BEIJING , China ( CNN ) -- If you ca n't beat 'em , join 'em . Google and music companies are giving Chinese Internet users free downloads . That 's the idea behind Google 's latest move to allow users to download free music in China . Google has partnered with a Chinese company , Top100.cn , to make it happen . About 140 music labels have joined in , including the `` Big Four '' -- EMI Group , Sony Music Entertainment , Warner Music Group and Universal Music . Most Chinese users get their music for free anyway , thanks to rampant online piracy . Google and its partners hope the new business model will generate revenue from advertising that all will share . More importantly , Google wants to increase traffic and catch up to its competitor Baidu . `` We will provide free , high-quality , legal downloads , '' Google China President Li Kaifu told CNET News . `` Not providing music was a strategic mistake on our part . '' Watch how Google intends to curb piracy » . Baidu offers a popular search feature , which , despite lawsuits from many labels , enables users to download music through third-party sites . The company commands 62.2 percent of China 's market , compared with Google 's 27.8 percent , according to research firm Analysys International . Will Google 's move pay off ? Well , users are already streaming songs 1.5 million times per day . So far , Chinese music is topping the list of most popular downloads , including top artists Jolin Tsai and Liang Lin . But Western music is n't far behind . Favorites are `` My Life Would Suck Without You '' by Kelly Clarkson , the Backstreet Boys hit `` I Want It That Way '' and Sarah Brightman 's rendition of `` Scarborough Fair . '' Brightman , who co-performed the theme song at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing , is a longtime favorite among Chinese fans . Google offers about 350,000 free songs , but says more than 1 million will be available soon . The company also provides user-friendly searching and song lyrics , and recommends music based on a listener 's preference . Several students at a cafe in Beijing say they have tried the service . `` I think it will bring convenience , '' one girl said . `` Baidu has some disadvantages , and sometimes they do not have high-quality music . I think Google will provide a large quantity of high-quality music . '' It 's no surprise that China 's gregarious Internet community is having a heated discussion . `` I ca n't find any songs I like on it , '' one blogger wrote . `` It 's good quality , but there are n't enough songs , '' another blogger said . `` It 's better than buying it , though . '' Some rushed to Google 's defense . `` You ca n't really compare Google with other sites , because all of their music is legitimate , '' one blogger said . `` They pay those music labels for every download . Baidu and others all use pirated music . '' Will Baidu make the next move ? `` Actually , Baidu may be threatened now , '' said Internet analyst Duncan Clark . If the Chinese search site does n't cooperate with music companies , it could be seen as `` basically aiding and abetting pirates , '' he added . `` But if there is a better service offered by Google ... then Google will threaten Baidu and Baidu will have to respond , '' Clark said . CNN 's Qiaochu Wang contributed to this report .
Google free music in China averaging 1.5 million downloads . Rather than fight piracy , record labels seek slice of online advertising revenues . Google aims to take market share from Chinese search giant Baidu . Comment: