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Google Music Hits Sour Hote

Google Music is officially open for business, but -- despite an impressive playlist, and some interesting social features -- critics are hardly calling it a hit.  

“The Web is less than enthused by Google Music,” reports TechCrunch. “The criticism is withering in its somewhat entitled way: ‘Where’s the Spotify killer?’ ‘Radio already does this!’ ‘So it’s basically iTunes match?’”

Under the headline, “Google Music Is a Complete Letdown,” Gizmodo writes: “Google Music is out of beta, and it pretty much does everything we thought it would. It will let you buy, store, stream and share tracks you already own. Sounds familiar... maybe because it's an entirely unoriginal idea. Not impressed.”

While giving it a “sold B,” CNet’s Greg Sandoval writes: “The shortcomings of the service make it obvious that Google Music in its current form is no iTunes killer. Without improvement, it's unlikely to even maim.”

Regarding all the criticism, Econsultancy says it’s hardly surprising. “Apple thoroughly dominates this market, and it has for years,” it writes. “If the world's most successful online retailer, Amazon, has failed to put much of a dent in Apple's iTunes armor with its Amazon MP3 store, why should anyone believe Google can fare better?” 

“Google has an uphill battle in front of it when it comes to competing with Apple in this space,” notes ReadWriteWeb. “To do that, Google is throwing in some extra features and exclusive content, which it hopes will draw people to Google Music and at the same time, help bolster both Android and Google+.”

In Google’s defense, TechCrunch adds: “There are two things the critics decline to acknowledge: that Google is providing a simple, free service, and that all Google products start out underwhelming and gradually expand.”

Under the headline, “Google Music Isn’t an iTunes Killer, and It’s Not Supposed to Be,”AllThingsD writes: “Real people will make a simple non-decision: If they use an Android phone, they can’t use Apple’s store or locker. So now they can use Google’s.”

 

1 comment about "Google Music Hits Sour Hote".
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  1. Bill Bloggs from Ad Agency, November 17, 2011 at 1:19 p.m.

    The slant and commentary misses an important attribute about the launch of Google Music and that is the Music Hub that offers musicians the ability to post music and offer it for sale (at any price they choose), for free or as streamed content. The service, which includes a dedicated web page, all for a one-time fee of $25, is a key attribute that does away with the middle men in the DIY chain and opens up the music sphere to the majority Android users. Apple is going to have to react and a lot of similar services charging a whole lot more are going to be faced with an elephant in their hen houses.

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