Reuters: Google About To Launch New Music Venture

Set To Take On iTunes

REUTERS is reporting that GOOGLE is set to launch a new feature, in conjunction with major record labels -- UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP, SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, WARNER MUSIC GROUP and EMI MUSIC -- "to make it easier to discover, sample and buy songs on the search engine, according to two people familiar with the plan."

The report says the labels are 'betting that by making it easier to search for music, they can increase the size of the digital market, which is currently dominated by iTUNES, with about 70% of download sales."

Tech blog TECHCRUNCH first broke the news of the still unnamed project.

Websites iLIKE and LALA reportedly will help with the project, and enable songs to be streamed on the GOOGLE page that will also include a "buy" button, reducinge the number of steps fans need to purchase their favorite songs or albums.

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