A music service that doesn’t yet exist and a music service anchored to a fading social network (may) have both hit rough patches this week.  Reports indicate that Google Music isn’t succeeding in talks with record companies, while MySpace Music’s …

In fairness to MySpace: its brand recognition is off the charts, and it still receives traffic for which many sites’ owners would kill.  But just about everyone who doesn’t work for the unit agrees that it’s declining, and now it looks like the president of MySpace Music has joined that crowd.

MySpace, which has long enjoyed a reputation for being a good place for individuals to get familiar with different bands, may soon become even more useful to up-and-coming musicians.  MySpace Music has partnered with Songtrust in an effort to introduce better music publishing management services.

"MySpace Music profiles remain the simplest, fastest way to check out a new band", argues Ray Padget on Mashable. That’s a matter of opinion, but there’s no denying that MySpace is still a powerful player in the music space. So the big question may really be, can MySpace Music survive the wider MySpace decline?

For most people, listening to music online is terribly convenient, and the occasional audio ad shouldn’t represent a deal breaker.  MySpace may be making a smart move, then, as it’s begun testing 30-second ads with help from an Internet radio advertising company called TargetSpot.

Update: MySpace has sent an email around to imeem users giving them an update about playlists.

MySpace is continuing to make big strides on the music front.  Or more accurately, the social network has made a huge, across-the-Atlantic leap, as late yesterday, MySpace Music launched in the UK.

The "virtual fifth label" is now friends with MySpace.  Merlin, an organization that represents independent music companies, is supposed to have signed a deal with the social network that should nicely complement MySpace’s existing partnerships with EMI, Sony, Universal, and Warner.

Today MySpace announced the beta launch of MySpace Music Charts. This is the social networks’ attempt at ranking musicians based on popularity.

Today MySpace announced the launch of MySpace Music in Australia and New Zealand. This release represents the first for MySpace Music outside of the United States.

The launch brings a new e-commerce partnership to MySpace Music with iTunes providing the music downloads locally, a MySpace spokesperson tells WebProNews. She also shares the following stats for the US version of MySpace Music:

Source: Nielsen Netview / August 2009

The next time MySpace Music’s senior executive team gets together, it looks like the meeting room is going to be rather more full.  Courtney Holt, the president of MySpace Music, announced three key additions this afternoon. 

MySpace Music is about to get several hundred thousand more songs songs, as it has just made deals with Nettwerk Music Group, INgrooves, IRIS Distribution, and RoyaltyShare.

MySpace Music finally has leadership.  Last night, MySpace announced that Courtney Holt has officially been named the President of MySpace Music. He will begin his tenure there on January 5th, and he will be responsible for overseeing growth and development of the MySpace Music brand.

The long delayed new album from what is Guns N’ Roses only in name is making its debut on MySpace today.

Chinese Democracy can be streamed in its entirety three days before the album will be available for purchase. The 14 tracks cannot be downloaded to a users computer or purchased on MySpace.

MySpace is hoping that the new will release will drive traffic to the site from not just Guns N’ Roses fans, but those who are curious to hear what Axl Rose has been up to for the past 17 years.

The long delayed new album from what is Guns N’ Roses only in name is making its debut on MySpace today.

Chinese Democracy can be streamed in its entirety three days before the album will be available for purchase. The 14 tracks cannot be downloaded to a users computer or purchased on MySpace.

MySpace is hoping that the new will release will drive traffic to the site from not just Guns N’ Roses fans, but those who are curious to hear what Axl Rose has been up to for the past 17 years.

The long delayed new album from what is Guns N’ Roses only in name is making its debut on MySpace today.

Chinese Democracy can be streamed in its entirety three days before the album will be available for purchase. The 14 tracks cannot be downloaded to a users computer or purchased on MySpace.

MySpace is hoping that the new will release will drive traffic to the site from not just Guns N’ Roses fans, but those who are curious to hear what Axl Rose has been up to for the past 17 years.

The long delayed new album from what is Guns N’ Roses only in name is making its debut on MySpace today.

Chinese Democracy can be streamed in its entirety three days before the album will be available for purchase. The 14 tracks cannot be downloaded to a users computer or purchased on MySpace.

MySpace is hoping that the new will release will drive traffic to the site from not just Guns N’ Roses fans, but those who are curious to hear what Axl Rose has been up to for the past 17 years.

File sharing outfit Lime Wire is looking to go the way of Napster, but in an even bigger way. As it continues to battle the RIAA in legal matters, independent labels are embracing the service as it strives to become legitimate.

Pandora’s obituary was all but written last month as SoundExchange called for higher royalty payments from the Internet Radio site, and others like it. But there is a little life in the site and in the industry yet.

Koch Records has joined Merlin and A2IM in rejecting the deal offered independent labels by MySpace Music.

Popular music site MuxTape was ordered to shut down by the RIAA back in August, but the site is coming back with a new concept, and that is to help bands get exposure. Ok, that was the goal the whole time, according to Founder, Justin Ouellette, but now it’s only going to be a service for bands.

After much anticipation and hype (a good deal coming from myself), MySpace Music has finally launched. They’ve got a few more friends on board as well. Besides the aforementioned Sony BMG, Universal, and Warner Bros, EMI and Sony ATV have joined the site now too.