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Chinese gaming giant makes big bet on electronic dance music
NetEase also runs the second most popular music-streaming service in the country
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
NetEase is set to open its first electronic music school in China next year.
The tech giant might be better known as China's second biggest gaming company, but it's also the owner of the country's second most popular music streaming service. The new school, established in partnership with British music school operator Point Blank, is located in the eastern city of Hangzhou.
Meet NetEase, China’s second-largest game publisher
Established in 1994, Point Blank offers a range of courses from songwriting to DJ skills -- with schools in London, Los Angeles, Ibiza and Mumbai, as well as online. Point Blank China will initially offer a year-long music production and sound engineering diploma course, with plans to offer a bachelor’s degree in music production and sound engineering eventually.
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This comes a week after NetEase launched an electronic music subsidiary called FEVER, which it says is going to host live music events and "premium electronic music tours."
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China's electronic dance music (EDM) scene is growing rapidly. An iiMedia report forecast that the number of China’s electronic music listeners could reach 400 million in 2019, up from an estimated 286 million last year. Though it said NetEase Cloud Music is the most professional music app for China’s EDM fans, the company isn't the only company fighting for a piece of the pie.
In January, rival Tencent Music launched an electronic dance music label called Liquid State with Sony Music. It aims to sign EDM talents across Asia, collaborate with other artists from around the world, and offer their music on Tencent’s three streaming platforms: QQ Music, Kugou and Kuwo.
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