Billboard reports that Google will launch a music service similar to iTunes and Amazon MP3, offering customers their choice between single tracks and complete albums with a new option called locker. The information was gleaned from a proposal circulating to music record labels.
For $25 a year, the locker service will allow users to transfer purchased content to a cloud-based account for streaming or downloading to approved devices. The service will have social media features for playlist sharing that allows friends to hear each song once.
Billboard reported that Google will offer a web-based Google Music player and a mobile app.
Google has been negotiating with music labels to give subscribers
the ability to listen free to one full-length stream of any song; thereafter, they'd hear just 30 seconds. The service resembles the
model popularized by the digital music service Lala.com, acquired by
Apple last year.
Google is seeking an initial three-year licensing agreement from the
labels per territory as it launches its music service, although
sources say they don't know where -- or when -- the service will be
launched first.
The proposal includes a 50/50 subscription revenue-sharing split with
master rights holders; music publishers would receive a 10.5 percent
share.