Internet radio company Songza is being put out to pasture. On January 31, over a year and a half after being acquired by Google, Songza will finally retire its website and app, marking an end to a small yet innovative Internet radio service.
Launched in 2007, Songza soon set itself apart with human-curated playlists and its “concierge” tool, debuted in 2012, that helps users pick a playlist based on mood or activity, an approach to music discovery that since become widespread. The concierge feature was integrated into Play Music in October 2014 and reached a wider audience when the Play Music launched a radio service in June.
Listeners of any streaming service face the likelihood, however possible or remote, their listening history will disappear if the company goes under. Rdio subscribers are dealing with this reality as the company enters bankruptcy and prepares to shut down. Songza will minimize the hassle to its listeners by allowing them to migrate their accounts, including playlists and favorite songs, to Google Play Music.
