| URL | music.google.com |
|---|---|
| Commercial? | Yes |
| Type of site | Music streaming service and online music store |
| Registration | Required (United States residents only and through Google Accounts) |
| Available language(s) | English |
| Owner | |
| Launched | 11 May 2011 (beta) 16 November 2011 (official) |
| Current status | Online |
Google Music (formerly known as Music Beta by Google) is an online music streaming service and online music store that was announced on 10 May 2011 at the Google I/O conference. The service supports streaming music to desktop browsers and Android phones and tablets, or any other device that can use the Adobe Flash platform.[1]
Music supports storing of up to 20,000 songs for free.[1] At launch, the service was available through invitation to US residents only.[2] As of November 2011[update], however, it is open to the public, but still only for US residents.[3] Along with its music store, Music also supports uploading a user's own music for streaming purposes.[1] Music also allows for automatic caching for offline play on mobile devices.[4]
According to the official Google blog, users have the ability to create a playlist of "songs that go well together"[5] using a feature known as Instant Mix."[5] Music imported from iTunes will retain playlists as well.[6]
Music was first hinted at at the 2010 I/O Conference, where Google Senior Vice-President of Social Vic Gundotra showed a "Music" section of the Android Market that would allow users to download music through the market.[7] In June 2010, a user discovered a logo that said "Google Music" on Google's servers, but it was later deleted.[8]
Music purchasing features were absent when Music launched in 2011. Jamie Rosenberg, the overseer of digital content and strategy for Google, told All Things Digital that "a couple of the major labels were less focused on the innovative vision that we put forward, and more interested in an unreasonable and unsustainable set of business terms,"[9] which led Google to make Music a standalone streaming service.
On 16 November 2011 Google introduced a new version of Music with a music store (which happens to actually be a section of the Android Market)[10], Google+ integration, artist hubs, and purchasing reflected on T-Mobile phone bills.[11] The three major label partnerships announced were with Universal Music Group, EMI, and Sony Music Entertainment, among other smaller labels. The store is now available both online and on Android devices through the Android Market application.[3]
To celebrate the launch, several artists released free songs and exclusive albums through Google Music. For instance, The Rolling Stones debuted the live recording Brussels Affair (Live, 1973) and Pearl Jam made available a live concert recorded in Toronto on the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.[12]
Songs in Google Music are priced at US$1.29, $0.99, $0.69, and free.[11]