Monday 12:07
- Link Up With Largest ISP To Develop 180 Million Strong Fanbase
- Stereophonics, Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Katie Melua and The Rakes first to benefit
The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has struck a groundbreaking deal on behalf the British music industry, to stream promotional music and video clips from music companies in the UK to the 180m registered users of China's largest ISP, SINA. The deal is backed by government body UK Trade and Investment and was brokered by AIM's consultants in China, SWAT enterprises.
As part of the deal, SINA will offer the repertoire via a dedicated "UK Music" area of its portal enabling music fans the length and breadth of China, and in enclaves worldwide, to hear some of the most exciting music around.
Stereophonics, Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Katie Melua and The Rakes will be among the first artists to participate, and other acts, from independent and major record companies alike, are soon expected to come on board. The streams will be accompanied by links to artists' websites, and it is anticipated that the resulting exposure will open up opportunities for live performance, downloads and ringtones.
Alison Wenham, Chairman and Chief Executive of AIM, stressed that this AIM initiative is an entirely new and potentially huge opportunity for its own members, but also can and will be extended to the broadest possible range of labels - both majors and independents. "We believe that this deal with SINA should create a portal in the fullest sense of the word - allowing this adventurous Chinese ISP to offer its users access to the widest range of British artists who choose to make their promos available," said Alison. "We want to feed this initiative, making it a strong and exciting place for Chinese music fans to hear and see clips of all kinds of British acts."
Alison will sign the agreement in Shanghai on April 13th, and will also attend other official events in China during a week of talks and official engagements to promote London and the UK music industry.
The signing will be witnessed by the Mayor of London, as it coincides with his trip to China. During his visit, Ken Livingstone will also open London offices in Beijing and Shanghai as well as host a number of events to promote the capital including a 'London Fusion' event in Shanghai.
The agreement could prove instrumental in developing a share of the country's booming recorded music market - which more than doubled in value in the last five years alone. It marks the beginning of a long-term AIM-led project to gain a foothold in the China, building on previous missions to the region and the SWAT Enterprises-operated UK music office facility in Beijing, opened in April 2005 (SWAT operate a unique door opening initiative for UK labels and artists which gives them and AIM substantial competitive edge in the marketplace).
Music samples will be submitted, rather than entire tracks, and on a purely promotional basis as legislation is still being developed to reimburse labels for streaming in China -- the deal nevertheless contains provisions to see UK labels appropriately remunerated should this situation change.
Said Alison Wenham "The chance to put British music in front of up to 180 million people is fantastic. With the advent of the digital economy just around the corner we are very excited that UK music will find a willing and hungry audience in the burgeoning Chinese market. We thank SINA for this opportunity."
Commented Mr. Chen Tong, Editor in Chief of SINA.com "As the biggest and most comprehensive online platform among the global Chinese community in the world, SINA.com is very pleased to have reached an agreement with AIM to help spread UK music in China. I am looking forward to further cooperation with other member/affiliated music companies."
Said Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London "London is known around the world for the quality, range and diversity of music, which is a vital contributor to the capital's culture and economy. This is a significant deal that will put British artists at the forefront of digital business in China."
Commented Stuart Watson, President and CEO, SWAT Enterprises, ''Whilst British Music has a history in China, and many of our older superstar artists such as Elton, Clapton and McCartney are well known throughout the country, there is a overall lack in knowledge among China's younger music consumers in regard to our modern day successes.
This trailblazing initiative in conjunction with SINA, China's leading internet portal, will help position British music nationally, in a manner than enables us to start popularising these artists in the world's most exciting emerging market. It is (probably) the most exciting arrangement between East and West that SWAT has ever brokered, and we believe that AIM members will benefit greatly as a result.''
Further details are available at AIM Digital by enquiry.
- Music empowered by AIM -
Previous AIM/UKTI Missions to China
- 16 British music companies took part in 'AIM for China 2005' - a UKTI supported AIM trade mission to Shanghai and Beijing from 25th Oct - 3rd Nov 05
- This built on a UKTI supported AIM trade mission to Shanghai and Beijing (AIM for China 2004) during October 2004 in which 11 companies participated
- This in turn built on a scoping mission to South East Asia & Japan in 2001, which identified China as having the greatest potential for new business.
