Google Introduces 'Google Music'

Launches Without WMG

It's finally here. GOOGLE has rolled out its competitor to APPLE's iTUNES, and introduced a music service YESTERDAY (11/16) that lets people buy songs through their ANDROID devices. GOOGLE MUSIC rolls out with deals in place with UNIVERSAL MUSIC, SONY MUSIC and EMI GROUP, offering as many as 20,000 songs. WARNER MUSIC GROUP's catlog is conspicuously absent, as it has yet to agree to a deal with GOOGLE.

"GOOGLE has expanded into music, television and movies to help promote its ANDROID smartphone operating system, which works with the ANDROID Market," reports BLOOMBERG. "The company, based in MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, also sees music as a way to deepen its social networking features."

"Music is more important to GOOGLE than ever before," said ANDROID Dir./Digital Content JAMIE ROSENBERG.

"Any new legitimate place to consume music legally is the best tool we have to combat piracy," UMG Digital Operations head ROB WELLS added.

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