AsiaBizTech: Future of Net Distribution Depends on Artists Themselves

“Masayoshi Son, president and CEO of Softbank Corp., caused
a sensation in the music industry by announcing he will start a
music distribution business via the Internet in June to provide
music for as little as 100 yen apiece. He recruited Minoru
Mukaiya and set up a new company called eS! Music Corp. in December
1999. Mukaiya is a musician and committee member of the Japanese
Society of Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers
(JASRAC).”

“Threatened by the possibility that eS! Music may take the
initiative in pricing on net distribution, recording companies
started to distribute music for 350 yen apiece, the same price as
for a CD, and founded a new music distribution company. The new
company, Level Gate Co., Ltd. , was founded by 10 recording
companies in April 2000. Competition for music distribution is
intensifying between recording companies and dedicated
distribution”

“Nikkei Netbrain interviewed Minoru Mukaiya, who talked about
the music distribution service and the current music distribution
business. He is vice president of eS! Music.”

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