Chinese online music service NetEase Cloud Music signs master recordings license agreement with Japanese label KING RECORDS

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Aug 02, 2018, 09:00 ET

HANGZHOU, China, Aug. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NetEase Cloud Music, the popular Chinese online music platform owned by leading Chinese internet company NetEase, Inc., has announced a master recordings licensing partnership with long-established Japanese label KING RECORDS.

KING RECORDS is a long-standing label established in 1931 and owned by Japanese publisher Koudansha. In addition to local J-POP, anime, enka and folk offerings, the label has introduced a number of music genres from around the world, including pop, movie soundtracks, Italian folk and French chanson to Japanese audiences. KING RECORDS, a long-established player in the animation industry, has built a portfolio of music works performed by artists including Megumi Hayashibara, Nana Mizuki and Mamoru Miyano.

In China, the KING RECORDS library is now available on NetEase Cloud Music.

In February 2017, NetEase Cloud Music reached a strategic partnership with avex, the largest entertainment group in Japan, making the firm the first to launch a massive roll-out of copyrighted Japanese songs in China. In October 2017, NetEase Cloud Music signed a master recordings license agreement with RADWIMPS, the immensely popular rock band known especially for creating the soundtrack for the 2016 Japanese animated film Your Name.NetEase Cloud Music sold more than 20,000 of RADWIMPS' live concert albums as well as video footage of the Human Bloom Tour 2017 as a result of various promotions via the platform's many distribution channels, including song lists, trailers, and video interviews.

KING RECORDS President Toshiaki Sakamoto said, "NetEase Cloud Music, one of the largest digital music platforms in China, boasts a rapidly growing user base that presents huge potential in terms of its penetration into both its domestic and overseas markets. The platform has a robust copyright protection program and has proven its competence in managing a wide collection of music from multiple sources. Most importantly, NetEase Cloud Music has already established its strong interest in Japanese music and developed advantages in terms of the management of the music portfolios. The platform has accumulated extensive experience in collaborating with Japanese labels and a good understanding of Japanese habits and practices. We believe NetEase Cloud Music will become our best partner as we expand into China and further promote Japanese artists and related content."

Zhu Yiwen, CEO of NetEase Cloud Music, said that young Chinese fans have become big followers of Japanese music, especially the anime genre. As a long-standing label with rich experience coupled with creativity as a fundamental component of its DNA, KING RECORDS boasts a diversified music library as well as a well-thought out strategy for anime. KING RECORDS is a valued partner as we expand the fan base of Japanese music."

NetEase Cloud Music will join hands with KING RECORDS to further diversify Japanese music genres and widen the availability of Japanese music to Chinese audiences, with a focus on anime, driving their popularity among Chinese fans.

SOURCE NetEase Cloud Music