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YouTube users can now identify songs in a video, then download them from either iTunes or Amazon, according to a Google blog post.

iTunes and Amazon MP3 icons will appear just beneath music videos, along with other community features. Participating music labels can also place e-commerce links beside their videos — or even on videos uploaded by users that incorporated their music. (The technology that enables them to do this is the same capability used to find copyrighted material that has been uploaded without permission.)

EMI and Universal Music Group were the first music companies to try the iTunes link, and Electronic Arts partnered with Amazon.com to put product links for video game Spore next to EA videos, reports The New York Times.

Claiming this is "just the beginning of a broad, viable e-commerce platform," Google also plans to partner with retail partners in other sectors — film, print, TV, and live entertainment — expressing a desire to go international at some point.

Partners will get revenue from sales, which will ideally surpass what they're getting for pre- and post-roll ads. Google also hopes to compensate for slowed growth in its text ad business.

And YouTube may finally start earning its keep, slowly making up for the $1.65 billion Google shelled out for it two years ago.

Google has made multiple attempts to effectively monetize the popular amateur video site, including pre- and post-roll, overlays, a do-it-yourself ad model, and mobile ad programs.