Tag: APAC

Japan’s Music Finds the World: How Streaming and Fandoms Are Powering a New Global Chapter

May 29, 2025

Japan’s music scene is entering an exciting new chapter. Long known for its strong physical sales and passionate fan culture (or oshikatsu), the market is undergoing a thrilling transformation. Streaming is steadily gaining ground and finding broader resonance—not just as a new way to listen, but as a gateway that’s opening doors to even more global interest and discovery. 

This momentum came to life at the recent inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, where Spotify—proudly serving as the show’s voting partner—reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Japan and its role as a strong ally to the industry. 

“Japan has always had one of the most unique and influential music cultures in the world,” said Gustav Gyllenhammar, Spotify’s Vice President, Markets & Subscriber Growth, who attended the awards in Kyoto. “As streaming takes deeper root in Japan, it’s doing more than transforming local listening: It’s amplifying the cultural reach of Japanese music and meeting a global audience that’s hungry for it.”

Japan sits at a unique crossroads of cultural heritage and digital innovation, with its music, language, and culture resonating even more deeply worldwide and well beyond the traditional gateway of anime. 

“What we’re seeing now is that the sound of Japan going global is more diverse than ever before,” said Joe Hadley, Global Head of Artist Partnerships at Spotify, who also attended Music Awards Japan. “From J-pop and hip-hop to city pop and Vocaloid, it’s not one genre or style breaking through—it’s the full spectrum of Japan’s creativity finding fans around the world.”

Global superstars like Megan Thee Stallion and LISA are proof of Japan’s growing cultural influence, seamlessly weaving the language and cultural references into hits like “Mamushi” (featuring Yuki Chiba) and “Rockstar,” with its playful “Lisa, can you teach me Japanese / I said hai hai.” Japan’s sound is no longer niche, but actively inspiring artists and listeners globally.

And this is clear in the data we see on Spotify. 

In 2024, nearly 50% of royalties earned by Japanese artists came from outside Japan, with most of that from songs performed in Japanese. This signals more than curiosity; it’s an  embrace of Japan’s cultural identity and proof that Japan’s sound is inspiring the world.

This momentum is part of a much larger movement for music. In 2024 alone, Spotify paid out a record $10 billion to the music industry, bringing total payouts to nearly $60 billion and helping drive the industry’s revenue to double over the past decade. As streaming continues to scale around the world, markets like Japan—with deep creative roots and growing digital adoption—are poised for powerful, accelerated growth.

“This moment shows what’s possible when Japan’s creativity meets global opportunity. We’re proud to partner with CEIPA, the organization behind MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, to accelerate this momentum and help Japanese artists reach even more global listeners,” said Tony Elison, Managing Director of Spotify Japan.

That vision is shared by Japan’s cultural leadership.

“MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN marks a major step toward establishing Japan as a global creative hub. What matters most is that the music is made from Japan—grounded in Japanese vision, yet open to the world,” said Shun Tokura, Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs. “Through streaming platforms like Spotify, the artistry and authenticity of Japanese music—regardless of genre—find global resonance. We’re excited to deepen collaboration that elevates Japanese culture and powers its growth as a globally recognized force in creativity.”

To understand how this global momentum is playing out firsthand, we caught up with pop trio Number_i, who are fairly new on the scene and drawing more than 1.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The group reached number four on Spotify’s Top Albums Global Debuts chart with the release of its first full-length, No.Ⅰ, and are scheduled to perform at the Head in the Clouds festival in LA in early June.

 

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First, how did it feel when your song “GOAT” won first place in the Spotify-established category “Best of Listeners’ Choice: Japanese Songs powered by Spotify” at MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN?

Yuta Jinguji: We’re honestly so happy. I never imagined something so amazing would happen when we released “GOAT.” It really makes me happy, just knowing that people are listening to it and saying they like it.

Sho Hirano: We’re truly grateful.

Yuta Kishi: Thank you so much!

You’ve collaborated with Spotify in various ways since your debut in 2024. Are there any particularly memorable moments from your work with us?

Yuta Jinguji: We made it onto a lot of charts, and that really stands out in my memory.

Sho Hirano: Yeah, it’s definitely something we remember.

