Best music apps: Music by Google

Music by Google
(Developed by Google)
Available for: Android
Price: Free  

Despite still being in invite-only beta mode, Music by Google has made a name for itself. The app, in conjunction with the version for desktops, allows users to upload up to 20,000 of their own songs into Google's music cloud. Users can then access this music directly from their browser or on-the-go in the Android app. Users can also select files to be available for offline listening.

Cloud music services are still in their early stages. Apple's iCloud premiered earlier this week, and Amazon is currently experimenting with its own cloud service for Android users. Google is reportedly currently in talks with major record labels to roll out its own music store to rival Apple and Amazon's music stores. Winning over the record labels and scoring licensing deals could also shorten the amount of time users spend uploading their libraries to the cloud.

However: While anyone can download the free app, the service is still only available to invited users and may not be free for much longer. Also, users with large music collections will need to spend hours or even days uploading their libraries before they can start listening to their music. Music by Google also lacks the social capabilities of other music apps like Rdio and Spotify. It is currently also limited to users using Android-enabled phones.