With Google Play Music and YouTube Music, you can easily access all of your music through Google’s platforms. Google offers both streaming services and music locker services to store and play your music collection.
What options does Google offer for music?
Google currently offers two main music services:
- Google Play Music – A music locker and streaming service.
- YouTube Music – A streaming service with both official songs and user generated content.
Google Play Music acts as a digital locker for your personal music collection. You can upload up to 50,000 songs for free and access them anywhere. It also includes a streaming service with over 40 million songs.
YouTube Music focuses just on streaming music. It includes official songs, albums, playlists and music videos. It also has user uploaded content like remixes, live performances and covers. There is a free ad-supported tier or you can pay for YouTube Music Premium.
How do I upload my music to Google Play Music?
Uploading your music to Google Play Music is simple. Just follow these steps:
- Go to music.google.com or open the Google Play Music app.
- Click on the menu icon and select “Upload music”.
- Choose the songs or folders you want to upload from your computer.
- Google will begin uploading your music. The time it takes depends on your internet speeds and how large your music library is.
- Once uploaded, your songs will appear under the “Uploaded” tab in Google Play Music.
Some things to keep in mind when uploading:
- You can upload up to 50,000 songs for free to your music locker.
- Your songs will be converted to 256 kbps MP3 files if they are in another format.
- Any metadata like song title, artist, album will be kept intact.
How do I listen to music I’ve uploaded?
Once your music is fully uploaded, listening to it is very easy. Just follow these steps:
- Open the Google Play Music app or go to music.google.com.
- Navigate to the “Uploaded” tab or sidebar.
- Here you will find all your uploaded songs and albums.
- Tap on a song to start playing it.
- Use the playback controls at the bottom to pause, skip songs, adjust volume and more.
You can also find your uploaded music:
- In curated playlists made just for you on the Listen Now tab.
- Mixed in with songs on the service on the Explore tab.
- Through searching for a specific song, artist or album.
How do I download my uploaded music for offline use?
Google Play Music lets you save or “pin” your uploaded music for offline listening when you don’t have an internet connection. To download uploaded music:
- Go to the library tab and select “Uploaded” to find your music.
- Tap the 3-dot menu next to an album or song.
- Choose “Add to device” or “Pin”.
- Pick specific songs or albums or “Pin all”.
- Your selected music will now download for offline listening.
Some tips for pinned music:
- Pinning tells the app to download your music to your device’s storage.
- Don’t worry about storage space, you can remove downloads at any time.
- Pinned albums or playlists stay on your device until you unpin them.
How can I import my iTunes library?
If you have an iTunes library with all your music, you can easily import it into Google Play Music in just a few steps:
- Open Google Play Music on your computer.
- Click the menu icon and choose “Upload music”.
- On the upload page select “Import from iTunes”.
- A pop-up will ask you to confirm permission to read your iTunes library.
- Check which playlists or songs you want to import.
- Click upload and Google will import your selected iTunes music.
A few things to note about importing from iTunes:
- It will not remove or delete anything from your iTunes library.
- You can select specific playlists or your entire iTunes collection.
- Your iTunes playlists will be imported and matched to the same songs on Google Play Music.
Can I access my iTunes purchases?
If you’ve purchased music through iTunes in the past, you can access those songs in Google Play Music as well. To add iTunes purchases:
- Go to iTunes and deauthorize your computer from your iTunes account.
- On your Google Play Music settings, link your iTunes account.
- Google will automatically match songs available on both services.
- Any iTunes purchases not matched can be manually uploaded.
A few tips for matching iTunes purchases:
- Google will first try to automatically match your song files.
- If a match fails, you can upload the song file directly.
- Purchased movies, books or apps won’t be imported, only music.
- Don’t worry, deauthorizing won’t remove any downloads.
Can I migrate playlists from Spotify?
If you currently use Spotify and want to move your playlists over, Google makes it easy to import your Spotify playlists and library. Just follow these steps:
- Open your Google Play Music app settings.
- Under “Add playback sources” choose Spotify.
- Log into your Spotify account to link it.
- Pick which Spotify playlists you want to import.
- Check back soon as Google matches your songs from Spotify.
- Find your playlists and songs from Spotify now in Google Play Music.
Some important notes about importing from Spotify:
- Playlists and songs will be matched between the two services.
- You may lose some metadata like play counts or ratings.
- It can take hours for large Spotify libraries to fully import.
- You won’t lose anything from your Spotify account.
Can I upload music from other sources?