Yuta Jinguji: Honestly, it felt unreal. Like, “Really? That much?” It was surprising.

Yuta Kishi: Also, we got to visit Spotify Tokyo Office right around the time of our debut. That was a big moment, too. Things like that really stick with us. It was a special experience.

The bottom line is clear: Spotify is a long-term partner to Japan’s vibrant entertainment economy. To Spotify, Japan is a dynamic contributor to the future of global culture and digital growth. The world wants to hear more of Japan, and we are thrilled to be a part of that journey, supporting the artists who are shaping it.

Check out the official MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN playlist to start your discovery journey into Japan’s vibrant music scene.

K-Hip-Hop Star Huh Is Ready to Take On the World as Our Newest RADAR Korea Artist

April 10, 2023

Korean artist Huh looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a pink jacket and there are city building in the background

Since its launch in 2020, RADAR has served as Spotify’s program to showcase emerging artists from all around the world, supporting them and taking their talents to the global musical stage. The program’s South Korean initiative, in particular, has introduced artists like AleXa, ASH ISLAND, NMIXX, and SOLE to the world, revealing the country’s breadth of promising new talent.  

And this month, hip-hop sensation Huh is stepping up as the first RADAR Korea artist of 2023. 

Huh made his debut in 2019 when he appeared on the ninth season of the popular Mnet rap competition Show Me the Money. He caught the eye of competition team leaders Choiza and Gaeko of Dynamicduo, who later invited him to join their Amoeba Culture label. Huh hit the ground running with a string of singles and live performances, and the release of his debut album, 926. Last year, Huh returned to Show Me the Money, where he wowed audiences with his track “Midnight Law.”

Now he graces the cover of the official RADAR Korea playlist. 

“I’m excited to be able to connect with listeners around the world and introduce my own colors and music as an artist through Spotify’s RADAR program,” Huh told For the Record. “I’m grateful for the opportunity Spotify has given me as the first RADAR Korea artist of this year, and I’ll continue to showcase who I am and the music I love.”  

This is just the latest example of Spotify’s commitment to spreading the innovative sounds of Korean hip-hop throughout the world. In addition to the relaunch of our global K-hip-hop playlist KrOWN, Spotify partnered with Amoeba Culture in January to launch the K-hip-hop Rookies program, which aims to support rising talent in Korean hip-hop.  

Listen to more of Huh and the amazing new talent in the RADAR Korea playlist.

High Streams on the High Seas as Spotify Launches the Official ‘One Piece Film: Red’ Playlist

November 17, 2022

Anime fans rejoice! The release of One Piece Film: Red, the 15th film in the massively successful One Piece franchise, has finally made it to North American screens. One Piece is the iconic manga and anime series that has been going strong since the late 1990s. From movies, countless spin-offs, toys, video games, and even live-action series, it is unquestionably an international sensation.

Spotify has done our part to share the love for one of Japan’s largest media exports by launching the official collaboration playlist, ONE PIECE FILM RED, to celebrate the release of the film.

The One Piece series follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young man made of rubber. Inspired by his childhood hero, the pirate Red-Haired Shanks, he sets off on a journey to find the mythical treasure known as the One Piece and proclaim himself the King of the Pirates. Along the way he makes a crew of friends and more than a pirate’s share of enemies. 

Featuring the life and adventures of the world diva Uta, One Piece Film: Red also has a heavy musical component that Spotify Japan was able to highlight with the launch of the film’s official enhanced playlist. In addition to the soundtrack, the playlist features audio liner from Monkey D. Luffy, seven songs sung by the main character Uta (accompanied with 8-second looping videos), and a storyline that shows the link between the film’s song and story. Additionally, Spotify original podcast Spotify ANIZONE discusses the film in special features included in the playlist.

Featuring songs from Ado, BUMP OF CHICKEN, and Avril Lavigne, the playlist received a lot of attention in Japan, but Americans proved to be even hungrier for One Piece content. New Yorkers were hyped to see a billboard at Penn Station ahead of the film’s release, and streams in the playlist have risen  32.7 times in the U.S. as of November 5. 

