Even as the all-pervasive threat of piracy continues to hang over the global music industry, legitimate online downloads, it seems, are still a viable business proposition, at least in the Middle East.
This Gitex, Music Master, the Saudi-owned regional distributer of CDs and DVDs, will unveil its brand new "full service" website Tuesday that will give music lovers a chance to download their favourite tracks for Dh3 each.
Initially in beta, the website, music-master.com, scheduled to be full-fledged by the end of the year, will offer something different to those who love their music and want it legally, says the company's managing director Saeed Elajou.
"There are a few on the market but there is not a lot of creativity in the way it's done," says Elajou, whose company distributes CDs for international labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Group and Warner Music Group.
"We want to package our products in an exciting way and offer our customers something piracy cannot.
"When there is a big artist in town, for instance, we have exclusive access to them and can offer that to them. We've been in the music industry for 25 years, so there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to do this properly."
In the region, Elajou's website will directly compete with Nokia's music store, music.ovi.com, the Abu Dhabi Media Company-owned Getmo.ae and the Bahrain-based urfilez.com.
Apple's iTunes Store, which crossed 10 billion music downloads earlier this year, making it the largest online store in the world, is still unavailable in the region.
The appeal, adds Elajou, is to make it simple. "We want to make the download process as easy as possible, just three to four clicks for users to get their favourite tracks. Online consumers don't like being bombarded with questions and processes," he says.
"A lot of people are also still not comfortable leaving their details online so they can just log on to buy one track."
As the website develops, memberships and loyalty programmes will be set up, he adds.
All downloads will also be DRM-free. Digital rights management, which refers to the technology used by music manufacturers and retailers to limit the usage of content on devices, is a controversial subject globally. It was only early last year that Apple announced all music on iTunes would be DRM-free.
"We do not want our customers to be tied down to any device. They will be able to transfer their music to any number of devices and still retain the rights," says Elajou.
Music for all
A bouquet of three million tracks, 80 per cent international and 20 per cent Arabic, will initially be offered on music-master.com in MP3 format. While the international music will constitute a majority of popular artists singing in English, a percentage will also be dedicated to Hindi, Farsi, Tagalog and world music.
"We fully understand the demands of the market and want to make sure there is something for everyone," says Elajou.
Plans for full streaming services for films and videos have also been pencilled in, he adds.
Despite Apple's success, making legitimate online music downloading a runaway success will still be an uphill task for Elajou and his competitors. According to the London-based International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), which represents the interests of the global recording company, 95 per cent of all music downloads is illegal.
But the businessman is positive about his approach.
"Yes, there is still a massive lack of music education in the region. But with clever packaging and unique offerings, there is huge potential. And for Dh3,I think what we're offering is a reasonable trade."
Meet the toppers
Lady Gaga is the most popular artist, followed closely by Madonna, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, according to a new research on evolving global musical trends.
The study, called The Psychology of Music Report, commissioned by mobile giant Nokia, and available exclusively to tabloid!, was conducted between May and June 2010 and spread over 13 countries with 13,000 music fans aged between 13 to 34 surveyed.
During that time period, Shakira's Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) was the most downloaded track, followed by Katy Perry's California Gurls, Lady Gaga's Bad Romance and Taio Cruz's Break Your Heart.
The study, which also looks into download habits, including preferred time and day of download, favourite genres and profile of active onlne music lovers, also has interesting insights into trends in the UAE. Thanks to its diverse population, the Emirates, says the study, has the broadest musical taste in the region.Nokia launched its online music store in the UAE in December 2008 and currently offers a catalogue of more than four million tracks. The global music store boasts of 11 milion tracks.Read more about the survey in tomorrow's tabloid!