In addition to iTunes and Spotify, Google Play Music supports uploading music from other sources:
| Source | Instructions |
|---|---|
| Android device folder | Open Google Play Music app > Menu > Upload music > On device |
| OneDrive | Click Add OneDrive folder > Select folder with music |
| Dropbox | Click Add Dropbox folder > Select folder with music |
Uploading from other sources follows the same process. Select the songs or folders you want, Google will upload them, and then you can access your music from the Uploaded tab in Google Play Music.
How do I find my uploaded music in YouTube Music?
Any music you’ve uploaded to Google Play Music is also available in YouTube Music. To access it:
- Open the YouTube Music app.
- Tap on your account icon.
- Select “Uploaded songs”.
- You will find all your uploaded and purchased music here.
- Tap on a song to start playing it.
Your uploaded music is kept separate from the streaming catalog on YouTube Music. Some tips:
- The “Uploaded songs” section has your full uploaded music library.
- Uploaded songs won’t appear on YouTube Music search or recommendations.
- You can also find your music in My Channel > Playlists on your account.
What are some tips for managing my uploaded music?
Here are some helpful tips for managing your uploaded music library in Google Play Music and YouTube Music:
- Edit metadata – Fix missing song info like release year or artist name in song details.
- Delete songs – Remove any songs you don’t want anymore under the Uploaded tab.
- Create playlists – Organize your music into custom playlists for occasions or moods.
- Download for offline – Use the pin/download option to take your music on the go without internet.
- Change quality – Downgrade very large files to save space in your music locker.
Properly tagging and organizing your uploaded music will make it easier to find and allow Google to properly match your local files to their catalog.
What are the differences between Google Play Music and YouTube Music?
| Google Play Music | YouTube Music |
|---|---|
| – Upload your music library | – Stream official songs and albums |
| – Listen ad-free | – Watch music videos |
| – Download music for offline play | – User generated content |
| – Podcasts support | – Radio playlists based on artists |
The main differences are:
- Google Play Music stores your personal library while YouTube Music focuses just on streaming.
- YouTube Music includes more video content like music videos, covers and concerts.
- Google Play Music has more advanced library management features.
Should I switch from Google Play Music to YouTube Music?
Google Play Music is eventually shutting down and being replaced completely by YouTube Music. So YouTube Music will now be Google’s focus for streaming music.
For most people, switching over to YouTube Music makes the most sense. But here are some key points on making the switch:
- Your Google Play Music library and playlists can be transferred to YouTube Music.
- YouTube Music costs the same $9.99 per month fee after any trial.
- The apps offer fairly similar core functionality for streaming and music discovery.
- Consider downloading any purchased music before canceling Google Play Music.
Overall YouTube Music provides a solid transition option for previous Google Play Music users. And you might discover you enjoy the additional content beyond just audio tracks.
What happens if I cancel Google Play Music?
Once you cancel your Google Play Music subscription, here’s what will happen:
- You lose access to on demand playback from the streaming catalog.
- Any purchased music or uploads will no longer stream.
- Downloads of purchased or uploaded content stay available for offline play.
- Your library, playlists, and account remain if you resubscribe later.
So before canceling, make sure to download any purchased music or personal uploads you want to keep access to. But your account itself will stay intact in case you want to come back.
What are some alternatives to Google music services?
If you want to explore alternatives to Google Play Music and YouTube Music, here are the top options:
- Spotify – The world’s most popular music streaming app. Offers a sizable catalog of songs, custom playlists, sharing options, and more. Can import your playlists from Google.
- Apple Music – Great option if you’re in the Apple ecosystem. Seamlessly integrates with your local iTunes library. Access across all Apple devices.
- Amazon Music – Included with an Amazon Prime subscription. Large catalog of songs available for streaming. Syncs purchases from Amazon MP3 store.
- Tidal – Focuses on high fidelity lossless audio. Good selection of expertly curated playlists and music discovery features.
- Pandora – Veteran internet radio service. Creates streaming radio stations based on your favorite artists. Ad-supported free tier available.
Each service caters to a slightly different use case. Consider which features, price points, and device integrations matter most to you when choosing an alternative.
Conclusion
Google provides several solid options for accessing your music collection and discovering new tunes through their platforms. Uploading your physical media or previous purchases to Google Play Music allows you to stream anywhere and takes advantage of their catalog to match your tastes.
Migrating your Google Play Music library over to YouTube Music ensures you don’t lose access as they wind down Google Play Music. And YouTube Music opens up more possibilities with a focus on music videos, live performances, and remixes you won’t find anywhere else.
With Google’s suite of music services, you get the benefit of both having access to your personal music library while also leveraging Google’s technology for recommendations and radio-style stations tailored just for you.
