Google is making a push with a new feature that will significantly improve the ability to locate artist information and songs, in spite of having long denied any interest in entering the music business.

The internet search leader has struck deals with two online music services - iLike, owned by News Corp's MySpace, and Lala, a music website that lets users rent streams of songs - according to people familiar with the service.

Through the two services, Google's new search feature - part of its OneBox initiative - will have the ability to link to millions of songs and artist information from the big four music labels: Universal Music, Warner Music, EMI and Sony Music. Users will be able to stream clips of songs directly from Google's search page.

The idea was to "harness Google search in a way so people can discover, preview and buy music all in one shot", one person familiar with the discussions said. Users will also be able to purchase songs directly from the page through iLike and Lala's relationships with Amazon.com and Apple's iTunes service.
The new feature will make its debut on October 28, when Google plans to hold a glitzy event in Los Angeles.

Music labels, which have sought to boost revenue from myriad digital sources, collectively approached Google a year ago with the idea. But the new feature does not entail licensing songs directly from the labels, these people say, contrary to published reports.

Some of the labels have had to modify agreements with the two services to allow for redistribution rights, according to one person familiar with the contracts.

The music industry, which has complained of being pushed lower in relevancy on search engines, cheered the new initiative, which it says will help consumers find legitimate content more easily. Links back to the official artist sites would likely appear just below results from the two music services.

The feature is part of Google's strategy to streamline the process of searching specific subjects and it has created similar features for topics including weather and finance. Google profits from selling advertisements on the page.Google declined to comment.

MySpace is expected to rebrand the Google relationship as MySpace Music , the joint venture News Corp owns with the big four music labels. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.