Microsoft announced it will shutter music streaming service Groove Music by the end of the year, and is urging users to move their content to Spotify.

“We’re excited to announce that we’re partnering with Spotify to bring the world’s largest music streaming service to you,” Microsoft announced in a statement. The company added current Groove Music users can move “curated playlists and playlists” directly into the music streaming service.

Microsoft and Spotify have already been working together on apps for Windows 10 and Xbox One.

The Groove Music app will be updated so users can play their purchased music until 31 December, when the option to stream, purchase, and download music  will be discontinued. Users will be able to listen to purchased music if it is downloaded.

Microsoft acquired Groove, an iOS music streaming app which shares its name with Microsoft’s own music service, in February 2016.

The app was said to be an intelligent music player “that learns our tastes and habits in order to play the right music at the right time”.

Microsoft’s Groove Music service, previously called Xbox Music, offers “ad-free music from one of the biggest catalogues on the planet” and let users create playlists and custom radio stations based on their favourite artistes.

The music streaming market is a competitive ones, with players including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and Tidal.

Meanwhile Spotify, which has 60 million paying subscribers, is discussing a plan to bypass the tradtional route to a public listing with officials at the US Securities and Exchange Commission.