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Grooveshark app yanked from Google Play yet again

The Android music app has again been removed from Google's online store after recently being reinstated.

Lance Whitney Contributing Writer
Lance Whitney is a freelance technology writer and trainer and a former IT professional. He's written for Time, CNET, PCMag, and several other publications. He's the author of two tech books--one on Windows and another on LinkedIn.
Lance Whitney
2 min read
Grooveshark's Android app is again on the outs with Google.
Grooveshark's Android app is again on the outs with Google. Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET

Grooveshark has been on a roller coaster ride at the Google Play store.

The Android music app is once again no longer available through Google Play after being allowed back into the store earlier this week.

The app has been through this routine before -- initially debuting on Google Play, then getting kicked off more than a year ago, reappearing, and now again missing in action.

Why the back-and-forth hijinks?

The Grooveshark app lets you freely listen to online music stations based on your favorite genres. A special feature called Grooveshark Anywhere allows you to play any song you choose on demand. And therein lies the problem. That capability has led to lawsuits against Grooveshark from music labels and put pressure on Google from the industry to take action against such apps.

The first time the app was pulled, Grooveshark expressed confusion over the reason why, while Google told CNET simply: "We remove apps from Android Market that violate our policies."

Other Android apps have also illegally adopted the Grooveshark name to let users download music for free, which Grooveshark says it does not do. The company said earlier this week that it worked with Google to get those "rogue apps" removed, thus paving the way for its own legitimate app to return to the store.

But Google has apparently changed its mind once again.

A Grooveshark representative told CNET today that the company has "filed a counter-notice and is working with Google and their Google Play reinstatement process to get the app back in the market."

In the meantime, Android users who want the app can still download it directly on their phone or tablet from Grooveshark's mobile site.

CNET contacted Google for comment and will update the story when we receive further information.

Updated at 8:30 a.m. PT with Grooveshark's response.