How can I download Google Play Music?

Google Play Music is a digital music service created by Google that allows users to upload music from their personal libraries, purchase songs and albums, subscribe to streaming, and access curated radio stations. Some key features include:

– Streaming music through an ad-supported free tier or through a paid subscription to Google Play Music All Access which offers unlimited skips, downloads, and ad-free listening.

– Ability to upload up to 50,000 songs from a user’s personal music library to store and access through the cloud. This allows you to listen to your own music collection anywhere.

– A catalog of over 40 million songs available for purchase and download. Users can buy individual songs or entire albums.

– Curated radio stations and customized recommendations based on a user’s taste and listening history. Stations can be adjusted with unlimited skips and “I like this song” or “Don’t play this song” feedback.

– Availability across devices. Google Play Music can be accessed through the web, mobile apps on Android and iOS, and integrations with popular music services. Listeners can start a song on one device and continue on another.

Availability

Google Play Music was initially launched in November 2011 and was only available in the United States. Over the years, Google gradually expanded availability to more countries. According to Wikipedia, as of 2020, Google Play Music is available in 63 countries across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

Some key milestones in Google Play Music’s international expansion include:

November 2011: Launched in the United States

December 2012: Expanded to Europe, launching in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain
May 2013: Launched in Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico
November 2013: Expanded to 7 additional European countries including Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Switzerland and the Netherlands

April 2014: Launched in India
July 2014: Expanded to 6 new Latin American countries including Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela

Over the years, Google Play Music has become widely available globally across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. However, it is still not universally available worldwide.

Signing Up for a Google Account

If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll need to create one before you can download Google Play Music. Creating a Google account is free and only takes a few minutes.

To sign up for a Google account, go to accounts.google.com/signup or open the Google app on your mobile device. You’ll be prompted to enter your first and last name, and to create a username (your Gmail address) and password. Google will ask for your phone number or email address to verify your account.

Make sure you choose a strong password you don’t use for other accounts. Google also recommends turning on 2-Step-Verification for added security. With two-factor authentication enabled, you’ll enter both your password and a code sent to your mobile device when logging in.

Once you complete the signup process, you’ll have a new Google account you can use to access Google services like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Play Music.

Downloading the App

The Google Play Music app can be easily downloaded on iOS, Android, and through the web browser. Here are step-by-step instructions for downloading Google Play Music on each platform:

iOS

To download Google Play Music on an iPhone or iPad:

Open the App Store on your iOS device.
Search for “Google Play Music” in the search bar.
Tap “Get” next to the Google Play Music app.

Tap “Install.” You may need to enter your App Store password.
Once installed, tap “Open” to launch the Google Play Music app.

Android

To download Google Play Music on an Android device:

Open the Play Store app on your Android device.
Search for “Google Play Music.”
Tap “Install” next to the Google Play Music app.

Tap “Accept” to allow the app permissions.
Once installed, tap “Open” to launch the app.

Web Browser

To use Google Play Music through the web:

Go to https://play.google.com/music in your web browser.
Sign into your Google account.
You can now access Google Play Music through the web.

The Google Play Music app is free to download on all major platforms. Just search for it, install it, and log in to start listening.

Uploading Your Library

One of the best features of Google Play Music is the ability to upload your existing music library to the cloud. This allows you to access your personal collection from any device. To upload your music library to Google Play Music, follow these steps:

1. On your computer, visit music.google.com and log into your Google account.

2. Click on the menu icon in the top left corner and select “Upload music.”

3. Click the “Select songs or albums to upload” button. This will allow you to browse your computer and choose which music files to upload.

4. Select the songs, albums, artists or playlists you want to upload. Google Play Music allows you to upload up to 50,000 songs for free.

5. Click “Open” once you’ve chosen all the music you want to upload. Google Play Music will begin uploading your music.

6. The upload time will vary based on your internet connection speed and the size of your music library. You can continue using Google Play Music while your music uploads in the background.

Once the upload is complete, you’ll be able to access your personal music library anywhere by logging into your Google account! All your music will be stored safely in the cloud.

Purchasing Music

Google Play Music has an extensive music store where users can purchase individual songs or full albums. To search for music to purchase, open the Google Play Music app and tap on the “Store” tab at the bottom.

