Google Play Music Update Play Songs Based on Your Mood, What You’re Doing

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Music affects us in ways no other media can, and Google Play Music’s new feature is designed to cater to that part of our limbic system. As part of its Songza acquisition, Google on Tuesday introduced new features that will play songs based on your mood, the time of day, day of the week, and so on. Stuck in traffic? Google has suggestions for that, which are curated by music experts. The idea is to match music to your mood and setting in that very instant.

The feature was inspired directly by Songza’s beloved “Concierge,” which was designed to reflect your mood with music. There is a playlist for just about anything, and if there isn’t something that suits your needs, it’s likely something will be created in the future. Now, when you go to your All Access page, the service will reflect the day and a specific situation. Right now I’m seeing suggestions like “Drinking Gourmet Coffee” (I don’t drink coffee), “Cleaning the House,” and “Working to a Beat.”

Click on one of the suggestions, and you’ll be met with what kind of specific music you want to hear. When I click on something like, “Enjoying the Morning,” I can choose from something like “Delightful Surprises,” “Timeless Pick-Me-Ups,” and more. The idea, obviously, is to find something that matches your mood, giving you that extra push to either kickstart your day or push through after lunchtime. And if it’s after work, you’ll even get suggestions to get you through your commute.

On that note, you’ll be able to download the music stations for offline use, so if you’re on a train or otherwise underground, you can listen without relying on an Internet connection. With playlists, you can also re-order the songs to suit your taste, see what’s next, add, remove and more. The update currently applies to the Web, though Android and iOS will also see the activity-based stations recommendations soon (U.S.-only).

With that, Google has also infused some Material Design to the service, too. Images are bigger, colors are brighter and, overall, Google Play Music looks better and easier to navigate. So what’s your mood like today, and where are you? Chances are Google has a playlist that you’ll love. Unless you’re in a cave being tracked by a hungry grizzly bear. You’re probably out of luck there.