Google Launches Free, Legal Music Downloads in China

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Google Launches Free, Legal Music Downloads in China

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday March 30, 2009 @05:12AM from the still-the-underdog-somewhere dept.

Wired is reporting that Google has a launched a new music download service in China to better compete with the leading search company there, Baidu.com. Offering some 350,000 songs, a number set to rise to somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.1 million in the coming months, the library includes both Chinese and foreign artists signed by Sony Music, EMI, and Universal Music. Proponents of the new service are also hoping it will combat illegal music downloads simply by offering higher quality songs for download. There are no immediate plans to expand this service beyond China.

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Legal? and in....China? by pilgrim23 · 2009-03-30 05:14 · Score: 5, Funny

hummm that does seem a somewhat...DIFFERENT business model...

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- Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum.
Proxy anyone? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-30 05:15 · Score: 5, Insightful

Sounds like a perfect way for the US to download high quality music with nothing more than a simple proxy.
1. Re:Proxy anyone? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-30 05:24 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  And to think, all this time, they've been trying to get outside of the firewall. Now we want in!
Link? by MrEricSir · 2009-03-30 05:16 · Score: 4, Funny

Someone have a link to this so I can start the downloading?
Or do I need a Chinese proxy first?

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There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
1. Re:Link? by sakdoctor · 2009-03-30 05:34 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  You will need a Chinese proxy.
  I can read just enough Chinese to know which is the download link, but what songs I get is the luck of the draw.
2. Re:Link? by ByOhTek · 2009-03-30 05:36 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Shall we call it Chinese Roulette instead of Russian Roulette?
  
  --
  Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
Positive Reinforcement by Ahnteis · 2009-03-30 05:18 · Score: 5, Insightful

So let me get this straight -- massive piracy leads to free, legal downloads? I'm going to start installing p2p clients on every computer I'm asked to fix!
1. Re:Positive Reinforcement by francium+de+neobie · 2009-03-30 05:34 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Just do it like the bankers - if everyone is a pirate, you're "too big to be prosecuted".
New business plan by Yetihehe · 2009-03-30 05:30 · Score: 4, Insightful

1. Give music away for free 2. ?? 3. ???

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Extreme Programming - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Developers
1. Re:New business plan by Camann · 2009-03-30 05:37 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  It's better than what they had before: 1.??? 2.??? 3.???
  
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  I can't believe you don't know what a Hasemalphaginnojinglanaporphomism is.
2. Re:New business plan by homesnatch · 2009-03-30 05:41 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Sure, they lose money on every sale, but they'll make it up in volume!
Re:How do you compete with free? by InsertWittyNameHere · 2009-03-30 05:32 · Score: 5, Funny

I agree, free and higher quality isn't enough. The music sounds better knowing that you've obtained it illegally. Just like how food tastes better knowing that you'll be dining and dashing. It's the adrenaline rush that males all the difference.
Re:Proxy anyone? Until... by GMFTatsujin · 2009-03-30 05:59 · Score: 4, Insightful

'"Born in the USA" will likely get binned...'
Have you listened to the lyrics?
Like, REALLY listened to the lyrics?
I'm not just talking Republican National Convention playing the chorus over and over. Seriously. Born in the USA is not a shining example of feel-good patriotism. It's an ironic intervention against an America that's forgotten its defenders.