A photo of a billboard advertising the One Piece Film: Red Spotify playlist outside of Penn Station in New York City

Since its Japanese debut in August, One Piece Film: Red has become the highest-grossing film of the One Piece series and the sixth-highest-grossing anime of all time in the country. North American audiences were similarly wild for the movie upon its release from the anime streaming site Crunchyroll earlier this month.

Have a taste for treasure? Set sail for adventure with the official One Piece Film: Red playlist:

Spotify Advertising Activates in Southeast Asia for Our First-Ever ‘All Ears on You’ Events in Singapore

October 11, 2022

Yuna wears a red outfit while performing at Spotify Supper Singapore

Spotify’s advertising business has grown tremendously over the past few years—and our geographic footprint has expanded to match. One region of focus is Southeast Asia (SEA), the second-fastest-growing region globally in terms of internet users (source: eMarketer, Southeast Asia Digital Users Forecast 2022). Last week, our advertising leaders joined together in Singapore for a four-day experience to set the stage for new and relationships and grow existing ones with advertisers in Southeast Asia. 

“With our strong audio content and ubiquity strategy, Spotify is at the heart of Gen Zs and millennials in this region,” said Sea Yen Ong, Spotify Head of Sales, SEA. “On Spotify, advertisers have the opportunity to connect these uniquely engaged audiences with visual formats in the foreground and audio in the background on one single platform. This is an advantage which many other platforms and publishers are unable to promise or deliver.”

Setting the Table: All Ears on You Supper

To enhance our relationships with this community, we invited more than 40 senior brand and advertising partners to our first Singapore All Ears on You Supper at Riviera Fullerton. The night was filled with strategic conversations from regional decision makers across APAC, a delectable culinary experience, and a special artist performance. 

Spotify’s newly appointed Head of Enterprise Sales for JAPAC, Brad Grealy, opened the evening with a welcoming address. Then, Sea Yen held an open conversation with Chef Rémy Carmignani about his culinary inspirations, musical inspirations, and what guests could expect from the menu prior to the five-course meal. 

Spotify Launches in South Korea

February 1, 2021

Today, Spotify is launching in the sixth-largest music market in the world: South Korea.* Koreans can now access over 60 million tracks and over 4 billion playlists from around the world, as well as enjoy personalized music recommendations and discover new music. Music lovers in Korea can stream Spotify’s broad music catalogue, spanning everything from the country’s own K-Pop to Latin American reggaeton, European electronic, and beyond. 

Korea’s launch brings Spotify’s global footprint to 93 markets and is a critical next step in our global expansion journey. “We always want to be where the listeners and artists are, and South Korea is rich in both,” says Alex Norström, Chief Freemium Business Officer, Spotify. “This launch presents a massive opportunity for us to not only further our mission of bringing new and quality content to more audiences, but also help local Korean artists tap into Spotify’s 320 million listeners worldwide. We hope to create more opportunities for Korean artists across all genres to be discovered by listeners around the world.”

Since we debuted our first K-Pop playlist in 2014, the share of K-Pop listening on Spotify has increased by more than 2,000%—but music in Korea spans far beyond K-Pop. As a part of today’s launch, we’re introducing a range of new playlists made exclusively for South Korea. These curated collections offer the latest music from our team of Korean music experts across some of the most popular genres. Get ready for:

From Life Hacks to Light Humor, Check Out the Nine Indonesian Podcasts Coming Exclusively to Spotify

May 28, 2020

Podcasts continue to rise in popularity around the world, and there’s one country that’s particularly fond of the medium: Indonesia. Our data shows that the nation’s listeners stream podcasts on Spotify more than any other country in Southeast Asia. Now, to give these users more of what they love, we are announcing a new line-up of Indonesian podcasts that have become exclusive to Spotify.

These shows cover a wide range of genres and topics—from relationships to comedy to horror—with a local flair that makes them relatable and beloved by listeners. Get the inside scoop on each of them, as they feature a variety of well-known Indonesian personalities as storytellers and hosts.

