MUSIC STREAMING ARRIVES IN MALAYSIA WITH LAUNCH OF DEEZER

Kuala Lumpur, 15th August 2012

Leading global music subscription service Deezer is bringing unlimited music to Asia, as the service launches in Malaysia, following a service launch in Thailand in partnership with dtac and a live self-distributed service opening in Singapore.

The arrival of Deezer in the region is set to change the way people listen to music. With more than 18 million tracks available at the click of a button across all devices including iPhones, Android phones, Blackberries, laptops, tablets and wireless Hi-Fi speakers, music will now be accessible to music fans in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore in more ways than ever before.
Deezer’s successful business model has seen it partner with telecommunications networks such as Orange, T-Mobile and Belgacom. Subsequent launches in Indonesia and the Philippines are expected to replicate this model.Axel Dauchez, CEO of Deezer, said: “We are thrilled to finally launch Deezer in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore during our first foray into Asia. There is a real passion for music here and we have no doubt that Deezer’s strong focus on local music and editorial recommendations will resonate with fans in each country. We are excited about the future of streaming music in Malaysia and hope to capture the imagination of music fans with this revolutionary new way of listening to, discovering and sharing music.”

Paid music services continue to increase in Malaysia as more and more Malaysians switch to digital music. The industry is contributing some RM100 million annually, and this figure looks set to rise, with the Asia Pacific region alone expected to contribute approximately 35% (or USD 7 billion) in revenue to the global digital music industry by 2015.Deezer’s web-based technology makes it easier for people to listen to the music they love, as it was intended to be heard from any device, wherever they are. This is a crucial benefit to music fans in Malaysia, where smartphone adoption continues to lead other Asian countries. [Gfk April 2012 cite 88% adoption].

A key recent challenge for music creators in Asia has been the growth of illegal download activity. For bands, artists and labels alike, Deezer will become a powerful platform that will help artists get paid fairly for their creative work.The Deezer Premium + service will this week be available in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore as a standalone service, while mobile data use resulting from the Deezer application is free of charge. The new partnership with dtac in Thailand, one of the region’s leading telecommunications operators, builds on Deezer’s successful business model which has seen it partner with telecommunications networks such as Orange, T-Mobile and Belgacom elsewhere.

The launch in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore this week consolidates Deezer’s position as the one truly global subscription service with a presence now in 91 territories worldwide. The roll out in Asia is to continue, with Deezer launching in Indonesia and the Philippines in the coming months.