Google reportedly in the mood for music streaming app Songza

Google reportedly in the mood for music streaming app Songza
Google getting the chequebook out again?

Google is chasing mood-based music streaming service Songza, according to reports on Friday.

The New York Post says the web giant is looking to boost its music portfolio by adding the online radio service that allows users to pick playlists based on their mood, the time of the week, activities and more.

According to the report, Google has offered in the region of $15m (around £9m, AU$16m) for the six-year-old start up, which has approximately 5.5m active users.

Google, which already offers custom radio stations through its Play Music All Access service, may have focused its interest in Songza's playlist curation and recommendation algorithms.

Lowballing?

The firm is seeking to gain a better foothold in the streaming market as it seeks to battle the likes of iTunes Radio, Spotify, Beats Music and Pandora.

It is also rumoured the company is looking to launch a dedicated YouTube streaming service at some point in the near future. Could Songza play into that?

Neither company has commented on the reports, but it does seem that in this era of start-ups selling for billions, a meagre $15m bid for a relatively well-known and established service seems a bit low.

We'll keep you informed should this one develop further.

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.