Where can I find my Google music?

What is Google Music?
Google Music is a music and podcast streaming service and online music locker operated by Google. The service was launched in November 2011 and allows users to upload up to 50,000 songs from their personal libraries to the cloud, purchase music directly on Google Music, stream songs, and explore curated playlists and recommendations (Wikipedia 2023). Google Music aimed to combine the features of music locker services like Amazon Cloud Player with on-demand music streaming services like Spotify.
Some key features of Google Music include (PC Mag 2023):
- Uploading your own music library to the cloud
- Purchasing music tracks and albums directly through Google Music
- Streaming music playlists curated by Google Music
- Downloading music for offline listening
- Sharing music with friends
- Listening across various devices including mobile
Over the years since launch, Google Music has evolved to focus more on subscriptions, recommendations, and integration with other Google services like YouTube Music. The service aims to provide a comprehensive music platform encompassing both owned music libraries and streaming content.
Accessing Google Music
Google Music allows you to access your music library and listen to music across devices and platforms. Here are some ways to access Google Music:
- On the web: Go to music.youtube.com to access Google Music through your web browser. You can upload music, create playlists, listen to music and more.
- On your computer: Download the Google Play Music desktop app for Windows or Mac to access your music library locally and listen offline (1).
- On Android: Download the YouTube Music app from the Play Store to listen on your Android phone or tablet (2).
- On iOS: Get the YouTube Music app for iPhone and iPad to access your music (3).
- With Google Assistant: Use voice commands like “Hey Google, play my music” to control music hands-free.
- With Google Home: Link your Google account to a Google Home smart speaker to play music with voice commands.
So in summary, Google Music can be accessed through the website, mobile apps, desktop apps, and smart devices – giving you seamless access to your music library.
Uploading Music to Google Music
You can upload your own music library to Google Music so you can access it anywhere. This allows you to listen to music you’ve purchased or ripped from CDs on any device with the Google Music app.
To upload music to your Google Music library:
- Go to music.youtube.com and click on your profile picture, then select “Upload music”
- Supported file formats include MP3, FLAC, WMA, ACC, ALAC, OGG, and more
- You can upload up to 50,000 songs for free
- Use the Google Music Manager desktop app to upload large libraries – it allows batch uploading and automatic syncing [1]
- You can also upload by dragging and dropping files directly into the browser
- Uploads happen in the background so you can keep using Google Music while uploading
- Edit metadata like song titles, artists, albums before uploading for better organization
Once uploaded, your music will appear in the library tab in Google Music. You can then stream, download, or play it on any device just like purchased music.
Purchasing Music on Google Music
Google Play Music previously allowed users to purchase individual songs or full albums to download and own. However, since 2020 when Google Play Music was discontinued, the option to purchase music directly through Google is no longer available.
If you want to buy and own music, you will need to use a different music service. Some alternatives include:
- Apple Music – Allows you to buy songs and albums to download or stream (1)
- Amazon Music – Offers music purchases in their MP3 store (2)
- Music retailers like iTunes, Bandcamp, CD Baby, etc. allow direct purchases
The only way now to get music through Google is via a streaming subscription to YouTube Music. This does not allow you to buy and own songs, but gives you access to stream their catalog. If purchasing and owning music is important to you, Google Music is no longer an option.
Listening to Music with Google Music
Google Music provides several different options for listening to music, including streaming, downloading tracks and albums, and listening to radio stations.
To stream music through Google Music, you can use the mobile app or web player to play any of the 50 million songs in Google’s catalog. Streaming allows you to listen to music on-demand without having to download tracks to your device. Google Assistant can also be used to control music playback and request songs on compatible devices.
If you want to listen to your music collection offline, you can use the Google Music app to download playlists, albums, and podcasts to your mobile device or computer. Downloaded content can then be accessed anywhere, even without an internet connection.
For more variety, Google Music offers radio stations based on your tastes, mood, or activity. Just like traditional radio, you can listen to music stations for free, while still being able to skip songs or customize the station.
