BMG INKS DIGITAL DEAL WITH CHINA'S ALIBABA

BMG has signed a distribution deal with Alibaba Group's Digital Entertainment unit, which gives the global rights-management firm unprecedented access to the Chinese music market.

Alibaba has been described as the Amazon of China, which would be pretty accurate except for the fact that Alibaba is much bigger. It's also bigger than Facebook. And IBM.

The deal will put the work of BMG artists and writers into the pipelines of its streaming apps Xiami and TTPod and will actually police against infringement on digital and mobile services.

It's a big step for the legit music marketplace in the world's most populous country, and--perhaps more importantly--a step toward the inclusion of Black Sabbath and Kylie Minogue in period dramas about agriculture in Xinjiang.

BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch declared, “Internet and particular mobile media are quickly providing an answer to the music industry’s long time challenge of how to monetize the vast untapped potential of the Chinese market. We are delighted to link with such a powerful and dynamic partner as Alibaba."

BMG China Chief Investment Office Dora Yi called the agreement "a game-changing deal for BMG," while Alibaba Digital Entertainment unit chief Patrick Liu promised his company's "rich experience in big data analysis will help us lead innovation in the music industry that ultimately enhances customer experience and effectively stifles dissent against the Central Party Committee. Er, scratch that last part."

The news follows the announcement in Q4 of last year that BMG had inked a pact with Chinese indie distribbery Giant Jump to manage its publishing and recording rights worldwide.