Google Play Music Launches Free, Ad-Supported Version of Streaming Service

Google Play Music, Google's music streaming service, has launched a free, ad-supported version that will allow users to access its catalogue through curated playlists. Users will also be able to create stations based off a specific artist, song, or album. It's available online today in the U.S., with iOS and Android compatibility coming later this week.

The company hopes that the free version will bring in more listeners who will eventually convert to paying $9.99 per month for the service, without ads. The paid version offers features that the free version doesn't, such as the ability to search and play specific songs or albums and offline streaming. Without a paid subscription, users will still be able to host 50,000 songs from their own library through Google Play's platform. 

A free, ad-supported model is a pointed move away from recent industry trends, as prominent new competitors Tidal and Apple Music have declined to offer a "freemium" plan. 

A Google representative said the rates paid to rights holders for streams logged by ad-supported accounts will vary from the rates paid for streams logged by paid accounts, but did not specify the exact difference.

Google Play Music's $9.99 paid subscription version includes a 30-day free trial period. The Google rep confirmed that copyright holders are paid during those free trial periods. Recently, Apple attracted criticism when reports emerged that royalties would not be paid during Apple Music's free three-month trial period, which will be offered upon its June 30 launch. Following a bout of public blowback, which included an open letter written by Taylor Swift, Apple announced it would pay royalties to rights holders during that trial period