MacRumors reports that Google officially unveiled their full Google Music service this week, as previously rumored. It includes a music download store, offering features similar to Apple’s iTunes Store.
The new store is a part of the Android Market, and looks to be intended as an Android alternative to Apple’s iTunes. Google Music offers over 13 million tracks for purchase at prices ranging from $0.69 to $1.29.
Tracks are offered from artists on Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI, and the global independent rights agency Merlin as well as over 1,000 prominent independent labels including Merge Records, Warp Records, Matador Records, XL Recordings and Naxos. Digital distributors of independent music IODA, INgrooves, The Orchard and Believe Digital are also included.
Google Music offers cloud-based services similar to those offered by Apple’s iCloud and iTunes Match. Google Music stores all music purchases from the store online, and allows users to upload up to 20,000 of their own tracks, free.
As we reported earlier this week, while some may view this as a potential threat to Apple, Google may be entering this market far to late to post any real threat to iTunes dominance.
Google is integrating the service with its Google+ social network, where users can post individual tracks to their Google+ pages. Friends can then enjoy a one time only stream of each track.
Google also has an “artist hub” feature where, for a one time $25 fee, any artist with distribution rights to their own material can setup a page allowing them to share information and sell their music. Artists are able to set their own pricing, with 30% of the revenue going to Google.
Warner Music Group, which holds 20% of the music market, is missing from the store, and are said to still be in talks with Google.
