MUMBAI: Beijing-based R2G, China’s first centralised music distribution platform will now promote IODA promoted music in China for the first time.
The deal struck between the IODA (Independent Online Distribution Alliance) – the San Francisco-based company dealing in digital distribution, marketing, and technology solutions for independent music) and R2G represents the first time foreign independents have had a robust legal conduit to the burgeoning Chinese market for full length downloads. International selling and chart topping Aardvark artists like as Yahel, Eric M, Jeff Alford, Little Spitfire and Zetan Spore will now be available in China. R2G promotes the consumption and monetization of legitimate digital content through a transparent licensing and monitoring system.
A recent survey by Beijing-based research group Music 2.0 found that 85 per cent of the Chinese population listen to music when they are online. However, until now they had to be content with the limited selection of pirated music available via online search engines like Baidu. The survey group Music also discovered that one-third of Chinese music consumers are willing to pay for music downloads. In the study, consumers cited their current inability to find non-mainstream music and their desire for better niche and foreign music discovery tools as chief among the reasons they’re willing to pay for music online.
Accordingly, Wawawa, who have the largest catalogue of legal music in China, is keenly focused on music discovery, convenient access and attractive pricing for the local market. Wawawa delivers all songs in DRM-free mp3 format via a monthly subscription plan where all downloads are permanently owned by the customer. Additionally, the service allows current subscribers to stream their downloaded music from any location with an Internet connection. This feature provides convenient access for the 40 per cent of Chinese Internet users who access the Web from Internet cafes.
“We are making great independent music easy for the Chinese music fan to discover and buy through our partnership with R2G and the Wawawa store,” said Kevin Arnold, founder and CEO of IODA. “Labels like Aardvark who had interested fans in China, but no real means to feed and grow that fan base made it clear that the time was right to open up distribution in China for the independent music community. This is an important first step in leveling the playing field in what could one day be one of the largest digital music markets in the world.”
This opportunity has not been lost on Aardvark’s directors. Aardvark’s website, where music fans can find out about their favourite artists and listen to full audio tracks online, achieves around 3,000 unique visitors per day. Approximately 23% of that daily traffic comes from Mainland China and Hong Kong. “Aardvark has waited four years for the opportunity to sell its music in China,” said Aardvark’s Head of Communications, Alex di Savoia. “It has been four years filled with frustration, knowing we had artists who were popular with younger generations of Chinese and not being able to provide music to them in their own currency. The deal between our digital aggregator partner IODA and R2G allows us to achieve this goal.”
Expanding music tastes in and beyond Beijing and Shanghai has created an enthusiastic audience in recent years for music festivals like Beijing Pop, Midi Music and the Yue Festival. International artists have more opportunities than ever to connect with Chinese fans, and fans for the first time have access to a wide variety of international music downloads at compelling prices.