BKR Brothers

BKR Brothers is brought to you by three radio personalities: Bobby Mandela, Molen Kasetra, and Ryo Wicaksono. Having known and worked with one other for a long time, they are indeed brothers in every way but blood, which makes for great chemistry, easy listening, and lots of banter. Thanks to their common background and shared networks, BKR Brothers is the go-to source for what’s happening in food, fashion, and professional life. Prominent episode guests include model Manohara Odelia Pinot, singer Ardhito Pramono, and actor Zack Lee.

Makna Talks

Makna Talks offers candid conversations with fascinating public figures and influential trendsetters. Delivered weekly, the in-depth and curiosity-fueled podcast is hosted by Iyas Lawrence, one of the most well-known interviewers today. A creative himself, Iyas always finds a way to get his guests to discuss the unexpected. From sci-fi and K-drama to political voting and sustainable living, Makna Talks provides a wide breadth of perspectives on things you wish you knew.

DESTAnya Siapa?

DESTAnya Siapa? may be familiar to those who know Deddy “Desta” Mahendra, Indonesia’s beloved TV host, radio presenter, and former member of the Club Eighties band. Now Desta, whose name is synonymous with his witty jokes and loud personality, brings his signature charm to his very own podcast. On the show, he holds nothing back as he discusses everyday topics with humor.

DariTadi Yu Yak Yukk

The idea for DariTadi Yu Yak Yukk began with two celebrity couples: drummer Ditto Percussion and actress Ayudia C., as well as actor/singer Tarra Budiman and his wife Gya P. Sadiqah. Through their frequent chats, they realized that they shared similar obstacles and anxieties in their respective family lives. Understanding that other millennial households may have the same questions, the two couples have taken to the world of podcasting to share lessons and offer solutions, with many laughs along the way.

Malam Kliwon

Malam Kliwon is hosted by two voiceover talents, Bimo Kusumo and Ramadhanu. The podcast tells horror stories about ancient Javanese ghosts straight from the personal experiences of its listeners. True to the country’s deep-rooted love for local horror stories, Malam Kliwon has attracted a large audience. Bimo and Dhanu are confident that the podcast will take the audience to a horror theater of the mind that has never been imagined.

Rintik Sedu

Rintik Sedu is created by Jakarta-based novelist Nadhifa Allya Tsana, and the podcast is titled after her pseudonym. During the course of her career, she has written six novels, one of which is currently being adapted into a movie. In her podcast, she shares her personal love stories and invites listeners to reflect by posing deep questions.

Teman Tidur 

Teman Tidur began in 2019 as its host, influencer and creator Dera Firmansyah, struggled to fall asleep every night. He believed that, like him, others would love to hear stories that usher them to sleep. Through this podcast, Dera shares tales about love and relationships that trigger self-reflection. Some of his podcast episodes are also based on his followers’ questions, which he links back to his own experiences.

Kinosgina

Kinosgina is hosted by Indonesian celebrity, host, and radio announcer Nycta Gina, along with her husband and fellow TV personality Kinos. Kinos and Gina share their experiences and tips about family and relationships and how they solve problems in their own way. The couple started a podcast so they could stay in the entertainment industry but found it so fun and addictive, they decided to keep creating podcasts for their loyal listeners.

Thirty Days of Lunch

Thirty Days of Lunch was created by Ario Pratomo and Fellexandro Ruby, a dynamic duo who are passionate about sharing their experiences, ideas, thoughts, and life hacks on various topics, from technology to self-development. Thirty Days of Lunch also gathers the thoughts and perspectives of its guest speakers from diverse backgrounds, such as Najwa Shihab and Ernest Prakasa.

Dive into these podcasts with an episode of Makna Talks.

5 Questions (And Answers) with Gautam Talwar, Managing Director, Spotify Southeast Asia

May 10, 2019

Southeast Asia is one of the fastest growing and most diverse music markets in the world. From the explosion of K-Pop to the rabid obsession with Taylor Swift in the Philippines, music lovers of Asia are creating and embracing a wide range of trends.

We sat down with Gautam Talwar, our Managing Director of Southeast Asia, in our Singapore office to learn more about the differences in music tastes and streaming habits throughout the region—as well as the opportunities that lie ahead.

Tell us about your professional background, particularly your work in entertainment, and how that prepared you for this role.

