Chinese music producer Gao Xiaosong announced Tuesday that the music industry faces 'earth-shaking' changes as free online downloading will end after July 1.
"Various record labels, music websites and the government are all doing the tail-end of the work. The Chinese online music market will step into an era of legal copies." Gao said at a launch ceremony for the Top Chinese Music Awards, which are due to take place in April.
The deadline was confirmed by Wang Changtian, president of Enlight Media, a mainland entertainment giant.
A producer of pop songs, Gao became widely known after being sent to prison for six months for drink-driving in May 2011.
Gao said record companies, online providers and relevant parties have come to an agreement after negotiations. Record companies have compromised on pricing to encourage a paid music service and copyright protection.
It is unknown what form the paid service will be.
"Exact information will be released by relevant industries later, but it's for sure the price will be very very low," Gao added.
The producer contributed to changes of the newly amended Copyright Law.
The amended law, adopted in January 2013, means stricter punishment to copyright infringers and offers musicians and their original work better protection of rights.
There were strong protests from music circles last April when the draft amendment to the law was first published. The draft consisted of controversial provisions, including one allowing music to be used without permission from producers three months after a product is released.
Singers and music producers, including Gao and rocker Wang Feng, signed a joint letter calling on relevant authorities to "listen to the voice of the music circle" and delete the controversial provision. They were successful.
Driven by digital music sales, the recording industry saw a tiny growth of 0.3 percent in 2012, the first rebound since 1988, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
In China, there are 400 million Internet users listening to and downloading online music, mostly for free.
According to China Audio & Video Association statistics, the country's 2012 music copyright market was valued at more than 40 billion yuan ($6.4 billion). However, actual copyright revenue only amounted to 800 million yuan.
Free music and rampant piracy has led to the fact that commercial value does not bring cash to music producers but frustration for Chinese original musicians.
Gao has complained that many producers can not make ends meet despite of their enduring efforts to create music.
"The day that music producers can make a living from their products is coming," said Gao, calling the move "a big revolution."
He said only good-quality music will earn money, and the "bad" will be eliminated.
However, many netizens are questioning the truth of the news, given that similar rumors circulated last year.
Even if true, some said it may encounter resistance from Internet users, who are accustomed to dumping the latest chart-topping songs from music websites onto their MP3s or computers.
"If the price is acceptable I totally support a paid online music service," said Wu Anbang, a department store sales manager in Beijing.
"You must pay for fruits, food and other commodities. Music is a kind of commodity," said Wu, a frequent visitor to free music portals.
Huang Weijing, former head of EMI's Chinese branch, believes a paid music service is coming, adding that the current period is "the last darkness before the dawn."
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买碟听歌的年代早已过去，如今只要上网点几下鼠标，一分钱不花，音乐立刻躺在电脑或手机里了。不过，这个免费音乐的黄金时代也将过去。19日，第13届音乐风云榜年度盛典启动仪式上，评委会主席高晓松带来一个大消息，7月1日起，中国音乐产业将正式走向正版化，网络音乐下载开始收费。目前尚未确定的是，买单者是音乐网站还是消费者个人。
高晓松当天表示：“通过去年《著作权法》的修改和众多音乐人的抗争，今年7月1日后将看到翻天覆地的改变。这个改变会超过当年视频网站正版化带来的冲击，大时代终于来临。”他透露，已得到确切消息，中国音乐产业将正版化，“各大唱片公司联盟、各大网络平台以及有关部门都在做最后的工作。”他称各大唱片公司已开过秘密会议，为鼓励网络平台正版化收费化，对7月1日以后的格局、价格体系都做出了让步。他表示，随着网络音乐开始收费，好的音乐人终于可以靠音乐为生，“具体消息由行业发布，可以确定的是，价格肯定非常非常低廉。”
昨日有消息称，收费将采取包月方式。“各音乐平台和15家大的唱片公司共同讨论的模式暂定为包月收费，但会有等级划分，按照用户需求定制不同收费标准，等级不同权限不同。比如，用户一个月付7元钱可以授权下载7首歌曲，一个月达到20元时，用户可随意下载音乐，音乐品质能达到CD水平。”
对于此说，高晓松在微博辟谣，“7块钱下7首歌这种假新闻只有音盲加脑残才编得出来。看到今天微博大号在疯转这条，明摆着挑动乐迷对立情绪。未来的收费会比这条假新闻低廉得多得多，品质高得多得多。”
著名音乐人小柯认为，实施音乐下载收费制度“是好事”，但他对于此链条中收益的分配问题表示出了担忧，“此举或是互联网站又一巨额盈利模式，形成互联网机构吃肉，国际音乐大公司喝汤，音乐人看脸色捡剩的局面。”对于被收费的对象，小柯认为应是音乐互联网站，“(收费的)东家应是音乐公司，被收费者不应是网友。互联网的精神是分享，网站靠分享他人音乐左手引来网友、右手引来广告客户，被收费者应该是音乐互联网站。”
回应
网络音乐收费时代到来后，音乐类网站是否承担下载费用，还是向网友收费?收费标准是什么?昨日，记者采访了以QQ音乐为主要业务之一的腾讯公司。腾讯方面回应，“关于音乐网站收费计划，我们尚未接到任何政府部门的正式通知。QQ音乐目前依然提供标准音质的免费在线试听和下载，并始终以用户体验为导向提供音乐服务。到目前为止，QQ音乐还没有收费或涨价的计划。”另一网络音乐大户百度则暂无回应。
反应
对于习惯“免费午餐”的网友来说，收费消息无疑关系到切身利益。不少人表现出抗拒心理，称“无法接受”。有网友认为，大的音乐网站本来就是靠点击率和广告来赚钱，赚了广告费还要向网友收钱，就是单方面增加消费者负担，“我们已交了流量费、宽带包月费，还要单交一笔下载费，有必要吗?如果真的没有免费音乐了，我会通过个人博客和网盘来搜索免费音乐。”
也有网友建议：“如果做得像iTunes Store那样好，价格又合理，倒是愿意付费。”也有人发出理解和支持的声音，认为这会推动知识产权保护。网友“石头”说：“创作人也要吃饭，如果价格合理，还是应该收费的。”还有不少网友持中立态度，“收费制度”既然已经出来，是否难以推进已非首要考虑的事。如果大家觉得这个钱花得不冤，那“收费制度”就真的成功了。