You can browse music by genre, top charts, new releases, or use the search bar to find a specific artist, album or song. When you find a track you want to purchase, you can tap on it to preview a snippet of the song. If you want to preview the full song before purchasing, look for the “Free with subscription” tag which indicates the track is available for free streaming for Google Play Music subscribers.

To purchase a track or album, tap the price below the “Buy” button. You will then be prompted to confirm the purchase. Purchased songs are automatically added to your library and available for offline listening. You can also re-download previously purchased content at any time from the Google Play Music app.

Purchases made through the Google Play Music store are DRM-protected files encoded as 320kbps MP3s. This provides high audio quality while still restricting the files from unauthorized copying and distribution.

Subscribing

Google Play Music offers a subscription service that gives you access to an extensive music library and other benefits. The subscription pricing and options have changed over time as Google Play Music transitions to YouTube Music.

Originally, Google Play Music offered a subscription for $9.99 per month that gave you access to stream over 50 million songs ad-free, download music for offline listening, and get YouTube Red (ad-free YouTube plus original content) included (Source).

In 2018, Google introduced YouTube Music Premium as the new subscription, bundled with YouTube Premium (the new YouTube Red). The Google Play Music subscription automatically gave you access to YouTube Music Premium as well. The pricing remained $9.99 per month (Source).

Key benefits of the subscription include ad-free and offline listening, background play, and the ability to download songs, albums, playlists for offline use. You also get access to the full Google Play Music catalog of over 50 million songs.

Downloading for Offline Listening

One of the best features of Google Play Music is the ability to download songs, albums, and playlists for offline listening when you won’t have an internet connection. Here’s how to download music from Google Play Music for offline listening:

1. Open the Google Play Music app on your Android or iOS device and tap on the music you want to download. This can be an individual song, an entire album, playlist, or other collection of songs.

2. Tap on the download icon next to the song, album, or playlist. The download icon looks like a downward pointing arrow.

3. The songs will start downloading to your device’s storage. You’ll see a progress bar as the songs download.

4. Once the downloads complete, you can play the songs through the Google Play Music app without needing an internet connection. The downloads will be accessible on the “On device” tab in the app.

That’s all there is to it! Downloading music for offline playback is a valuable feature for times when you’ll be offline, like on a plane or camping trip. Just remember to connect back to the internet periodically so the Google Play Music app can sync your offline library.

To learn more, refer to this helpful guide from TunesKit: How to Download Audio from Google Play Music to Listen Offline

Listening on Multiple Devices

One of the best features of Google Play Music is the ability to access your music library from multiple devices, whether at home or on the go. With a Google Play Music subscription, you can download music for offline listening and stream your library from any compatible smartphone, tablet, or computer.

To listen across devices, you first need to make sure you are signed into the same Google account on all devices. On mobile, just download the Google Play Music app and sign in. On desktop, access the Google Play Music website and sign in there.

Once signed in, your full Google Play Music library should be accessible on all connected devices. You can browse, search, play, and download the same songs and playlists. Google Play Music uses your Google account to sync everything.

For home listening across multiple speakers, you can create speaker groups using Google Home/Nest devices and Chromecast. According to Google’s support page, “With multi-room control, you can play music or other media on any combination of Chromecast devices, Google Pixel Tablets, and Google Nest or Home speakers” [1]. Using the Google Home app, you can group together compatible smart speakers in your home and control them as one.

So with Google Play Music, you can seamlessly access your personal music library anywhere, whether listening on your phone at the gym or rocking out at home with multiple smart speakers. The service makes it easy to enjoy your favorite songs across all your devices.

Conclusion

Downloading music through Google Play Music is a straightforward process that starts with signing up for an account. Once registered, you can download the mobile app on your Android or iOS device and then upload your existing music library to Google servers. Any music purchased through Google Play will automatically be added to your library. You can also subscribe to their streaming service for access to millions more songs. A key feature of Google Play Music is the ability to save music for offline listening. This allows you to download select albums, playlists or songs over WiFi so you can listen anywhere, even without an internet connection. With storage in the cloud and offline listening, you can access your music collection from all your devices seamlessly. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to download music through Google Play and enjoy your favorite songs wherever you go.