PS-Chapter 163 Collision

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The internet began to take root in China in the late 1990s and rapidly expanded in the new millennium. Today, it has grown into a trillion-dollar industry, serving as a major pillar of the economy.

The digital revolution has reshaped the global economic landscape, disrupting numerous traditional industries— some to the point of extinction.

The music industry was among those hit hardest.

With the rise of portable music players and later their integration into smartphones, the traditional music market went into an irreversible decline. Record companies were forced to pivot, aggressively expanding into new media and entertainment ventures.

Back in the '80s and '90s, pop stars could amass fortunes from a single best-selling album. Now, for newer idols and artists, album sales often operate at a loss, serving merely as a branding tool. Profits instead come from merchandise, endorsements, and concert performances.

As a result, digital sales have become the lifeblood of the modern music industry. Streaming platforms like WeChat Music and NetEase Music are now key battlegrounds for independent artists vying for exposure.

Moreover, the industry's new benchmark for success— ''Gold'', ''Platinum'', ''Diamond'', and ''Crown Records''—is determined by sales from these major platforms.

According to the China Musicians Association, albums surpassing ''100,000'' in combined digital and certified physical sales earn a ''Gold Record''. ''Platinum'' requires ''500,000'', while ''Diamond'' is awarded at ''1,000,000'' copies.

The highest honor, the ''Crown Record'', is reserved for albums that exceed ''5 million'' sales.

The Midrange Association, which oversees these certifications, recognizes sales from WeChat Music, NetEase Music, Pop Radio, and China Voice. Certified physical album sales are counted only from Xinhua Bookstore, while purchases from Yibao Online are excluded due to rampant sales manipulation and fraudulent reporting.

Unlike Yibao, where fake sales are cheap and easy to generate, inflating numbers on major music platforms or Xinhua Bookstore is far more expensive, ensuring greater authenticity.

This is why the Midrange Association remains the most authoritative body in the industry.

Every Monday, the Association releases the top 50 national album sales rankings, along with the latest list of certified ''Gold'', ''Platinum'', ''Diamond'', and ''Crown Records''.

For most independent artists, achieving ''Gold Record'' status is already a major milestone.

For first-tier stars, ''Platinum'' is a minimum requirement.

For true superstars, the goal is always ''Diamond''.

As for the ''Crown Record''— it has become a near-mythical achievement. Even reaching ''Diamond'' now takes far longer than in the past when million-plus sales were the norm.

With the internet fostering a culture of free content, piracy in music, film, and literature has become an unavoidable reality.

Lu Chen's debut album, 'My Old Classmate', struggled with digital sales— not only because of stiff competition but also due to the fact that most of its tracks had already been circulating online. Many listeners had already streamed the songs, reducing their incentive to purchase.

At ''7 PM on September 8'', Lu Chen's album officially launched on WeChat Music.

At the same time, Cui Zhengzhi released his new album, 'Provocative'.

The industry's eyes were locked on the sales battle between these two albums and the competition among four artists.

Days earlier, on ''September 4'', Zou Bei released his album 'Blooming Petals', which had surpassed ''70,000'' sales.

On ''September 5'', Ling Xiaoxiao's personal album 'True Love is Invincible' debuted with sales exceeding ''50,000''. The slight gap between the two suggested a close race.

Both albums performed respectably— solid but not sensational. Each secured a ''Gold Record'', though neither showed explosive momentum.

Industry insiders often cite a rule for digital album sales: the ''first seven days'' typically account for ''40-50%'' of total sales, with the first three days— known as the ''72-hour window''— being the most critical.

A strong debut often determines whether an album flops, performs decently, or becomes a phenomenon.

In this case, Zou Bei's 'Blooming Petals' and Ling Xiaoxiao's 'True Love is Invincible' fell into the ''acceptable but unremarkable'' category. The industry had anticipated a high-stakes rivalry, but the lukewarm start left many observers underwhelmed.

Thus, attention quickly shifted to Lu Chen and Cui Zhengzhi's new releases—could their head-to-head battle deliver the sparks the industry had been waiting for?

Most people believed Cui Zhengzhi had an easy win in the bag.

His marketing blitz for 'Provocative' had been overwhelming, leaving Lu Chen trailing far behind. The album's title track dominated WeChat Music's homepage rankings, securing prime visibility and generating massive traction.

By contrast, Lu Chen had taken a low-key approach. 'My Old Classmate' had received virtually no major promotional backing.

