We’ve been wondering when Google was going to get into the music game, and it appears as though they’re diving in head-first starting today. The only catch is that the service is only available in China. Users outside of China will need to use a China proxy if they want to gain access to the site.
Google’s Music search site, available at www.google.cn/music, has a database of tens of thousands of songs. All of them are of course searchable by song name, artist, or album. The most shocking part is that Google then provides links to listen or download songs from their Top100.cn music partner. Lyrics and ringtones are also available.
I checked out the content on Top100.cn, and it looks like they have a lot from North America. MP3 download links are directly available on their site without needing to go through Google, but I wasn’t able to successfully start a transfer of a song (the download just sat there without doing anything). They’re likely blocking downloads from outside of China… bummer.
I’m not holding my breath for something like this in the United States because there’s no way the RIAA would allow it. It’s just amazing that the songs are not only freely available for download, but they aren’t even DRM-infested.
[via Google Blogoscoped]
Top100.cn have bought the copyrights of the songs,so we can download and listen online legally.The biggest difference between Google Music and the other music downloading service from China(like Baidu Music) is THE LEGALITY.
Dump DRM and more people will pay for music. Very simple.
Tens of thousands is nowhere near enough to music. Good start though.
I’m not surprised its all American music. One of my friends was over there recently and he said they listen to a lot of American music.
I’m sure their catalog will continue to grow now that someone as big as Google is backing them. Although in China Google isn’t as big as Baidu, but as digglife pointed out above their music search isn’t legal.