Google Music Streaming Service to Cost $25 per Year
Google's music streaming service is getting closer to release as details emerge about the deal Google is trying to strike with record labels. The preliminary deal is $25 per year for online storage and streaming.
The details come from a Billboard report saying Google's service won't just sell tracks but also provide storage space online that can be accessed from anywhere.
It's not clear how much storage space $25 per year will give consumers, but Google has outlined clear plans to make the music storage available from any Internet connection. And Google Music will also immediately import songs purchased from other places and scan a user's hard drive and include the songs they already own.
The traditional side of Google Music will still allow users to purchase and download music tracks and entire albums instead of storing it on Google servers. There will also be a social component to Google Music (thought it's not clear how or if it would integrate with Google Me ) that will allow users to send playlists to friends who also subscribe to Google Music. Those friends will be able to play the full tracks once before they expire.
Google is reportedly seeking a three-year deal with record labels to provide music for the service. However, music executives have yet to decide if the $25 per year will be enough to make it worth the effort. Anonymous sources say Google proposes splitting half the profits from subscriptions with rights holders and publishers receiving a 10.5 percent share. It's not clear what percent of actual music sales the labels would retain. The same sources say pricing will likely be similar to the $0.99 track and $10 album prices seen through other services.
