SoundCloud has finally upgraded it’s platform to include Advanced Search. This was a desperately needed feature and is the cherry on top of the current best place to share music for musicians. In the past I had issues even finding my own uploaded tracks. You can now also get detailed genre, tag, label and track type searches. I can finally troll through “synthpunk” or “EBM” tagged tracks. There were Groups before but honestly people put their music in every group so it’s played more. I know they can do the same with Tags but it’s less an issue for some reason.

The Berlin company also have upped their integration with Creative Commons. They have added a special start page if your searching for CC licensed material: soundcloud.com/creativecommons and the SoundCloud Player now shows a CC symbol if the material is licensed. So now I can search my own username and find everything I released under a CC License: http://bit.ly/b3wE7i

For more info on the new features: blog.soundcloud.com/tag/feature/

Follow me on SoundCloud: thingstocome

I use Google services all day. I live in Gmail and Google Docs. We all know the dark music search sites. You know the ones with a simple input box and lots of spammy adverts (SkreemR, Seeqpod, Songza, Wuzam, beeMP3). Those search sites led you to a place to download the song. Although less illegal “feeling” than say Napster or Limewire they served the same function. Google announced it will be finally be incorporating a proper music search and audio player into it’s regular search page. Yes we all know how to record whatever streams through our computer but I still buy music. I buy it because it’s right and also because it’s way more convenient. Partners in this new Google plan include imeem, lala, MySpace, Pandora, Rhapsody, EMI, Sony Music, Universal and Warner. Of course that won’t give us search access to every song in the world ever created but it’s a start. We still have our dark sites and forums to troll if needed.

“Our new music search feature makes it easy to find music. Just search for an artist, album, song or even a few lyrics to get song previews from our partners.” – Google

Will Google’s new initiative change the music buying landscape? Is this any competition to iTunes?

For more info: www.google.com/landing/music/