Via Music2Dot0, a few more details on Google's / Top100.cn's free MP3 service in China have emerged. Of course, the site is not available outside of China, so Music2Dot0 is providing some nice screen-shots, as well.
Here are some snippets and comments: "Also, for some like No.1 artist Jay Chou and international artists , it seems that Top100.cn has yet to obtain free streaming & download rights..."
Not surprising but this should not be insurmountable in China where unpaid use of music is the default approach - at least Google splits the advertising revenue streams.
"...as many international analysts will inevitably fall over themselves to fawn over and laud Google’s mp3 search service from a distance, it has to be recognized that it is far from being a cakewalk for Google. Their partner Top 100 still has to convince quite a few more labels and artists to join the service without which, users will consider this an incomplete service not worth switching over from Baidu..."
My comment: once again, this is that bizarre old chicken and egg syndrome that has bedeviled almost every new player in this turf (incl. my own, now defunct, startup, Sonific). While everyone else - and that means 100s of companies around the globe - is using their music without permission, without sharing revenues, without (apparently) any real regard for the law, the major (and some independent) music companies STILL make it hell for anyone that dares to come to them and request a license and offers to pay them. Unbelievable, but true.
Mostly, yes, this is about money (i.e. they want 50x what you think you can pay), getting equity in return for providing their music ('we will never again enable other people to build their business on-top of ours, like MTV did'), worries about setting precedent, and of course, the obsession with CONTROL - my favorite saying is that they like control more than money. But maybe this will be different in China - I have strong hopes for this idiocy ending when it's all about building a new market for music, from scratch.
See my other comments on Google Music in China
