Do you wish you could jam out to your favorite Google Play Music tunes right on your Roku device? I’ve got good news and bad news.
The bad news is that Google Play Music, where you could access 35+ million songs, is no more as of December 2020. But the good news is that you’ve still got options to pump up the volume on Roku! Let me show you how.
Introducing YouTube Music
With Google Play Music out of the picture, Google recommends turning to YouTube Music for all your music needs instead.
The main perks of YouTube Music include:
- Access to over 80 million official songs, albums, and playlists
- Both a free, ad-supported tier and a paid subscription option
- Available as an app across platforms like iOS, Android, smart TVs, and yes…Roku
So while you can’t directly get Google Play Music on your Roku anymore, you can easily access YouTube Music. I’ll cover how in just a bit!
Casting Your Mobile Music to Roku
If you still want to play music from a mobile app that isn’t natively available on Roku channels, don’t sweat it! Roku devices have a handy “casting” feature called screen mirroring that lets you wirelessly beam your phone or tablet’s display to your TV.
Here’s how to set up screen mirroring and cast mobile apps to Roku:
- Ensure your Roku and mobile device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network
- On your Roku, go to Settings > System > Screen Mirroring Mode
- Choose either Prompt or Always Allow
- Open the mobile app you want to cast and look for the Cast icon (it resembles a TV with Wi-Fi bars)
- Select your Roku device to connect it
- The mobile app screen and audio should now mirror directly through your Roku to the TV!
And voila! It’s almost like any mobile music app magically turned into a Roku channel. Pretty neat trick to keep in mind.
Let the Tunes Play On
While it’s a real shame to lose Google Play Music since it provided some nice features, services like YouTube Music help fill the void. And thankfully between official Roku music channels and the screen mirroring method, you’ve got plenty of audio options to entertain your ears.
The next time you want to crank up the volume on some sweet beats, hopefully now you know exactly how to get rolling on Roku. Just sit back, bop your head, and let those beloved tunes play on!