Can you still download Groove Music?
Groove Music was a music streaming service developed and launched by Microsoft in 2012. The service allowed users to stream music from OneDrive or purchase licensed music tracks from the Groove Music Store (Griffin, 2015 [1]). Groove Music integrated with Windows devices and Xbox consoles, providing a unified music experience across Microsoft’s platforms. However, in October 2017, Microsoft announced that it would discontinue Groove Music as a streaming service (Warren, 2017 [2]). This raises the question – even though Groove Music streaming was discontinued, can users still download music they purchased from the Groove Music library?
Groove Music Streaming Service
Groove Music was a streaming music service launched by Microsoft in 2012 to compete with other services like Spotify and Apple Music. It offered on-demand streaming music and internet radio and was integrated into Microsoft’s Xbox and Windows platforms.
The service launched under the name Xbox Music in October 2012, allowing Xbox 360 and Windows 8 users to stream music playlists. According to an article from Musconv, Groove Music offered a catalog of over 40 million tracks for streaming.
In 2015, Microsoft rebranded Xbox Music to Groove Music to better align with their other entertainment services. As explained on Microsoft’s support site, the Groove Music app allowed users to stream music on Windows 10 PCs, Windows Phone, and Xbox consoles.
Discontinuation of Groove Music
In October 2017, Microsoft announced that it would be discontinuing its Groove Music streaming service. The service would no longer be available as of December 31, 2017. Existing Groove Music subscribers were given the option to transition their music collections and playlists to Spotify as part of a partnership between Microsoft and Spotify.
There were a few key reasons that Microsoft decided to shutter Groove Music. The streaming music landscape had become intensely competitive, with services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music taking the lion’s share of the market. Groove Music struggled to gain adoption in such a crowded field. Though it offered some unique features like the ability to match songs already owned by users, Groove Music ultimately failed to differentiate itself enough to thrive.
In a corporate blog post explaining the decision, Microsoft acknowledged that continuing to invest in Groove Music was no longer sustainable when faced with the category leaders. By partnering with Spotify, Microsoft could meet customer needs while focusing on areas more central to its business.
Impact on Downloaded Music
When Microsoft discontinued Groove Music in 2017, it left many users wondering what would happen to the music they had downloaded for offline listening. According to discussions on Reddit and Apple support forums, DRM licensing meant that downloaded songs would no longer be accessible after the service shutdown [1].
Unlike music purchased from services like iTunes or Amazon MP3, streamed music is usually licensed for the duration of an active subscription only. When Groove Music ended, the licenses for downloaded content expired as well. Attempting to play these offline tracks after the discontinuation date resulted in errors [2].
Essentially, Groove Music downloads were rented, not owned. The DRM protections tied the downloads specifically to the Groove Music platform and user’s subscription. Once that subscription lapsed and Groove Music went offline, downloaded songs could no longer be accessed. This highlighted limitations around digital music ownership that impacted Groove Music subscribers.
Can Groove Music Be Downloaded Now?
Officially, Groove Music is no longer available for new downloads. Microsoft discontinued the Groove Music streaming service and music store in October 2017 [1]. This means the Groove Music app and Microsoft Store no longer offer music purchases or downloads.
However, existing downloads are still accessible for those who previously purchased Groove Music. If you downloaded songs or albums from Groove Music before it was discontinued, you can continue to access those downloads through the Groove Music app [2]. So while new downloads aren’t possible, previous Groove Music customers can still listen to their purchased music library.
Accessing Downloaded Groove Music
While the Groove Music streaming service has been discontinued, users can still access music previously downloaded through the Groove Music app on Windows devices. Here are the main ways to access downloaded Groove Music content:
Using the Groove Music App
The Groove Music app is still available on Windows 10 and 11 devices. Open the Groove Music app and select “My Music” to access songs and albums downloaded for offline playback. The app allows you to play and manage this downloaded music library.
