Google Hires Top Industry Attorney To Jump Start New Music Service

Google has hired well known music attorney Elizabeth Moody to negotiate with record labels, music publishers and other rights holders for a planned Google Music service.

Sources close to recent negotiations with the label groups concerning similar music streaming services say that each of the four major labels are voicing different concerns making uniform - and profitable - deals difficult. Moody, a true music industry insider with deep experience working with most of the majors, backed by the deep pockets and prestige of Google, may be able to break the log jam that has kept Spotify and others of launching in the U.S.

“This is a really big deal," a former Moody client told TechCrunch. "She and (her law partner) Fred did everyones deal. That is a great hire for Google. The flipside is that I interpret this as another nail in the coffin for music startups…”