About AIM Digital
AIM Digital is the new media arm of the Association of Independent Music, the non-profit trade body that represents the independent record sector, 1/5 of the UK market with 2004 sales worth nearly £1/2 billion from mainstream retail alone.
Its remit is to negotiate and administer collective licensing agreements with new media partners on behalf of member labels and to support and educate members about the changing digital landscape.
AIM Digital pioneered collective licensing for new media, enabling members' repertoire to be licensed for digital download and podcasting providers around the world. Services include Sony Connect, Musicnet, eMusic, Karma Download, Tunetribe and Playlouder MSP. Its intervention with iTunes helped secure a deal for independents on a par with the majors, and AIM remains the only organisation to have inked deals with both old and new versions of Napster.
AIM Digital is committed to keeping UK independent music at the forefront of new digital developments; befitting the independent sector's ongoing triumphs-
* both commercial: 30% of all UK artist albums with over triple platinum domestic sales in 2005 as well as the highest selling 2005-released debut album by any artist (Kaiser Chiefs)
* and critical: producing the Mercury Music Prize winner three years in a row as well as eight of the top ten most critically acclaimed albums in 2005, as voted by the UK music press
AIM Digital works on behalf of a diverse array of UK independent labels whose artists include Franz Ferdinand, Bjork, The Killers, Bloc Party, Stereophonics, The White Stripes, The Strokes, Basement Jaxx, The Prodigy, Paul Weller, Badly Drawn Boy, Pixies, Antony & The Johnsons, Robert Plant, Nitin Sawhney, Elbow, The Zutons, Babyshambles, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Royksopp, Roots Manuva, Coldcut, M.I.A., and thousands of others.
AIM was established in 1998 by UK independent record labels and has 900 members, from the smallest start-ups to the largest and most respected independents in the world.
http://www.musicindie.com
About SINA
SINA Corporation (NASDAQ: SINA) is a leading online media company and value-added information service (VAS) provider for China and for Chinese communities worldwide. With a branded network of localised websites targeting Greater China and overseas Chinese, SINA provides services through five major business lines including SINA.com (online news and content), SINA Mobile (mobile value-added services), SINA Online (community-based services and games), SINA.net (search and enterprise services) and SINA E-commerce (online shopping), offering Internet users and government and business clients an array of services including online media and entertainment, online fee-based VAS/wireless VAS, and e-commerce and enterprise e-solutions.
With 180 million registered users worldwide, 450 million daily page views and over 42 million active users for a variety of fee-based services, SINA is the most recognized Internet brand name in China and among Chinese communities globally.
In various surveys and polls, SINA has been recognized as the most valuable brand and the most popular website in China. For 2003 and 2005, SINA was ranked the "Most Preferred Website" in China according to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and considered "The Most Respected Chinese Company" for two consecutive years in 2003 and 2004 by the Economic Observer and the Management Case Study Center of Beijing University. At the same time, South China Weekend honoured SINA with the prestigious award of the "Chinese Language Medium of the Year" in both 2003 and 2004.
About SWAT
SWAT Enterprises is the leading music consultancy specialising in licensing, events, digital/mobile initiatives and marketing services in China. Its clients include leading independent record labels V2, Beggars Group, Koch International and Tommy Boy.
The company was originally established in 1994 by Stuart Watson, a former senior vice president at MCA International (now Universal) and Managing Director of Zomba. SWAT's early landmark successes included establishing Jive acts Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and *NSYNC as multi-million selling stars in Asia Pacific, and breaking acts such as Prodigy and White Stripes for other clients.
About UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment is the government organisation that provides support services for UK companies trading overseas. It brings together the work of teams in 200 British embassies overseas and government departments across Whitehall. In England, UK Trade & Investment services are delivered through the 45 Business Links and other partners including Regional Development Agencies and Chambers of Commerce, coordinated by nine regional International Trade Directors. The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements for local delivery of services.
