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January 23, 2006
Music Search Shootoutby David Harrell
Music Search Shootout: Google vs. Yahoo
Yahoo recently added a new audio option on its search page, which I somehow missed until reading this post on the Yahoo Music Blog. Of course, I immediately did a vanity search for my own band. The results were thorough, more so than those of Google's relatively new music search option.
So I decided to move up the food chain, using both search services to look up additional bands on the bigger indie labels and a couple major label acts. It's a very unscientific comparison -- random bands and just a few of them. But in all cases, Yahoo links to more download and streaming options for each song/album:
Music Search Results -- Number of Download Options:
| Song/Band/Label Type | Yahoo | |
| Silence by the Layaways (micro indie) |
2 | 6 |
| Sugercube by Yo La Tengo (big indie) |
4 | 7 |
| Naked As We Came by Iron and Wine (big indie) |
3 | 5 |
| The Modern Age by the Strokes (major) |
2 | 8 |
| The Comeback by the Shout Out Louds (major) |
1 | 5 |
Google's consistent failure to find tracks on the music service of its competitor Yahoo seemed slightly suspicious at first. However, at this point, its search universe appears to be limited to iTunes, Sony Connect, Rhapsody, and eMusic, so I wouldn't go so far as to imply that Google is blocking Yahoo links from its results. This limited universe pretty much guarantees that Yahoo will provide more download options.
I have a slight preference for the Google page design, though. Its simpler interface seems a bit easier to use and you're less likely to get lost in a big list of all of an artist's songs. The Google functionality hasn't been added to the official home page yet, so I'm assuming it's still considered a "beta" capability. Of course, Google tends to keep things in beta for years (Google News for example). I wonder when/if Google will expand its search universe to include the other major online music services.
tags: Google Yahoo
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The Layaways (my band)
New album: "The Space Between" is now available from eMusic.
"It can't be easy to make something this basically simple sound so fulfilling; it if were, everyone would do it." -- Fingertips
"The Layaways have a unique sound with great drum fills and airy vocals that will make you tap your feet and sing along." -- VIC Radio
Keep It to Yourself - free mp3
All Around the World - free mp3
Come Back Home - free mp3
Download from eMusic, iTunes, Amazon MP3, Lala.com, or CD Baby, listen to free streams at Last.fm and Napster.
"The Layaways make fine indie pop. Hushed vocals interweave with understated buzzing guitars. The whole LP is a revelation from the start." -- Lost Music
"A wonderfully crafted recording built around tasteful songwriting and musicianship..." -- PopMatters
Silence - free mp3
The Long Night - free mp3
Download from eMusic, Amazon MP3, or iTunes, listen to free streams at Last.fm, Napster, or Rhapsody.
"These are songs that you want to take home with you, curl up with, hold them close -- and pray that they are still with you when you wake up." -- The Big Takeover
Let Me In - free mp3
Ocean Blue - free mp3
Download from eMusic, Amazon MP3, or iTunes, listen to free streams at Last.fm, Napster, or Rhapsody.
More Layaways downloads:
the layaways website
Current/Recent Reading and Listening:
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It's written as a how-to guide for those looking to become music supervisors, but I found it to be a good resource for musicians (like me) who are trying to get their music used in movies, TV, etc.