Global Monopoly of Technology

Luo Sheng saw that the other party had made a move, but did not make a clear statement, so he struck while the iron was hot: "Bluestar Technology is about to launch a new music service product [], we are willing to spend $20 million in cash every year to add music store [MusicSpace] 60% of sales go to record labels, five-year deal."

This is an almost irresistible price. Bluestar Technology’s online music store has not yet been launched. Whether it can be successful or not is still an open question. However, after signing this agreement, the annual guarantee of 20 million US dollars is free.

It's a fool not to take it if you have money, you really can't refuse.

At this moment, the two sides looked at each other, and it seemed that each of them scolded each other for being a fool in their hearts. Only time will tell who will have the last laugh.

In the end, Doug Morrison smiled and said to his assistant: "Look, I don't believe that with a few computers and Steve Jobs' big white 'cigarette case (referring to iPod)' such electronic products can destroy the whole The record business can make $100 million in five years for nothing, so why not?"

Having said this, Morris turned his head to look at Luo Sheng and stretched out his hand, showing a professional smile: "I agree to sign the contract, as far as I know, few companies in the Internet industry can last for three years, I hope you companies can survive for five years.”

Luo Sheng also reached out and shook it, smiling: "Trust me, Universal Music will definitely make more than $100 million from me."

Morris laughed and said, "I hope so."

On the surface, Luo Sheng smiled innocently, but inside he said again: Five years later, if you cry, of course, at that time, it will depend on whether my brother is still in charge of Universal Music.

It is not too late. After the successful negotiation that day, the contract was signed in the afternoon. Luo Sheng brought Qin Weimu and other eleven people over this time. They were all legal professionals. Morris did not want to sign it so quickly. Audit for half a week.

But Luo Sheng pushed back the head of Universal Music in one sentence: According to the date of signing the contract, three days later this year's $20 million will be immediately remitted to Universal Music's account.

Doug Morris shrugged: Sign!

It is worth mentioning that although Jobs obtained digital licenses from major record companies earlier than Luo Sheng, more than 90% of the songs are not exclusive licenses, and record companies are not stupid. They are quite cautious about exclusive licenses.

And even Apple can’t afford to pay for all the exclusive music licenses, and if it does, antitrust agencies will have to come to the door the next day.

Luo Sheng took down Universal Music Music, and went to Sony Music Entertainment the next day. After he proposed the terms of the Bluestar Technology agreement, the then CEO of Sony Music, Guan Lack, was in his heart in less than 15 seconds. Decided to sell Sony's music download rights to Bluestar Technology.

The third stop is Warner Records.

It took Luo Sheng a week for the five major record companies to be taken down by him.

During the negotiation, the heads of the five major record giants all said the same thing: We know that musical works are hard-won, and we must protect the intellectual copyright of musical works.

Sincerity is full, the key is the amount of banknotes. The heads of several major record companies, including Walker, the North American Recording Industry Association, Luo Sheng's words are very useful to them.

This went so smoothly because Luo Sheng threw out real dollar bills on the one hand, and on the other hand, he also showed the enthusiasm he showed as an avid music fan. In the eyes of people in the music industry, it is very rare that he can follow suit. People in the tech world meet the eye.

After winning the copyrights of the five major record companies, Luo Sheng finally stopped. In the past ten days, he has been traveling around North America. He didn't even have time to eat "Western food". It's not easy either.

However, the results were gratifying and could be described as a bountiful harvest.

Luo Sheng won the digital music license of about 2.25 million songs from the five major record companies at a price of 60% of the sales of [MusicSpace Music Store] and an annual price of 76.2 million US dollars.

But it is not an exclusive license, basically including the current global popular songs.

But there must also be exclusively licensed songs, and the cost of exclusive licensing is extremely expensive. To this end, Luo Sheng spent an additional $116 million to win popular rappers Eminem and Britney Spears. (Britney Spears), Avril Lavigne (Avril Lavigne), Coldplay (), Linkin Park (Linkin Park) and other 15 popular music stars or group digital music exclusive license for five years.

In addition, Luo Sheng has also signed exclusive digital music licenses for many singers including Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry for ten years. In this era, these singers are all proper newcomers and have little reputation.

For example, Katy Perry, a female singer called "Sister Fruit" by domestic netizens, has not been signed by a record company yet. Luo Sheng "flopped" her and eventually signed a contract to become an artist under Columbia.

The cost of signing the digital rights of these "artists" is not very big, especially when it comes to the rhythm of these singers becoming popular in the future.

Anyway, these record companies now feel that Luo Sheng is a bit stupid and rich, there is nothing to say, sign!

Money is not a bastard.

But Luo Sheng knows that the digital music licenses of the artists he signed are not yet popular, and they will be popular singers in the singing industry in the future. Maybe they will bring some butterfly effects because of themselves, and maybe they will not be popular in the future.

But Luo Sheng didn't care.

The exclusive digital music licensing of these newcomers only cost less than 30 million US dollars in total, even if they are all in vain, it is acceptable, but what if they are all as popular as the original world without exception?

Bundled with a 10-year contract, it's almost a bloody explosion.

After signing, Luo Sheng won't care about how these artists develop, and he doesn't have the power to manage, but no matter what, the digital copyrights of new albums or singles released by these artists within the next 10 years will be Exclusively by MusicSpace.

It is the most expensive to get the exclusive license of the current popular singers, so the exclusive digital license of 15 popular singers or groups cost nearly 100 million US dollars, and there are only five years of licenses, if you are unlucky, maybe there are A singer may not release an album within 5 years.

The news finally came to light in mid-April. Bluestar Technology spent $192.2 million to sign a licensing agreement with the world's top five record companies, which made Luo Sheng feel a wave of presence in North America once again.

The entertainment media in Europe and the United States also carried out extensive coverage, and even Wall Street paid close attention.

Walker of the North American Recording Industry Association said in an interview with the media: "The agreement was reached because Luo Sheng's willpower is different from ordinary people. His charisma and chao have definitely played a big role. The role. This son of the Internet from across the ocean is an avid music fan."

It can be said to be highly praised, but no, Luo Sheng came to the door to send money at this time. Without saying a few good words, people in the record industry felt that it was too much to say.

The major record companies are happy that they have made a huge profit, and Luo Sheng is also very happy about it, but in the end who is the real big winner, I can't tell now, the last laugh is the real one winner.

The major record companies are laughing now, and some will cry after five or eight years, when they will find out that this is nothing.

Really give.

It is worth mentioning that within the term of the agreement, Luo Sheng will give several major record companies a total of 76.2 million US dollars in cash each year, including negotiations in the domestic music market. Luo Sheng made it clear that he wants to make music payments in Greater China. Impossible, Bluestar Technology will not allow its upcoming music player to charge in the Greater China market, it is still free, and it focuses on cultivating users.

In this regard, the major record companies expressed their understanding, because even now, the MP3 music of Baidu is pirated, and the major record companies can only stare at the market in Greater China. Luo Sheng offered to give a sum of money, and the price is still high. Not low, no matter how you look at it, they are very sincere partners.

So agreed.

The digital music in the Greater China market is exclusively licensed to Bluestar Technology, and has the priority to renew the contract within the same price.

Luo Sheng can actually ignore it, but he still spent tens of millions for a contract, which doesn't work now, but in the future the copyright is gradually established, and this contract is to allow competitors to remove music from the shelves.

Copyright issues are all settled, it's time to go home.

After the copyright licensing agreement was settled, the company's product launch was a matter of course. Just the day before Luo Sheng's departure to return to China, that is, on April 21, the domestic version of [Bluestar Music] and the international version of [MusicSpace] were synchronized. online.

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