After first revealing the intent to create a Spotify-powered music streaming service, Sony has released PlayStation Music in 41 countries as of this morning
After first revealing the intent to create a Spotify-powered music streaming service for PlayStation consoles in January, Sony has see fit to release PlayStation Music in 41 countries as of this morning.
Previously, PlayStation users had access to Music Unlimited – a similar streaming service which Sony debuted in 2010. Sony has discontinued Music Unlimited in favour of PlayStation Music through an alliance with Spotify.
PlayStation Music essentially functions as a native Spotify app for PlayStation 3 and 4 consoles, but features a Sony aesthetic and is designed for specific use with PlayStation dual-shock controllers.
Arriving as a free service sporting intermittent advertisements, users will also be able to sign up for a premium PlayStation Music subscription and can, as of today, sign up for a 30-day free trial of the premium service.
PlayStation marketing director for the UK and Ireland clarified Sony’s approach with PlayStation Music – and more specifically, it’s use of Spotify’s content library – describing the service as “a third party service given first party priority on the PlayStation platform”.
As is the status quo on Spotify’s native apps across mobile devices and desktops, PlayStation Music is split across two listings – either “Browse” or “Your Music”, with “Browse” reflecting general playlisted content, with “Your Music” displaying music playlists generated by the user.
PlayStation users will be able to run PlayStation Music in the background – even while playing games. Pop-up controls will also allow a user to skip tracks when necessary, with further control available from Sony-manufactured smartphones and tablets.
Sony’s intention for introducing Music likely comes as a result of Music Unlimited (PlayStation’s prior streaming service) failed to attract a critical user base of more than one million active consumers – a peak which was reached in January of 2012.Microsoft’s Xbox Music service, in addition to Apple bringing Beats Music streaming to a last years’ Apple TV set top box, have likely spurred Sony into action.
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