Organizing Your Music Library
Google Music provides several ways to organize your music library and playlists to suit your preferences. You can create customized playlists by selecting “New playlist” from the menu and giving it a name. To add songs, find the track you want and select “Add to playlist” then choose which playlist to add it to. You can have multiple playlists for different genres, moods, activities, etc.
You can also mark favorites by tapping the heart icon next to a track to easily find your most-loved songs. Favorites automatically get added to the aptly named “Favorites” playlist. Additionally, you can download playlists for offline listening when you won’t have an internet connection.
To sort your library, tap the three dot menu while viewing “Songs” or a playlist. Here you can sort by title, artist, album, recently added, or recently played. This helps you find music quickly and stay organized. You can also search for specific artists, albums or songs.
Overall, Google Music gives you many options to customize your library with different playlist combinations and sorting to access your favorite tunes conveniently. Grouping music that fits your mood or activity makes your large library easy to navigate.
Sharing Music from Google Music
Google Music allows you to share songs, albums, playlists, and more with other users. To share a song or album, simply find it in your library and tap the three-dot menu next to the title. Select “Share” and you can send it via messaging apps, email, or post to social media.
To share a playlist, open it and tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner. Choose “Share” and select how you want to send it. You can generate a shareable link this way. Keep in mind when sharing playlists, only songs available on Google Music will play for the recipient.
If you want to share your entire music library, you can use Google Drive to do so. Upload your music files to Drive, then right-click on the folder and choose “Share.” Enter the email addresses or names of people you want to share with. This will allow them to access all of your uploaded music through Drive. Just be conscious of how much storage space you have.
For more details, visit Google’s support page on sharing music: https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/9198182?hl=en
Google Music Mobile Apps
Google offers mobile apps for Android and iOS devices to allow you to access your Google Music library and listen to music on the go. The main apps are:
- YouTube Music – This app allows you to listen to music and watch music videos from YouTube. It comes pre-installed on Android devices and can be downloaded for free on iOS.
- Google Play Music – This was Google’s original music app, but it has now been replaced by YouTube Music. You can still use it to access your purchased and uploaded music if you have it installed.
The YouTube Music app provides features like:
- Streaming music from YouTube Music’s catalog of over 60 million songs
- Accessing your personal music library including uploads and purchases
- Curated playlists and radio stations based on your tastes
- Offline listening for when you have no internet connection
YouTube Music also offers background listening, sharing songs with friends, and casting to speakers and smart displays. The apps provide a convenient way to bring your music on the go.
Google Music Subscriptions
Google offers paid subscription options for accessing premium features and content on Google Music. The main subscription is called YouTube Music Premium, which provides an ad-free listening experience, offline downloads, and background playback for $9.99 per month (see https://www.youtube.com/musicpremium). YouTube Music Premium is available as an individual plan or as part of a Google family subscription for up to 5 family members (see https://store.google.com/us/category/subscriptions).
Key features of YouTube Music Premium include (see https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6305537?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid):
- Ad-free music listening
- Offline downloads
- Background playback
- High quality audio
YouTube Music Premium provides a great way to enjoy Google Music without ads and with extra features. The subscription is competitively priced and can be shared with family at an affordable rate.
Getting Support for Google Music
If you run into any issues while using Google Music, there are a few resources you can use to get help troubleshooting and resolving problems:
Google Music Help Center – The YouTube Music Help Center provides answers to common questions, tutorials, and troubleshooting steps for Google Music. You can browse help topics or search for specific issues.
Contact Google Support – If you can’t find an answer in the Help Center, you can contact Google support directly by phone or email. Support can help diagnose problems and walk you through fixes.
Google Music Community Forum – Google hosts a community forum where you can post questions and get help from other Google Music users and moderators. It covers topics like uploading issues, streaming problems, and more.
By leveraging these resources for troubleshooting help, you can get quick resolutions to any problems encountered while using Google Music.