Google Inc has acquired streaming music service Songza, the Internet search company’s latest move to play a bigger role in the fast-growing online music business.<\/p>\n
Google said on Tuesday it would explore ways to incorporate aspects of Songza into its existing streaming music service over the coming months. For now the four-year-old Songza service, which creates “expert-curated” music playlists intended to match users’ activities and tastes, will remain unchanged for existing users.<\/p>\n
Google did not provide financial terms of the deal, though a report in the New York Post earlier this month citing unnamed sources said Google had offered to buy the company for $15 million.<\/p>\n
The deal comes one month after Apple Inc acquired Beats for $3 billion. Apple’s purchase of Beats, which also touted its expertise curating music playlists, was viewed as an effort to jump-start Apple’s position in the fastest-growing segment of the music market.<\/p>\n
Sales of digital music downloads have declined in recent months, while streaming services such as Pandora Media Inc and Spotify have become increasingly popular with consumers.<\/p>\n
Google launched a $9.99-per-month Play All Access subscription music service in 2013, and the company said last month its YouTube video website was preparing to launch a paid streaming service.<\/p>\n
Google would not say how many employees Songza had but it said the company would continue to work from its base in New York.<\/p>\n
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