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Google now wants a piece of the iTunes & music pie

by Ian Varnava
7 replies
As if their fingers are not stuck in enough pies already, Google has unveiled Music Beta. Currently, it's available by invitation only, I assume like Gmail worked when it originally came out.

Apparently they wanted to create the ultimate service which would compete with iTunes, Amazon, and then some... but licensing troubles with record labels have so far prevented them from unleashing with complete fury.

Here's an article from the NY Times about it...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/te...y/11music.html
#google #itunes #music #pie #piece
  • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
    Hey Ian,

    Read the article, interesting and not terribly surprising.

    Neither side wants to talk about the sticking points. But I imagine
    much of it revolves around money per usual. For the record companies,
    I'm sure they are concerned about terms of licensing and having measures
    in place to prevent illegal copying which is understandable.

    There was a comment about the record companies desire to protect their
    interests and those of their artists which I laughed at. There are too many
    stories over the years about how much artists and bands are taken advantage
    of by them.

    I've read similar articles here and there about how difficult it is working with
    record companies (negotiating) to secure licensing arrangements.

    As much money as some of them seem to have, I'm surprised they have not
    created their own online marketing machines for selling the music they own. At
    least it seems they do not pursue that very aggressively.

    But Google's whole deal is about streaming to their products like Android phones
    and other devices. I'm not interested, really. I want a CD I can play in my car.


    Ken
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    • Profile picture of the author Ian Varnava
      Originally Posted by KenThompson View Post

      Hey Ian,
      As much money as some of them seem to have, I'm surprised they have not
      created their own online marketing machines for selling the music they own. At
      least it seems they do not pursue that very aggressively.

      But Google's whole deal is about streaming to their products like Android phones
      and other devices. I'm not interested, really. I want a CD I can play in my car.
      Ken
      That is true Ken.

      I think the music industry is still heavily scorned from the (old) Napster days...lol. I would be, if I was them. Even now piracy is everywhere, but it's part of the game. They've taken everything slowly and carefully since then when it comes to stuff like this, and iTunes was the only major entity who they gave a lot of 'power' to. Partially due to the fact that they were the first one to go with a 'per song' model and it was Apple, of course. I'm sure Google will get what they're looking for though, eventually.

      CD's?? They still have those???? Lol.

      Originally Posted by vansterdam420 View Post

      I wonder how long until you can buy streaming movies from Google too.
      I'm sure it will happen if that is something Google wants to pursue.
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      • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
        Originally Posted by Ian Varnava View Post

        CD's?? They still have those???? Lol.

        Streaming and little electronic devices with ear buds and other
        tiny things are for girls, Ian.




        Ken
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  • Profile picture of the author vansterdam420
    It makes sense for Google to pursue this. Why send their cellphone users to itunes to buy music? I wonder how long until you can buy streaming movies from Google too.
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  • Profile picture of the author RussRuffino
    Someone needs to come up with SOMETHING. iTunes BLOWS.

    Russ
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  • Profile picture of the author xMarkPro
    Seems like Google has their tentacles everywhere these days.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ralf Skirr
    Mh, I don't see a huge success coming here.

    Google tries out new services all the time and fails more often than not. Not that that's a bad thing, I'm just pointing out that it is not necessarily a success because big G started it.

    Ralf
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