Some analysts argued that this was a smart move— Lu Chen likely knew his album wouldn't break records, so instead, he focused on bolstering his reputation rather than chasing unrealistic sales goals.

Even though he had responded to Cui Zhengzhi's provocation with a blog post titled "Come to War", many believed he was simply capitalizing on the buzz rather than truly engaging in a head-to-head sales war.

The proof? Major streaming platforms, including WeChat Music, had given 'My Old Classmate' almost no advertising, while 'Provocative' had been plastered across the internet.

On the internet, the phrase "Come to War" was indeed trending, but how much impact could it really have?

In blogs, forums, and discussion boards, many shared the same sentiment.

Including Cui Zhengzhi himself.

When "Provocative" was released, he was dining at a five-star restaurant in Huhai.

During the album's promotional campaign, Cui Zhengzhi had already completed dozens of scheduled appearances. That very day, he had attended live events at two shopping malls and a car dealership in Huhai.

By the time he returned to his hotel, night had fallen. He hadn't eaten yet. His body was exhausted, but his excitement kept him going.

The young idol artist sat before his laptop, eyes fixed on WeChat Music's homepage, watching the download sales of his and Lu Chen's albums.

From the start, "Provocative" held a strong lead, significantly ahead of "My Old Classmate!"

A proud smile appeared on Cui Zhengzhi's face.

"Xiao Zhi, there's no need to keep checking. Lu Chen is no match for you!" said his manager, seated next to him.

Interestingly, like Lu Chen, Cui Zhengzhi's manager was also his sister— Cui Xiuyin.

Cui Xiuyin had once pursued an acting career herself, but despite their parents' support, she never made it big. After appearing in minor TV roles with little success, she eventually shifted behind the scenes to focus on managing her brother's career.

With an average appearance that even professional styling couldn't elevate beyond a six or seven out of ten, her family's good genes had seemingly concentrated on Cui Zhengzhi, who had shone brightly since his debut with a promising future ahead.

But rather than resent her brother's success, Cui Xiuyin doted on him, meticulously handling every aspect of his career.

In the industry, she had a reputation for being shrewd and tough, someone few dared to cross.ā

When it came to Lu Chen— her brother's current competitor— she had nothing but disdain.

"Those outdated songs of his? If he sells even a tenth of your numbers, he should count himself lucky!" she scoffed.

And she had good reason to be confident.

Apart from a few self-composed tracks, Cui Zhengzhi's "Provocative" featured songs by the renowned Korean pop composer Lee Jong-ki.

Personally overseen by Lee Jong-ki himself, the album was top-tier, delivering authentic Korean pop— upbeat, catchy, and irresistibly polished. It was exactly what young audiences craved.

Cui Xiuyin firmly believed this album would elevate her brother to the next level, cementing his status as a rising idol and opening doors to the film and television industry.

His path to stardom had already been meticulously paved.

As for Lu Chen? He was just an insignificant obstacle, a minor stone on the road to be effortlessly kicked aside.

Running into my brother was just bad luck for him!

This wasn't just her personal opinion— it was a sentiment widely echoed by Cui Zhengzhi's fans across forums.

Cui Xiuyin wholeheartedly agreed.

While Cui Zhengzhi was full of pride, he still acknowledged some of what his sister said, though he offered a slightly more balanced view: "Lu Chen does have some talent. His song 'The Brightest Star in the Night Sky' is quite good. But the rest of his work? They are pretty average and outdated."

Having grown up in South Korea and undergone idol training there, Cui Zhengzhi was deeply influenced by K-pop. His return to China was a strategic move to expand his market, but personally, he had little appreciation for Lu Chen's folk-inspired music.

"But if he's too weak…" Cui Zhengzhi's signature smirk appeared. "Then winning wouldn't be fun, right, sis?"

"Exactly!" Cui Xiuyin tousled her brother's hair with a smile. "Now stop staring at the screen and eat something before your food gets cold!"

Dinner had just been delivered to their hotel room, and she didn't want him to miss a proper meal.

Cui Zhengzhi nodded, shutting his laptop.

He was extremely confident in his album.

Still, recalling Lu Chen's blog response irked him slightly.

"I'll make you understand what real strength looks like!"

He had already drafted his next blog post in his mind—one that would prove his superiority through hard numbers.

Was he giving Lu Chen too much credit?

Cui Zhengzhi chuckled to himself before calling out loudly, "Sis, what did you order for me?"

"I want meat!"

(End of Chapter)