Core Viewpoint - Tencent Music and NetEase Cloud Music are experiencing significant growth in their online music services, driven by a shift towards paid subscriptions and a reduction in piracy, leading to a more profitable music industry in China [4][8][21]. Financial Performance - Tencent Music reported total revenue of 8.44 billion yuan for Q2 2025, a year-on-year increase of 17.9%, with online music service revenue growing by 26.4% to 6.85 billion yuan [1]. - NetEase Cloud Music's revenue for the first half of 2025 was 3.827 billion yuan, a decrease of 6% from the previous year, but online music service revenue increased by 15.9% to 2.967 billion yuan [2]. - As of August 20, 2025, Tencent Music's stock price had risen by 127.78% since the beginning of the year, while NetEase Cloud Music's stock price increased by 154.99% [3]. Market Dynamics - Online music services now account for 80% of Tencent Music's total revenue and 77.5% of NetEase Cloud Music's total revenue, a significant shift from 2018 when these figures were 28.1% and 89.4%, respectively [3]. - The reduction of piracy in the music industry, from 95% to below 5% after regulatory changes in 2015, has led to a competitive environment focused on copyright acquisition [4][5]. Copyright Competition - Tencent Music has established a strong copyright position by acquiring exclusive rights to major artists and music libraries, forcing competitors like NetEase Cloud Music to pay high prices for licensing [5][6]. - The ongoing copyright disputes between Tencent Music and NetEase Cloud Music have driven up the prices of music rights, benefiting the overall music industry [7]. User Engagement and Monetization - Tencent Music's online music subscription revenue reached 4.38 billion yuan in Q2 2023, with a 17.1% year-on-year growth, and the number of paying users increased to 124 million [8]. - NetEase Cloud Music achieved a net profit of 734 million yuan in Q2 2023, marking its first annual profit, with membership revenue growing by 20.2% [8]. Competitive Landscape - The rise of new players like ByteDance's "Soda Music" and "Tomato Listening" is challenging the dominance of Tencent Music and NetEase Cloud Music by offering lower subscription fees and leveraging short video content for music promotion [23][24]. - The competition is evolving into a three-way battle, with Tencent Music and NetEase Cloud Music facing significant pressure from ByteDance's ecosystem [25][26].