Every time you punch in a lyrics search, or Google a specific artist or song, Google wants you to pay them to buy that music. That’s the idea behind a new Google music store that is likely to launch later this year.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Google has been in talks with music companies for months to bring a new service to the online search giant. Google has been expanding into the entertainment sector ever since the launch of its Android mobile operating system.
A digital music store, like Android, would pose a direct threat to Apple. While other competitors like Amazon MP3 have failed to make a huge dent in the iTunes monopoly, Google has the power to really control the market because of its huge presence in online search.
If users search for “Don’t Stop Believing,” there could be one button on the side of the search results that says “buy this song.” That widespread and accessible reach could make a Google music service extremely viable.
Additionally, next year, Google plans to launch a subscription music service that would store user song collections in a cloud-based infrastructure.
The first phase of Google’s music initiative could come within months, according to sources cited by the Journal. That could mean a “GTunes” store by the end of the year.
Apple currently holds 28% of all music sales, recently surpassing Wal-Mart retail, physical CD sales, as the market is becoming dominantly driven by digital MP3 sales. Amazon holds a 12% share.
