// startup autopsy

Songza

Google paid $39M for AI music curation based on activity and mood — then shut Songza 6 months after acquisition and integrated the technology into Google Play Music

platform dependencyAcqui-hired

Fatal mistake: Songza built AI-curated music playlists based on activity, mood, and time of day. Raised $10M. 5.5M monthly users. Google acquired Songza for $39M in July 2014. Google used Songza's music curation technology for Google Play Music and eventually Google Music. Shut Songza in January 2015 — 6 months after acquisition. Curation features integrated into Google Play Music.

Founded	2007
Closed	2015
Country	USA
Sector	Media

50%

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2007

FOUNDING

2014

FUNDING

2015

SHUTDOWN

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Songza raised $10M. 5.5M monthly users. Google acquired $39M July 2014. Shut January 2015 (6 months). Curation technology integrated into Google Play Music....

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€25M

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Songza raised €10M before songza built ai-curated music playlists based on activity, mood, and time of day. raised $10m. 5.5m monthly users. google acquired songza for $39m in july 2014. google used songza's music curation technology for google play music and eventually google music. shut songza in january 2015 — 6 months after acquisition. curation features integrated into google play music. ended it. See the documented cause, verified lesson and all failure signals.

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