The chatter on a possible Google music store is getting louder. CNET's Declan McCullagh pieced together a good deal of circumstantial evidence to show Google's clandestine efforts to build an online music store.

"f course, if and when any "Gtunes" store launches, one big question will be whether it will use some kind of digital rights management or not. A DRM-embracing Google stands a good chance of alienating the free-software crowd -- and anyone who wants to use Gtunes-purchased music on their iPod. (The only DRM variant compatible with the iPod is Apple's FairPlay embedded in iTunes.) But if Google follows emusic's model and does not wrap songs in DRM, major record labels may balk."

May balk? That's an understatement.

ZDNet has unconfirmed information on Google Music: Google Music will not be the final name and Google Desktop will have an interface with search and media player build in.

A Google music store would arrive as the online music retail space is becoming increasingly crowded. Throwing Google into the picture accellerates the rate at which the less strong are weeded out. How long could Yahoo continue its music store against Google, which wouldn't have to unleash a whole lot to exceed Yahoo's market share.