On Wednesday, Google Inc announced that it has unveiled a music search service in China. This new search service will enable users to legally access music online in a country where free downloading of pirated music is rampant. The online forum is supported by select music companies and will run on revenue from advertising.

The music search service from Google is called Music Onebox and will direct users to a Chinese website known as Top100.ch from where they will be able to perform free downloading or streaming of music. Top100.ch has a licensing agreement with almost a hundred music record labels from all around the globe. Besides this, the Beijing-based website is also in partnership talks with Sony BMG and Warner Music Group Corp. According to the website, Chinese basketball star Yao Ming is one of the major investors of Top100.ch.

Only users from China will be able to access music offered on Top100.ch and directed by Music Onebox. This will come as a welcome offer in a country where the system of paid music downloads is unheard of. The digital music store, iTunes from Apple Inc, too is not offered in China. According to an estimate by the International Federation of Phonographic Industries, more than 99% of all music files going around in China are pirated and its legal sales of $76 million a year accounts for a mere one percent of total global sales.

-Kalyani Mookherji