CHINA (CelebrityAccess) – Indie distributors TuneCore and CD Baby have each entered partnerships with Chinese music streaming giant Tencent.
The deal, which serves hundreds of millions of users, gives DIY artists the ability to distribute their music not only to the indie and DIY networks of Tencent but also to its subsidiaries and partners including QQMusic, KuGou and Kuwo, which together pull in 652 million mobile monthly active users. At the moment, the 3 services account for about 75% of all music streaming in China.
Under the terms of the new deal, the added distribution will come at no extra cost for artists who utilize CD Baby and TuneCore. However, TuneCore artists who want to send previously-released music to Tencent now must pay a one-time fee of $1.98.
CD Baby CEO Tracy Maddux said: “Making our members’ music available in the world’s largest market for streaming subscribers offers tremendous potential for independent and emerging artists to be heard and connect with fans.”
Added TuneCore CEO Scott Ackerman: “We create partnerships, tools and services that bring the greatest possible value to musicians, and this alliance with Tencent Music is a tremendous opportunity in a fast-growing and sought-after market.”
