Google’s long awaited music store is on schedule for launch this quarter, and the major labels are starting to spread the word to their subsidiaries and partners.
We got word from the owner of an independent record label.
Recently, his distributor — which is run by one of the big major labels — contacted him to say that Google Music’s download store would launch in Q4, with major catalog titles first, followed by more obscure titles.
The distributor told our indie-label source that he had a few days to make any concerns known.
Our source is concerned that the majors will take big up-front payments from Google Music then not share those payments with the smaller artists that his label handles.
But it sounds like the deal is progressing regardless. No date was given, except “Q4.”
Yesterday, the New York Times first reported that Google was entering final negotiations with the major labels and was hoping to have a store in “weeks.” The Wall Street Journal reported that Google was still having trouble getting deals with some of the labels, but might open the store regardless.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-music-store-will-launch-this-quarter-2011-10?op=1#ixzz1b280x8x0