Google Music takes aim at iTunes
November, 2011
Google pushed “Play” on its new music service yesterday.
The search giant launched its digital record store — featuring songs from only three of the four major labels — and took the wraps off a suite of music services at an event in Los Angeles.
Google Music is now out of its invite-only beta phase, and it remains free for members who can upload their music collections to the cloud for streaming to Web browsers anywhere.
The musical push is part of a broader mobile and social strategy from Google, which added that more than 200 million Android devices have been activated, up from 100 million about six months ago.
The company also took aim at archrival Apple by delivering a free music locker the same week the iPhone maker rolled out a similar locker that costs $25 a year. What’s more, iTunes music can be uploaded to the firm’s locker, the company said.
“Other music services think you have to pay to listen to music you own. You don’t,” said Jamie Rosenberg, the firm’s head of digital content.
The free offering was characteristic of Google, which also struck deals to allow customers to share a free listen of purchased songs with members of their circles on the Google+ social network.
Google Music also gives away promotional tracks, and as part of the debut entire albums were being offered free for download, including a never-before-released live Rolling Stones show.
EMI, Universal, Sony and a host of indie labels are on board, but Warner Music is so far absent, although Google said it anticipated adding new partners, clearly referring to Warner.
The one telecom partner is T-Mobile, which will offer subscribers the option to pay for songs in the Android Market by charging directly to their phone bills.
Google also showed off features that allow independent artists to upload and sell their songs. The musicians can also link the MP3s for sale through videos posted on YouTube.
