Not long ago, under the promotion of the National Copyright Administration, netease Cloud Music and Tencent Music reached a 99% copyright exchange, and then netease and Ali reached a copyright mutual cooperation, and Netease Ali acquired some Copyrights from each other. It can be said that after a series of events, online music platforms also ushered in their happy non-intrusive period, which can be said to be a relatively satisfactory ending for users.

But the incident also dashed optimism among users about the removal of copyright barriers to online music. However since break out war, have fuse inevitably, and this fuse is Tencent music right music copyright mentality.

Copyright advantage is not the best way to play Tencent music

Trace back to the netease cloud music, Tencent music and Jewell’s “abusive love”, you can find some clues. Data shows that The Jerwell Copyright Company, which owns the songs of Jay Chou and other artists, authorized the songs exclusively to Tencent as early as 2015. Half a year later, Tencent reached a sublicense cooperation with netease. But coincidentally, the deadline for the exclusive agency of Tencent Music and the mutual licensing of netease Tencent cooperation is the same, both on March 31, 2018.

Then, netease cloud music temporarily lost “Jay”, Tencent music continues to have “Jay”.

At this point, things also seem to be clear. In the final analysis, or Jewell reached cooperation with Tencent Music under the discussion, but netease Cloud music did not enjoy this treatment, become an outsider. What’s more unfortunate is that it involves the artist at the top of the pyramid, Jay Chou. Thus, the storm of copyright war once again added a thick and heavy color to the history of online music development.

It is obvious that the copyright wars will continue. At first, 99% copyright mutual grant people “happy big general rush”, but they do not know that this 1% is also the core of everyone care. For Tencent Music, the appeal of that 1 per cent could be infinite. On the one hand, 1% of the music copyright, there are quite valuable head artists, such as Jay Chou in this case; On the other hand, although the online music platforms have been gradually reconciled under the mediation of the National Copyright Administration, the severity of the competition has also brought pressure to Tencent, so it is impossible to completely let go of the 1% for the time being.

Copyright barriers remain the most effective competitive weapon, and Tencent knows it. But the problem is, whether does such copyright advantage set up still lack a little humanity and strategic?

On the one hand, compared with the previous “from nothing to nothing” copyright war, this is “from something to nothing” a quick withdrawal. So users became the biggest victims in this incident, unable to listen to music, music experience rapidly declined.

On the other hand, the occurrence of this event does not conform to the big competition environment where copyright barriers are gradually disappearing, so it seems not the most appropriate way to use copyright advantages to fight for a new land, whether it is the copyright company’s challenge or Tencent Music’s request.

In general, the root of the unexpected events of the fuse is tencent music for 1% of the music copyright is not willing to let go, because the use of 1% of the library to obtain competitive advantage, can pull some users on other platforms to their own platform, this may be more effective means of competition, but seems to have returned to the user with a few more days of listening to music APP.

But as it turns out, things are not that simple. Firstly, the competition of online music is not determined by copyright, and secondly, the competition dimension of online music is constantly shifting, and the competition pattern is constantly changing. Hidden in Tencent music “monopoly” play behind, in fact, Tencent music as a domestic music giant anxiety.

Tencent music’s internal problems: THE UGC model is not perfect, the content is not specific, product experience needs to be improved

Tencent Music now has a big family, after a series of mergers, QQ Music, Kuwo music and Kugou music. But at the same time, it seems that the heart is willing but not enough, Tencent music’s troika at present in user experience there are still some problems.

First, kuwo, Kugou and QQ Music do not have a perfect UGC mode. After netease Cloud Music broke out with UGC mode, other music apps began to try to go this way. But for the products of Tencent Music Department, the open comment function is actually very simple, but the important thing is how to let users take the initiative to produce high-quality content.

A closer look at the comments section of Tencent’s music products shows several characteristics. First, there are few comments on many popular songs and users’ willingness to interact is not high, indicating low attention or users’ lack of interest in the comments themselves. Second, the content of comments is not high quality, which also leads to many users may have an uncomfortable feeling.

It should be noted that the core of the UGC model is that users are willing to continuously produce quality content. However, Tencent Music’s polishing of UGC mode is not enough. First, it needs to strengthen the selection and recommendation of high-quality content in content operation. The second is the need to activate user activity to ensure the continuous productivity of the content.

