 15-May-2020 09:30

Batwing: How did you transfer? I'm probably being dense but I didn't see instructions in the email.

My email has the following near the bottom where the app buttons are:-

Download the YouTube Music app to transfer

Google Play App Store

Or transfer using your browser

Hammerer

2476 posts

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#2484226 15-May-2020 09:30

Personally, I would wait in the hope of a better transition. There could be a better solution to transfer your playlists - AFAIK, the best options are still to pay for some software to migrate the playlists. There may also be a special deal from Spotify and other competitors to capitalise on Google Play Music closing.

I moved from Spotify to YouTube Music. We still have a family subscription to Spotify; I just don't use it. That has been a relatively costly decision but I decided to prioritise music video over music audio. That's also why I decided not to use Google Play Music playlists.

IMO, Spotify is the best music service for most people and is well worth considering. It dominates YouTube's 6% with its 35% of global subscriptions.

https://www.counterpointresearch.com/global-online-music-streaming-grew-2019/

OTOH, I really like the bundling of YouTube and YouTube music with the Google Play Music catalogue for the same price. So I like this lock in because I want no ads and the music is effectively free for us.

Spotify has a better catalogue primarily because the content providers follow the money. A friend works for one of the major music publishers and explained why this situation will continue because they have limited resources and want the best return for each dollar they spend. I'm mainly talking about music at the fringes of genres where I frequently find only one album on YouTube from an artist who has several albums on Spotify. Most of my friends are on Spotify so I frequently can't play their songs that I like.

I've also found the Spotify playlists easier to work with. I've found that all the music apps have intermittent and persistent bugs particularly around playlists.

mudguard

2092 posts

Uber Geek

#2484234 15-May-2020 09:40

I changed over yesterday. It wasn't that intuitive to move the playlists. I kept clicking on it thinking it would transfer.

But it is easy, when the app opens, you just need to scroll down a bit and there is an option to transfer with one click. Mine was pretty quick. But I can't remember how much music I've uploaded (I uploaded everything ripped from CD to an iPod a few years ago).

kobiak

1615 posts

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#2484235 15-May-2020 09:41

Batwing: How did you transfer?

yeah there's a big BUTTON in email "TRANSFER TO YOUTUBE MUSIC". :)

2 clicks and 10 mins later I've got an email confirming trasfer was successful and I can access/enjoy my music library without an issue.

helping others at evgenyk.nz

howdystranger

152 posts

Master Geek

#2484240 15-May-2020 09:54

Google continues the trend of constantly changing/retiring its products, confusing consumers and giving them dumb names :-)

kiwi_64

257 posts

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#2484312 15-May-2020 10:58

I've sound that some albums that had/have complete track lists under Google Play Music. have missing/unavailable tracks under YouTube Music ... that's annoying

dafman

3919 posts

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#2484313 15-May-2020 10:58

I've decided to transfer my library over to YTM now as it is pointless sticking with GPM given they will force the transfer next few months anyway. I'm still waiting for transfer to happen (looks like I'm on the end of a global queue) but have had an initial play with YTM.

One immediate significant frustration - there is no way to clear the apps music queue! One late night last week I was watching 80s music videos on Youtube on TV and now my YTM app on my phone has an endless queue of 80s hits that can't be removed! Really frustrating as I only delve into 80s music once or twice a year for nostalgia, I don't want to see it any other time!

Which leads into another frustration. It looks like my audio player will be linked to any music videos played on Youtube, which I definitely don't want.

Spotify starting to look attractive ...

mudguard

2092 posts

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#2484331 15-May-2020 11:24

That is a slight pet hate of mine. For years I was uploading youtube videos under a particular username. Then signed up to Google Music which gave me youtube premium (God knows how anyone watches youtube with the ads) under my normal username. For months I couldn't work out why smart TV wouldn't show the videos I'd uploaded, that's when I realised I had "two" accounts attached to the same email.

I bring it up as when I transferred the music it said I had to create a new channel. Ugh.