KKBox, stylized as KKBOX[1] is a music streaming service developed in 2005 by KKBox Inc., a software company in Taipei, Taiwan. It is a part of Japanese Telecom Group, KDDI. The service mainly targets the music markets of East and Southeast Asia, focusing on regions including: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore. Working on a freemium basis, both paid and free members can listen to over 20 million tunes on smartphones, TVs, media centers and computers.[2]
 | |
| Type of business | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | October 2004 |
| Headquarters | |
| Founder(s) | Chris Lin, et al[citation needed] |
| CEO | Chris Lin |
| Industry | Music |
| Services | Music streaming |
| Parent | KDDI (76% common stock) |
| URL | www |
| Users | 10 million+ |
| Launched | 2005 |
| Current status | Active |
| Native client(s) on | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, tvOS, etc |
As a Taiwan-based music streaming software, KKBOX caters mainly to Mandarin-speaking users by collaborating with record companies in the Taiwanese music industry. KKBOX also has close links with Taiwanese artists, and mainstream Mandopop artists like Jay Chou, Eric Chou and Bii.
Development
editAfter launching KKBOX in Taiwan, the company expanded the music streaming service to Hong Kong and Macau in 2009, Japan in 2011, Malaysia, and Singapore in 2013.[3] Starting from 2011, KKBOX received investment from KDDI Corporation,[4] a Japanese telecom who holds 76% of the stocks; HTC Corporation, a smartphone company, and; GIC, a Singaporean Government fund.[citation needed]
KKBOX has operated on Windows, Windows Media Center, Mac OS X, iOS, Android, Symbian, Bada, partly Java,[5] and since 2015 Apple Watch.[6]
In 2006, the first KKBOX Music Awards ceremony was held in Taiwan. Various artists that have performed and been honored including Eason Chan, Jay Chou, Jolin Tsai, Apink, Sekai No Owari.[7] In January 2017, KKBOX announced the winners of its 12th Annual KKBOX Music Awards.[8]
On September 15, 2023, KKBOX parent company, KKCompany, has acquired Taiwan Mobile myMusic streaming platform, in exchanged to have KKBOX available for Taiwan Mobile customers.[9]
KKBOX confirmed to close the service in Malaysia on December 31, 2024; leading to only Singapore as the only country outside Eastern Asia to operate the streaming platform.[10]
Controversy over copyright
editIn 2007, KKBOX was suspected of reproducing musical works and allowed its members to download them without authorization. The works included 324 songs owned by HCM Music and songwriter Chan Kien Ming. KKBOX's owner and manager were prosecuted by Taipei District Prosecutors Office.[11] In 2009, the court held that the case was considered as a civil dispute and the defendants were acquitted.[12]
References
edit- ^ "聆聽的大寫，KKBOX 品牌再造：不只改 logo，而是誕生無懼的默契 ｜ BIOS monthly".
- ^ Huber, D. M., & Runstein, R. E. (2005). Modern recording techniques (8th ed.). Burlington, MA: Focal Press. p.579
- ^ "About KKBOX". KKBOX. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ^ "KDDI to migrate its music service to Kkbox, joining Asia's largest music network". BRIDGE（ブリッジ）|「起業家と投資家を繋ぐ」テクノロジー＆スタートアップ関連の話題をお届けするブログメディア. 2013-04-09. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ^ Wherever you go, listen to music with mobile phones or computers--KKBOX https://www.kkbox.com/hk/en/what-is-kkbox/supported-platforms.shtml Archived 2018-11-19 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "KKBOX打入Apple Watch - 產業．科技". 中時新聞網. 5 May 2015.
- ^ KKBOX Music Awards--KKBOX https://www.kkbox.com/about/en/musicaward
- ^ "Hebe, Mayday, JJ Lin among winners of Taiwan's KKBOX awards". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on May 3, 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
- ^ "Taiwan Mobile collaborates with KKBOX in music streaming service, vying for share of global market". Taiwan Mobile (Press release). September 15, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
- ^ "We would like to inform you about the cancellation of KKBOX service in Malaysia". Retrieved December 15, 2024.
- ^ KKBOX下載音樂侵權 王永慶外孫被訴-- National Chiao Tung University "::: 國立交通大學 秘書室 對外事務組及校友聯絡中心 :::". Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- ^ 遭控侵權 KKBOX簡民一判無罪--Chinatimes http://news.chinatimes.com/CMoney/News/News-Page-content/0,4993,11050709+122009072200294,00.html Archived 2009-07-26 at the Wayback Machine