I grew up in India and have spent a lot of time both in the US and in Asia. Living and working in both the East and West has had a huge influence on how I look at Southeast Asia and its growing impact on the world. For example, while at Disney in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Los Angeles, I learned that the entertainment business is similar in many ways across the globe. Brilliant storytelling and great songwriting wins out, no matter where you’re from or what device you’re on.

What makes Southeast Asia a unique market, from both a business and consumer standpoint?

What makes Southeast Asia unique, apart from its diverse geography and cultures, is its size and streaming potential. It’s one of the most populous regions in the world, with over 600 million people—nearly 10% of the world’s population. Indonesia alone is the fourth most populated country in the world (just behind the United States). In a word, huge.

What’s also different is that the smartphone has become the first screen for many, but millions of people are limited by their devices, their data plans, and their network conditions. So helping them conveniently get their favourite content is a big focus.

The key to bringing Spotify to audiences across the region is our ability to hyper-localise the experience and ensure users can enjoy our app, regardless of the mobile device they own. Relevant payment options and regional telco partners are also critical.

How would you characterize users’ streaming habits in your region?

Southeast Asia’s smartphone audience is one of the largest globally, but music streaming is only just taking hold. With less than 20% of the region’s users streaming music, there’s a massive opportunity and potential for growth.

That said, it’s a nuanced situation, with music streaming at different stages across the region. In the Philippines, Singapore, and Hong Kong (where Spotify has been for some time), for instance, streaming is a way of life. In fact, Quezon City in the Philippines has the biggest concentration of Taylor Swift fans on Spotify out of any city in the world. And other countries are catching up fast—like Indonesia, where we launched three years ago, and Thailand and Vietnam, where we rolled out in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Across Southeast Asia, there’s a pattern with much of the growth starting off with young music fans in the major cities, then moving outside of the urban areas.

However, the bedrock of our popularity across Southeast Asia is our users’ ability to choose between free and paid options. Spotify was built on the belief that music should be available to everyone, everywhere, no matter who or where you are. It’s what the emergence of music piracy dictated, it’s what drove the industry to embrace radical change, and it’s Spotify’s recognition of this change and ability to turn it into a positive force for fans and artists that makes us unique.  

How is the music of Southeast Asia transcending boundaries and reaching people around the world?

Spotify makes music available to anyone, instantly – as a result, more and more Asian music is being discovered by our 217 million-plus users across the globe every day.  For example, our top Asian playlists continue to gain popularity, with K-Pop Daebak (close to 2 million followers) and our OPM (Original Pilipino Music) playlist Tatak Pinoy (more than 1 million followers), now go-to destinations for fans everywhere.

Additionally, the explosion of K-Pop on the world scene is one of the biggest genre breakouts of recent years, and undoubtedly the most influential Asian genre to hit the global mainstream. Just last month both BTS and BLACKPINK hit their highest-ever Spotify global chart positions. BTS was also the very first Asian artist to hit the 5 billion streaming mark.

The success of K-Pop has alerted millions of music fans outside of Asia to a new world of music. It’s a trend that will only continue to grow over time as artists realise that the opportunity to get their music heard outside their own country and significantly increase their reach has never been greater. And it’s not just K-Pop breaking Asian boundaries, either. We’re also seeing the rise of a variety of local and regional genres, from Thai rock to Indopop and OPM.

Can you give us a sense of what’s on the horizon and the opportunities ahead for your region?

The March announcement that Spotify will come pre-installed on Samsung devices was one of the more exciting developments in our region, given Samsung’s popularity here. Also, we’re continuing to improve our lyrics functionality on mobile across Asia, as our audience is intensely passionate about lyrics. At the same time, we’re looking at a wide variety of ways to improve the Spotify experience for users.  

Our flagship live entertainment tour, Spotify on Stage, which has seen us bring some of the biggest local and international artists to Asia, returns this year and will be bigger and better than ever. Stay tuned for more news on this in the coming months.

Stream K-Pop Daebak to get a taste of the genre’s global explosion. Also check out Gautam’s Tastebreakers playlist, which spans several genres, including classical, acoustic guitar, and electronic music.