亚马逊将推出付费音乐流媒体服务

 　　Amazon is nearing deals with the world’s largest record labels to launch a subscription¹ music streaming service as soon as next month, according to two people familiar with the matter.

　　据两位知情人士透露，亚马逊(Amazon)接近与全球各大唱片公司达成交易，最快于下月推出付费音乐流媒体服务。

　　Pandora is also closing in on licensing² agreements for an on-demand streaming service, which the internet radio provider has said it aims to debut³ later this year.

　　Pandora也即将获得点播流媒体服务的许可权协议，这家互联网广播提供商表示，计划在今年晚些时候推出该服务。

　　However, a September launch is unlikely, according to someone close to the company.

　　但据熟悉该公司的人表示，9月推出的可能性不大。

　　Both companies are planning services for $9.99 a month, the price point that has become the industry standard, putting them in direct competition with Spotify and Apple Music for listeners.

　　两家公司均计划以每月9.99美元——该价位已成为行业标准——的价格推出服务，这令它们要直接与Spotify和Apple Music争夺听众。

　　If the deals go through, Amazon and Pandora will enter a crowded field as the industry looks to replace years of shrinking album sales with streaming, which has become the dominant⁴ form of digital music consumption.

　　如果这些交易成功落实，亚马逊和Pandora将进入一块拥挤的领域，该行业正寻求以流媒体来取代多年萎缩的专辑销售；流媒体已成为数字音乐消费的主要形式。

　　Spotify, Apple, SoundCloud, Deezer, Tidal and Google Play also offer music subscriptions⁵ for $9.99 a month, while Vevo has flagged plans to introduce a service later this year.

　　Spotify、苹果、SoundCloud、Deezer和Google Play也提供音乐订阅，费用均为每月9.99美元，Vevo表示有计划在今年晚些时候推出一项服务。

　　Spotify and Apple Music have a clear lead over the competition, with 30m and 15m paying customers, respectively.

　　Spotify与Apple Music在这场竞争中拥有明显的领先优势，其付费用户人数分别为3000万和1500万。

　　Amazon is likely to pay the music labels royalty⁶ rates comparable to those of Apple, according to people familiar with the negotiations⁷.

　　据熟悉亚马逊与唱片公司谈判的人士表示，亚马逊向这些公司支付的版税很可能与苹果相当。

　　Apple pays slightly higher rates than Spotify, which pays about 70 per cent of its revenue to music rights holders⁸.

　　苹果支付的版税略高于Spotify，后者约70%的收入上交给音乐版权持有者。

　　Amazon did not reply to a request for comment.

　　亚马逊未回复置评请求。

1 subscription   

n.预订，预订费，亲笔签名，调配法，下标（处方）

参考例句：

• We paid a subscription of 5 pounds yearly.我们按年度缴纳5英镑的订阅费。
• Subscription selling bloomed splendidly.订阅销售量激增。

2 licensing   

v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A large part of state regulation consists of occupational licensing. 大部分州的管理涉及行业的特许批准。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• That licensing procedures for projects would move faster. 这样的工程批准程序一定会加快。 来自辞典例句

3 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

4 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

5 subscriptions   

n.（报刊等的）订阅费( subscription的名词复数 )；捐款；（俱乐部的）会员费；捐助

参考例句：

• Subscriptions to these magazines can be paid in at the post office. 这些杂志的订阅费可以在邮局缴纳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Payment of subscriptions should be made to the club secretary. 会费应交给俱乐部秘书。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。