Sony Reveals Spotify-Powered PlayStation Music

Get ready to rock, gamers. Spotify is headed to Sony's PlayStation Network.

Sony today announced it is shutting down its current Music Unlimited service and replacing it with a new music destination in partnership with Spotify. Dubbed PlayStation Music, the new offering will roll out this spring in 41 markets, initially for PlayStation consoles and Xperia smartphones and tablets.

Spotify on PS Music will offer more than 30 million songs and 1.5 billion playlists.

Sony said Spotify will be "deeply integrated" with the PlayStation Network, offering some unique benefits to users. Gamers will, for instance, be able to link their PSN account with Spotify, and subscribe to the streaming giant's Premium service through their PSN wallet.

Another cool feature — those on PS4 will be able to use Spotify while playing games. This means you'll be able to soundtrack your gaming sessions with your favorite songs playing in the background.

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"We are incredibly honored to partner with Sony and PlayStation to give gamers around the world an amazing experience wherever they listen to music," Spotify CEO and Founder Daniel Ek said in a statement. "As a gamer and PlayStation 4 user myself, I'm super excited to be able to soundtrack my FIFA 15 Arsenal matches later this spring."

As part of this new plan, Sony's existing Music Unlimited service will close in the 19 countries where it's currently offered on March 29. Sony said that "nearly all" of these countries will be among the 41 markets where PS Music featuring Spotify will be available at launch. As a peace offering to current users, those with an active Music Unlimited subscription will receive free access to Music Unlimited through March 29, and be offered an introductory Spotify Premium offer.

"This partnership represents the best in music and the best in gaming coming together, which will benefit the vibrant and passionate communities of both Spotify and PlayStation Network," Andrew House, president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, said in a statement. "We're thrilled to make Spotify the foundation of our strategy with PlayStation Music."

The Spotify deal is part of a larger re-branding effort for Sony's entertainment offerings. The company said today that going forward, its games, TV, video, and music services will be under the PlayStation Network umbrella. Video Unlimited will become PlayStation Video (PS Video), just as Music Unlimited is becoming PlayStation Music.

For more, check out PCMag's Spotify tips in the slideshow above.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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