Google has acquired the music streaming and recommendation company for a reported $39m, giving exits to both Amazon and William Morris Endeavor.
US-based music streaming and recommendation service Songza was acquired by internet company Google yesterday for an undisclosed sum, granting exits to e-commerce company Amazon and talent agency William Morris Endeavor.
Initial reports last month suggested that Google had offered about $15m for the company, but a source has told the New York Times that the final price exceeded $39m.
Although Songza’s streaming service is no more special than that offered by many of its competitors, its central element is a concierge service that matches playlists to moods, times or events.
Founded in 2006, Songza was acquired by online music service Amie Street two years later. When Amazon acquired Amie Street in 2010, several of Songza’s original founders then relaunched an updated version of Songza under its old name.
Songza subsequently raised an undisclosed amount of financing in 2011 from Deep Fork Capital, 24/7 Real Media founder Geoff Judge and an undisclosed strategic investor, later revealed to be Amazon.
Amazon then contributed to a $4.7m round raised by the company in September 2013, which also included William Morris Endeavor, Deep Fork, Lerer Ventures, Metamorphic Ventures and several private investors.
Google said in a statement it does not plan to make any changes to Songza in the near future, but will look to incorporate its features into its own online music streaming service, Google Play Music.
