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Google Takes a Step Back in Talks with Music Labels, Future of Google Music in Question

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Those holding out hope for Google Music may never get a taste of what the service set out to be. During talks with major record labels solidifying music catalogs for distribution via the proposed digital distribution service, Google has reportedly changed the terms to their music platform mid-negotiations, causing those involved in the dealings to backpedal. One potential outcome? Google might just give up on attempting to establish their own music market and follow in the footsteps of Amazon by establighin their own cloud locker music service. Doing so would retain some sense of the service Google hoped to launch, though it will do little to position them against Apple’s juggernaut iTunes.

Any enhancement to the way music libraries play with Android devices is welcomed, but devout fans will surely miss the opportunity to give the proverbial finger to Apple by purchasing their music straight from Google. There is still a chance Google Music will launch as intended, but it is looking less and less likely each day.

[via BGR]

Kevin Krause
Pretty soon you'll know a lot about Kevin because his biography will actually be filled in!

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47 Comments

  1. You would think the record labels would want more competition so Apple doesn’t control the industry, but Mr Jobs must have the aging record execs around his little finger.

    1. You would think, would you not?

  2. “might just give up on attempting to establish their own music market and follow in the footsteps of Amazon by establighin their own cloud locker music service”

    That’s a pretty stupid assumption, Kevin. Why would they suddenly change their mind on something they have spent over a year developing. Noob.

    1. Guess you never heard of Google Wave huh?

  3. Phew….I tought the whole deal might get cancelled. I only looked forward to Google music, for the wireless updating/cload music locker feature.

    But I think it’s coming either way, albeit a bit delayed perhaps. They spent too much time on it and I think everyone wants a iTunes competitor, Record labels, Google and the people.

    And who knows, if thinks change quite a lot, I might actually start using this someday ;)

  4. Dammit

  5. Well imo the record labels have been the problem with the music industry. If they do not understand the possibilities with this type of service they are idiots. I have been waiting for this since I got my first android phone/music/and last years announcement at io. Consumers want this!

  6. I gave Apple “the proverbial finger” a long time ago. Never bought anything from iTunes. I buy my music from Amazon.

    1. Amazon is just as ghey now.

      1. Yeah Amazons free cloud service and lack of DRM make them just as bad as Apple. Good call.

      2. “WP8WillAlsoBlow” at least it won’t suck as bad as OS X

    2. honestly its gay to BUY music at all. you can find anything for free on the net….and even the android app G TUNES allows u to download mp3’s for free….who honestly buys music except those with a delusional sense of honor.

      1. I guess that means anyone can go to your house and take anything they want.

        1. No because then it would be stealing, someone would lose a thing and another would gain. You can compare it to this: im selling water at my front lawn, you dont like to pay and instead take some from the well a few houses away. I loose potential income, but maybe i should, because i make money of something you can get for free. You should only see this as an example of the music distribution industry, musicians should of course be paid.

          1. Or how about that you create something. Somehow an engineer takes it out of your studio and puts it on the internet. For some reason, it should be free now?
            Sorry. Just because something is on the internet for free does not make it right. Are you willing to work for free?

  7. google needs to offer something more than just being part of Android because Amazon Mp3 is already preinstalled on many phones

    1. Maybe in USA (and UK?) but not all over the world. Plus, I think Google is gunning for a spotify like business model not an Amazon/iTunes model where you pay $1 per song, so a lot more people would prefer using it.

  8. Ummm. Look at the source. Only one of the biggest fruit fanboy sites of them all.

    1. The source is the Wall Street Journal, not BGR.

      1. The WSJ is just as much Fruit Fanbois as BGR. Apple leaks everything to them and they report it as gospel every time.

        1. Oh, you are so right. I’d rec you more than once if I could. Being pretty involved in the stock market, I can 100% verify that EVERY SINGLE LEAK about Apple originates at the Wall St. Journal. They are Apple’s “Go To” boys.

        2. And that proves this story wrong how? But it’s OK. The George Bush policy of ignoring what you don’t want to hear did work for 8 or so years. Keep at it!

          1. What about the Obama policy of ignoring what you don’t want to hear? There are suckers on both sides.

  9. If Google’s goal was to sell music, then this could be a fail. But if their goal was to provide a way for Android devices to elegantly obtain and play music, it seems like Amazon may have accomplished that for them. In that case, why bother creating a competitor for Apple when Amazon has already become that competitor? Amazon’s hosting of an Android app store demonstrates their interest in the Android market.

    1. Because the more competition the better!

  10. I am still amazed that there’s no decent iTunes competitor for Android. Don’t get me wrong, I love Android and my Evo, but I simply cannot use it for music. I use my iPod Touch simply because iTunes is so much better than anything on Android. I tried DoubleTwist and my roommate uses it, but it’s just SO slow and often freezes. I was really hoping Google Music would be the solution, now I’m scared=/

    1. Well, iTunes isn’t a model in terms of stability and rapidity.

    2. Honestly, simple windows media player is better and more reliable for music syncing. Itunes is bloated, buggy and slow. Besides, you can also just drag and drop with Android. I’ve seen itunes completely obliterate contacts and music with just one click. I’m still baffled to this day on what people see in itunes that is so good.

      1. Itunes UI is awesome. That is the only reason I still use it. I do however refuse to buy music from it.

        Spotify is great if you in the UK…. with a decent Android app

    3. “it’s just SO slow and often freezes” ….you’re talking about iTunes right? because that’s all that ever happened when I try and use iTunes.

    4. Scared? Seriously, dude, scared? What? You never mastered the complex task of drag and drop?

    5. There is decent iTunes competitor. It called gTunes. It even better because the music is all free without ads. Google should buy them and they then can give music labels the big finger.

  11. I’m using Amazon’s cloud player now and couldn’t be happier.

  12. Why doesn’t google just buy all the record labels? They got the money to do it, fund a new company, call it something else, buy all the record labels out there and problem solved. I think we forget how small the music industry really is in comparison to our current economy. Buying them out would solve many issues with policies and rules.

    1. They might not be for sale.

      1. Everything is for sale for the right amount.

    2. This is enough reason to tell you why they will never be for sale…

      http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/03/24/record-industry-limewire-could-owe-75-trillion-judge-absurd/

  13. google really sux at negotiating terms with these content provider. first google tv, now google music. is google pushing for ridiculous terms or something?

    1. I would hope so because it’s actually the labels the ones who’ve been remained ridiculous for the past years.

  14. I was going to use this to actually buy the music for a change…guess I will have to do it the old fashioned way…Limewire:)

  15. I see a trend here, did the same with google tv also, jumped the gun they did…

  16. New C.E.O. Strike OUT NUMBER ONE!!

  17. Audiogalaxy 4 lyfe

  18. DEAR GOOGLE PLEASE COME OUT WITH A ITUNE LIKE SOFTWARE SO WE CAN PURCHASE MUSIC with out restrictions unlike APPLE. would much appreciate

  19. i made this point to another poster, but who cares ? i dont BUY music anyways. who does ? i still dont believe there are people in the world that in the year 2011, pay .99 a song when theyre FREE everywhere. i got torrents and even some apps on android to download my music for free…Gtunes is one of those apps. buying is for sheep.

  20. I still have a napster account. Buy it, rip it.. keep it. They get their money.. I get my music. Simple.

  21. Cloud music is not a new concept. Streaming services like Rhapsody have been providing unlimited music on the “cloud” for years. I haven’t used iTunes or the Android Music app since I got my phone.

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