Alibaba debuts new music app Planet

Alibaba PlanetChinese conglomerate Alibaba unveiled a new music property today. Alibaba Planet is a tiered platform for building fan-artist relationships and for music creatives to connect with each other. Fans can connect with artists they enjoy, watch live performances, and stream music. Planet also offers a place for performers, composers, producers, and other music businesses to seek out new connections and collaborations with each other. It looks like a one-stop shop for anything touching the music industry.

China is subject to some complicated regulations when it comes to music streaming, so it will be interesting to see just how that component of Alibaba Planet unfolds. The country’s rules could give Alibaba an edge over international rivals. So far, the Planet app is only rolled out in China, but an English version is expected to launch in the second half of the year.

Anna Washenko