Google Cuts Streaming Deal With Warner Music

Good news for Google Music users and bad news for Pandora and Spotify: Google has just announced its first major music streaming deal.

Hot on the heels of rumors this was in the works, word comes that Google and Warner Music have reached a streaming accord. And what’s involved?

Under current plans, which could change as Google firms up its strategy, the Mountain View, Calif., technology giant will offer an ad-free subscription tier for YouTube viewers. In addition, it would offer another service from its Google Play platform. Subscribing to a Google Play music service would give listeners access to licensed songs that they don’t own.

Really, the key takeaway here is that Google might be offering a way to make YouTube ads go away. Oh, Google, please tell us it’s true. Tell us you’ll take us away from having a movie trailer run before our movie trailers. Seriously, depending on the cost, we’d totally pay for that.

Anyway, Google has nailed down one label, but is still working with Universal and Sony to secure streaming rights to their songs. But either way, the Internet radio wars are officially on and it’ll be interesting to see how, say, Apple reacts.