Google is hosting an event in Los Angeles today, which will likely include the launch of its rumored music service.
The event kicks off at 2pm Pacific/5pm Eastern and will be webcast via youtube.com/android, but PCMag's Mark Hachman will be there live, so join in the chat about what Google might have up its sleeve.
The email invites to the event said simply "These Go To Eleven." But they went out on 11/11/11, and were "authored" by "Nigel Tufnel," the legendary guitarist of the band Spinal Tap, whose "it goes to eleven" quote was one of the most memorable lines of the faux documentary of the same name.
Reports about a Google Music store cropped up last month when the New York Times reported that Google was prepping an MP3 music store that would connect to its existing, cloud-based music storage service. The report said Google was in talks with major labels and was possibly looking to launch ahead of Apple's iTunes Match, but that service went live this week. Those music labels were reportedly concerned about Google's ability to curb piracy across its network.
At AsiaD, Google's Android chief, Andy Rubin, confirmed that the search giant was working on an expanded music service. "I think we're close," Rubin said, promising that the Google version "will have a little twist" that is uniquely Google-esque instead of a run-of-the-mill 99-cent MP3 store.
The Wall Street Journal later reported that Google's music service would allow people to recommend songs on Google+, which would let their friends listen to that song once, for free. For more listening time, those friends would have to fork over 99 cents and download it.
Earlier this week, Spanish-language blog TecnoDroidVe published what it says are leaked screen shots from the service.