14 DAY TRIAL // According to a study performed by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, over 99% of the music Chinese people listen to is unlicensed. The Chinese are major music consumers, but they're also among those who rely the most on piracy when it comes to listening to their favorite tracks. Google has decided to try to put an end to the situation and, at the same time, to challenge the most successful music search website in China, Baidu.com.
Through Google search, the Chinese can now find songs or lyrics, and then download them from www.top100.cn, a website that offers free licensed music. Baidu.com has a market share of more than 60% but, somehow, this percentage does not guarantee it is safely put out of harm's way. Most of the legal problems the company is currently facing are caused by the fact that many of the websites that distribute pirated content are linked to the search engine. Google comes with a radically different approach, and it can help it gain a good share of the market.
Google sees the Internet as an assistant to the music industry, which deals, by definition, with perishable goods that need to be advertised and sold at the right moment. "The Internet industry should by no means stand in the opposite camp against the music industry," says Google China President Kai-fu Lee. He adds that "Google always believes profoundly that mutual interest, rather than monopoly, is the key to sustainable growth," which explains why the company also partnered with the top100.cn music provider.
Revenues from advertising will be divided between the two parties, as Google says in the statement. The unofficial announcement of the collaboration between Google and the Chinese music provider was mentioned in the local media as early as February. At the time, Chinese newspapers reported that the search giant would offer songs of more than 12 music companies, all partners with top100.cn.
As a side note, one of the owners of the website, Yao Ming, is somewhat accustomed to the glamour that defines the music business in the U.S., as he currently plays basketball in NBA, the professional American league. The other two co-owners of the website are the sportsman's agent and the music professional Cheng Ge.