Google quashes talk of expansion into music sales

Don’t look for Google to get into digital music sales anytime soon.

The Internet search giant used a keynote slot at the annual NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) conference to quash rumors of a so-called “Gtunes” store — much to the delight of retailers attending the confab.

“We are not going to be selling music,” Chris Sacca, head of business development for Google, said in an August 3 address to music merchants and distributors during the August 2-5 event in Kissimmee, Fla.

Talk of a Google digital music solution has been swirling for more than a year. A Bear Stearns analyst predicted in January that a Google rival to Apple’s iTunes Music Store could come in as little as six months. And speculation intensified as the company branched into selling music videos from Sony BMG via Google Video, and offering a new dedicated music search function.

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