Line launches music-streaming company with record labels to help monetize its mobile messaging user base

Following its foray into mobile payments, popular messaging app Line has now confirmed more details for its upcoming music-streaming service.

While we knew the service was coming, details have been pretty scant thus far. And while details are still fairly scant, today heralds the official formation of a brand new company — Line Music Corporation.

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Line Music will be partnering with Avex, a Japan-based record label, and Sony Music to access their respective music catalogs. The broader Line mobile platform will be used as a distribution channel by the record companies, with Line referring specifically to its own “global user base and experience developing and operating smartphone services.”

Following its launch back in 2011, Line rose to prominence in Japan as a way to connect friends via mobile and desktop. It claims 170 million monthly active users (MAU) in 230 countries for its main messaging app and millions more from its myriad of accompanying apps, including cameras and games, as the company continues to build out its brand into numerous verticals.

Line has already proven it can build a successful business from selling digital content, and has previously revealed that it made $10 million a month from selling stickers alone. So there’s little doubt it will be feeling confident of monetizing through music too.

The service is still a while away from launching, though, as the three companies are still at the holding “concrete discussions” stage. Line says that it will announce further details at a later date.

Via Techcrunch