Second, the music content is uneven. Kuwo and Kugou used to be outsiders, which also led to some differences between them and QQ Music, that is, kuwo and Kugou are pan-entertainment music apps, such as kuwo and Kugou have live streaming, karaoke and other functions. From the perspective of the development process of Internet entertainment, the goal of the early layout of Kuwo and Kugo is to enter the pan-entertainment industry through music.

But it also makes kuwo and Kugou less like a music APP and more like a pan-entertainment APP. First, the core business of music has deteriorated due to the existence of live broadcasting and other functions. The current live broadcasting can be said to be a controversial industry, which makes the content of live broadcasting not controllable, and also produces a lot of unreasonable live broadcasting content. In fact, kuwo and Kugo are the same as the vast majority of platforms, this phenomenon has occurred.

On the other hand, karaoke, live broadcasting and other functions weaken the exclusivity of kuwo and Kugou. Although there are many businesses, there are more profitable points, but for users who just want to listen to music quietly, the existence of these functions may be unnecessary.

In addition to the shortcomings of UGC model, uneven music content and other problems, Tencent Music’s three products also have the “atmosphere dilemma”, that is, users do not have a high sense of belonging, there is no community atmosphere. Obviously, the reasons for these problems are various. For Tencent Music, although it has the advantages of the troika and the number of users, it may take some time to achieve the idea of users through content.

Netease cloud music and Xiami music will continue to pressure Tencent music

As mentioned above, the reason why Tencent Music offers “exclusive copyright” again lies in the fundamental anxiety that it feels the pressure from external competition. It is undeniable that Tencent Music is indeed facing the threat from netease Cloud Music and Xiami Music in the music pattern of the three-way rivalry.

The reasons why Netease Cloud Music makes Tencent Music feel insecure can be summarized into two aspects: user loyalty and deepening layout of music industry chain. Relying on UGC mode and community management, netease Cloud Music has accumulated more than 400 million users from a rising star to a music giant today.

And user loyalty is surprisingly high. According to the 2017 China mobile Internet annual report released by QuestMobile in January 2018, netease cloud music ranked first in the 30-day retention rate of the industry, and ranked first in the TOP10 apps favored by mobile netizens in first-tier cities and the TOP10 apps favored by mobile netizens in second-tier cities.

And have so many “diehard fan” netease cloud music, is Tencent music most do not want to see. On the one hand, users’ spontaneous promotion through social channels will make other users more likely to “defect” to netease Cloud Music; On the other hand, QQ Music has 800 million users, which has an advantage in the number of users. However, from the perspective of music profit model, the potential of commercial value lies in serving loyal users well. Therefore, it is not unreasonable for Tencent Music to fear the explosive power of netease Cloud Music.

And in the layout of the music industry chain, netease cloud music is not to mention much. For example, the “Stone” program to support musicians, the launch of short video incentive program, and the establishment of music downstream ecology after cooperating with copyright owners such as China Research Institute. In the process of music transfer to industrial competition, netease cloud music is bound to become a strong competitor of Tencent Music.

Besides netease cloud music, Tencent music still faces xiami music this Ali department strong will. According to QuestMobile’s 2017 annual statistics, Xiami Music ranks among the top of typical independent online music apps in terms of user activity rate and per capita daily usage duration. Similar to netease Cloud Music, Xiami Music has gained many loyal users by relying on its complete music library and differentiated operation.

In addition, xiami music ali background also had to let Tencent music to raise the spirit. On the one hand, In recent years, Ali has made a high-profile layout of large-scale entertainment ecology. From the acquisition of Youku Tudou, to the transformation of Tudou into short video, to the comprehensive integration of authorized Treasure and Ali Fish, Ali has been worrying a lot about the strategy of large-scale entertainment. Xiami, with music copyright as its fulcrum, will also play a unique role in the industrial chain. Alibaba will only provide more and more support to Xiami in the future.

On the other hand, xiami is changing its image. One is the acceleration of globalisation, such as last month’s strategic deal with Merlin, the world’s largest independent music digital rights agency. Second, product improvements, such as the introduction of SONG AI recommendations and emphasis on social routes.

In short, Tencent Music cannot escape the continuous threat of Netease Cloud music and Xiami Music in the three-tiered situation. From the trend of music competition in the future, now Tencent music still want to fight the idea of copyright war, is absolutely not the wisest choice. Under the internal troubles and external troubles, if you want to completely solve their anxiety, Tencent music may be the first to practice good internal skills.

Article/Liu Kuang public account, ID: Liukuang110