Google China has officially launched its free MP3 search engine after sealing deals with four major music labels -- Warner Brothers, Universal Studios, EMI and Sony-- and over 140 indie labels.

The website, which had been in beta for over a year, only allows users to download or listen to songs outside of the country. The site offers over a million music tracks thanks to a partnership with Top100.cn, most of them Chinese but there is also some international music that had to be first approved by the government.

For example, users can download the latest Metallica album free of charge, of which you can see a screenshot below.

Google will share ad revenue sold on the music site; generating sales for record companies in a market where 99% of all downloads are illegal, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

The company has no plans to expand the service outside of China, a representative told Reuters.

Sony Google China Free