The Chromecast has been nothing short of a success for Google, and it's now available in 27 countries, the company announced today. Now, Google is bringing that same technology to audio streaming services with Google Cast for audio and Google Cast-enabled speakers. Google Cast for audio will allow users to stream music or audio from a selection of apps including Rdio, Pandora, NPR One, Google Play Music, and others to Google Cast-ready speakers, sound bars, and receivers, the first which will be available this Spring in the US.

Google is going directly after AirPlay

Notably missing from the list of streaming partners is Spotify. Not getting the world's biggest streaming service isn't great, but with most other streaming options on board, Spotify may be soon to follow. Getting your audio to stream will work the same way it does for video — just hit the Cast button — but for audio, the stream will come directly from the cloud for improved sound quality. Google has partnered with Sony, LG, and HEOS by Denon (pictured above) for the first wave of Google Cast-ready speakers which will ship in the coming months, and says more companies will be releasing Google Cast-ready speakers throughout the year.

If it wasn't clear before, Google is going directly after Apple's AirPlay, which has been able to stream audio to AirPlay-enabled speakers for some time. The great news is Sony and Denon tell us users won't have to choose between the two services — their upcoming products will support both Google Cast and AirPlay.