Google launches Music Onebox search in China to promote legal music downloads. Image: Myuibe/Flickr.
In an effort to counter the huge sway of illegal music that is accessed and downloaded by Internet users in China, search engine giant Google Inc. has announced the arrival of Music Onebox, a legal music search service backed by record labels and supported by ad revenue.
When used, Music Onebox will direct curious music lovers to a Web site called ‘Top100.cn’ which will then enable them to download or stream legally available music content for free. Internet users with IP addresses located outside of China will not be able to access the site.
Based in Beijing, the Top100 service has already gathered content licensing agreements from around 100 record labels, and (‘Big Four’) labels Sony BMG and Warner Music are reportedly in the process of hammering out partnership deals that would significantly widen Top100’s portfolio.
The emergence of Music Onebox and Top100 comes as the music industry in China looks to address its lack of online paid-download services and the region’s continuing struggle against piracy -- a problem compounded by The International Federation of Phonographic Industries, which says that 99 percent of all music files distributed in China are illegal.
In terms of high-profile support, a related LA Times report notes that one of the investors associated with the Music Onebox service is NBA basketball superstar Yao Ming.
According to a Google statement, its Music Onebox search service will help users “avoid dead links, slow downloads, inaccurate search results, and poor quality or incomplete songs.”
The search titan has also insisted that it will not receive any of the advertising revenue amassed from the Top100.cn site, which will be shared between the online music service and its contributing labels and publishers.
ShorinAug 7th, 2008 - 14:31:55
OMG... if u can understand Chinese, u'll get this page of Google service is help people search their family from disaster area, cause the earthquake.
and Google never give any service about MUSIC in Chinese version.
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