Play Music Revisited: All Access enters the material world with Songza Concierge

It’s been just about a year and a half since Google released its music streaming service, All Access. In that time, Google acquired Songza, a lesser known curated music streaming service, back in July. Since then, it has been speculated that Google would eventually roll those features into its ever-popular music service.

Google recently brought Material Design to the Play Music app, but they also added Songza’s Concierge, bringing a whole new element to All Access. Given that Play Music has joined the material world, it’s time to give it a revisit. A month after All Access came out, I heralded it as an amazing streaming experience, hit the break to see if I still do so a year and a half later.

I have to admit, while I love Google Music I’ve been straying. Prior to Google’s addition of Songza support, Spotify was my go-to for the past few months in conjunction with Milk Music. However I have to say that since the update, Play Music has been the only app that I have used.

The main reason I used Spotify and Milk Music was they were simple for tapping a station and listening. It wasn’t finding a song and starting a radio station. It was a set and forget style that I really liked. To do so with Play Music involved remembering what song was close to the genre I wanted, finding it, then setting the station. Granted it that wasn’t always the case, but Google Music never had a set it and forget it option.

Enter Songza support. The best part is it gives you a set of options given your current time of the day. First thing in the morning, it’s waking up, During the day it’s keeping the work day light, energetic and fun. At night it may offer options for entertaining or offer a station for mellow relaxation. But even then it’s more specific than that.

Want to wake up to earthy rock? Google has that. Prefer upbeat country hits? No problem. If you’re like me, you’re a fan of random 90s stations. I even found a random 90s dance station that brought me back to middle school when dancing was nothing more than moving one’s feet back and forth in an almost robotic manner, but I digress.

While slightly more than a single tap for setting and forgetting, Songza support made it easier to do in Play Music. Of course it’s not without its faults.

One thing I’ve noticed with Milk Music, Spotify, Slacker and the other streaming services is that I can set them, forget them and go through the entire day and not hear the same song. That’s not the case in Play Music. After a certain amount of songs, the playlist starts over. It randomly reshuffles the same songs just a bit but essentially it’s the same songs you’ve heard. I have noticed that if you refresh the station it picks new songs. So while it may not be perfect, it certainly is a start.

Other than that I still have no complaints about Google Music. I’ve added many an album to my collection and while I know I’m renting them, I can still listen to them at any time.  Sadly there was a snafu with my original $7.99 per month and I pay the normal $9.99. So after all this time, have I changed my perspective about Play Music?

No. I still think that Play Music is amazing, but unlike in the beginning it won’t be my end all be all, and I will still use a variety of other services. When All Access arrived, the streaming music scene wasn’t as congested as it is now. There is certainly a lot of music services out there wanting your money.

All Access is still a strong option and with the added benefit of Songza it’s made listening to music nostalgic, fun and enjoyable again, and that is where Google has the advantage.

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