Microsoft kills off Groove Music subscription service

Microsoft's Spotify rival, Groove Music, is shutting down.

The streaming subscription service is available on Xbox One and Windows, but has never gained widespread popularity.

Existing Groove Music subscribers will be able to use the service until 31st December, after which it will fall silent.

Any purchased music will remain yours to keep, any contiuinuing subscriptions will be refunded and Groove Music's app will become just a bog standard media player.

All of which amounts to Microsoft finally admitting defeat in its battle with Spotify - with which it will now work to transition its paid users across.

Groove Music subscribers will be able to transfer music libraries and playlists across to Spotify via a Groove update coming in mid-October.

Microsoft has an extensive FAQ on the changes, and the nitty gritty of how it will affect subscribers.

The news comes just eight weeks after Spotify finally launched on Xbox One and Windows 10. Spotify previously had an extensive period of PlayStation-only exclusivity, while Microsoft focused on its Groove Music solution. Perhaps the deal to get Spotify on Xbox and Windows was reliant on Groove shutting down?