File Location on Computer
Downloaded Groove Music files are stored in the hidden folder C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Music\Users\Public\Groove Music. To access these files directly through File Explorer, you may need to enable viewing hidden folders and files. The files can then be accessed, copied, or backed up as needed.[1]
Overall, while the Groove Music service itself is gone, users who previously downloaded music can still access those downloads through the Groove app or the files directly.
Options for Groove Music Downloads
If you previously downloaded music using the Groove Music app, you still have options for accessing and managing those downloaded songs even though the streaming service has been discontinued:
Playback, Organizing, and Backing Up Downloaded Songs
The Groove Music app on Windows 10 and Xbox One can still be used to play, organize, and back up any songs you previously downloaded. The app itself is still available and functional for managing and listening to music stored locally on your devices.
To ensure you don’t lose access to downloaded Groove Music, consider backing up your songs to an external drive or cloud storage. This will enable you to transfer the downloads to a new device if needed.
Alternative Music Apps to Use
For streaming music or accessing additional features, you may want to transition to a different music app such as:
- Spotify – Features playlists, internet radio, podcasts, and social components.
- Apple Music – Seamlessly syncs across Apple devices and includes expert-curated playlists.
- YouTube Music – Offers official albums, singles, remixes, live performances, and music videos.
- Amazon Music – Integrates with Amazon Prime and Echo devices.
Most services allow transferring your downloaded Groove Music to their platforms for unified access across your library. Consider choosing a replacement app based on your listening habits and device ecosystem.
Transition Recommendations
For those still accessing downloaded Groove Music libraries, it is recommended to transition to another music platform. While Groove downloads can technically still be accessed through the Groove Music app in Windows 10, this access could be removed at any time since Groove Music was discontinued. To ensure continuous access to your music library, switching services is advised.
The smoothest transition is to export your Groove Music playlists and import them into another service like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, or YouTube Music. This allows your playlists and organizational structure to be retained. According to Microsoft’s support article, you can export playlists as .M3U files and import them into many major music platforms (1).
For accessing your downloaded Groove music files themselves, they can be located in a Music folder on your computer and added to another media player. However, the metadata, playlists, and library structure would need to be recreated. Transitioning playlists as described above is recommended for maintaining your previous Groove Music setup.
The Future of Downloads
Streaming has become the dominant model for music consumption now, while downloading music has become less common. According to The Future of Music: Downloading vs. Streaming (https://mitcccny.org/the-future-of-music-downloading-vs-streaming/), streaming accounted for 80% of music industry revenue in 2019, while downloads only comprised 11%.
There are pros and cons to both downloading music and streaming:
Advantages of downloading:
- Downloads allow you to listen offline and avoid using mobile data.
- Higher audio quality than streaming.
- Ability to keep music files forever, even if a streaming service shuts down.
Disadvantages of downloading:
- Must pay per song/album instead of having access to everything for a monthly streaming fee.
- Takes up storage space on your device.
- No ability to access your music collection everywhere like with streaming.
As streaming continues to dominate, downloading may become more of a niche practice for audiophiles seeking lossless quality and true ownership of music files. However, streaming services will need to continue improving access and preserving libraries to maintain user trust and satisfaction.
Conclusion
In summary, Microsoft discontinued the Groove Music streaming service in 2017 but users can still access their downloaded Groove music libraries. The Groove Music app remains functional for playing downloaded songs, albums, playlists etc. However, the ability to download new content to Groove or stream Groove Music is no longer available.
While downloaded Groove music is still accessible, the functionality is limited and Microsoft recommends transitioning to a new music platform soon. Options like Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music or Amazon Music allow uploading your downloaded Groove libraries for seamless access across devices. As Microsoft phases out services related to Groove, it’s advisable to move your music library to a new platform in the near future.
With the discontinuation of Groove Music streaming, listeners need to migrate to a new service to ensure continued access to their music libraries. While downloaded Groove content is still available in the short term, users should begin the process of choosing a replacement and uploading their collections soon.