Tag: japan

NewJeans Celebrates Its New EP With Bunnyland Pop-Ups, Interactive Playlists, and Larger-Than-Life Installations

August 1, 2023

Since debuting last summer, NewJeans has made waves in the music world, attracting more than 24 million monthly listeners globally and being named a Spotify EQUAL global ambassador. Last month, the K-Pop quintet released its sophomore EP, Get Up, which garnered more than 211 million Spotify streams and proved that the band is a force to be reckoned with.

To celebrate this highly anticipated release, we’ve teamed up NewJeans to bring their fans larger-than-life pop-ups, exclusive bonus content, and interactive playlist experiences.

Get up close and personal with NewJeans

Our celebration with NewJeans starts with the Bunnyland website, an immersive experience that lets Spotify fans around the world find out which NewJeans member is their biggest hero based on their music tastes. After being matched with one of NewJeans’s stars—MINJI, HANNI, DANIELLE, HAERIN, or HYEIN—users can listen to a special playlist curated by their hero and share their results on social media.

And after fans have streamed the playlist, they can check out the playlists from the other NewJeans members by visiting the Bunnyland Official profile on Spotify.

In addition, fans can discover more about the group and their music through exclusive bonus content. By visiting K-Pop ON!’s YouTube and video podcast channels, fans can access interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and more.

Step into NewJeans’ Bunnyland dream world

Last Friday, we opened the doors to a pair of Bunnyland pop-ups in Seoul and Jakarta. Running through August 6, this experience was created to immerse fans in NewJeans’ world. Featuring retro, Spotibunini-themed arcade games, playlist stations, and plenty of photo opportunities, Bunnyland offers fans chill vibes and the chance to get their hands on a range of special gifts from Spotify and NewJeans.

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.

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:

These New Spotify Video Podcasts Are Engaging Listeners Around the World

December 22, 2021

If you love getting to know the personalities behind your favorite podcasts, you’ll be excited to hear that more content creators are turning to video podcasts. In July 2020, Spotify launched video podcasts with Anchor, which gives Spotify Original creators the option of adding video to their audio experience. (This past October, we opened the capability up to even more creators.) Now, cultural commentators like DJ Akademics, host of Off the Record With DJ Akademics, have been using the video format to make their shows more dynamic and form deeper connections with listeners.

With such a feature offering a unique experience on Spotify, we’re now starting to roll out original video content in several additional countries—including Japan, Italy, France, and Sweden. Here’s a look at some of the Spotify Original video podcasts topping charts around the world.

Educast: Passionate Learning University

Spotify’s first video podcast in Japan is Educast: Passionate Learning University, which launched in collaboration with television network Nippon TV. The educational show covers a variety of topics, and every other Monday three new episodes are released featuring lecturers who are experts in their respective fields. Recent guests include model and video creator Neo, Tokyo Olympics skateboarding gold medalist Sakura Yosozumi, and Japanese actor Ryuji Sato.

New G

Italy debuted its first-ever video podcast, New G, this past November. The show releases new episodes every Thursday and features five dynamic hosts, each of whom comes from a different cultural background. In each episode, the group discusses and debates different subjects, all with a common thread: how diversity influences our life experiences. The first episode tackles the question, “Do parents belong on social media?” Only four episodes in, New G has already become a hit among Italian listeners.

La Fabuleuse

Starring a team of five influencers living under one roof, La Fabuleuse is France’s first video podcast from Spotify Studios France. Every Wednesday, a new episode is released on a different topic: friendship, mental health, astrology, sexuality, gender identity—you name it. Each member of this fabulous fivesome brings their own opinion to the table. So far, the show has seen great success: Every La Fabuleuse episode has made it to the top 10 on the Spotify Charts in France, with most reaching the top five, or even the number one spot, on the week of their release.

Bakom micken med Filip Dikmen

Sweden recently joined the video podcast game with Bakom micken med Filip Dikmen, an interview series where comedian Filip Dikmen takes listeners behind the mic with Swedish artists. Since the podcast premiered on September 1, Filip has interviewed Myra Granberg, A36, B.Baby, Mona Masrour, Lamix, and Peg Parnevik. With Filip’s trademark humor and the format’s engaging nature, it’s no surprise that this show has thousands of listeners tuning in.

Ready to watch, listen, and learn? Stream all of Spotify’s video podcasts directly from the Spotify mobile app, or head to Anchor’s blog to find out how you can start creating your own video podcasts.

Spotify’s Music + Talk Show Format is Expanding Across the Globe

August 18, 2021

Last October, Spotify launched a pioneering listening experience called Music + Talk that brings together music and spoken-word content. The unique format weaves full songs and talk commentary together into one show.

Through Anchor, Spotify has also made Music + Talk an accessible format that anyone can use to create these unique shows. Anchor’s suite of tools is already available to users in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

Starting today, we’re expanding the experience to millions more creators and listeners around the world and sharing the tool with 15 new markets across Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Where in the world is Music + Talk?

With this expansion, Japan, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Colombia will have access to the blended audio experience.

Creators in these markets will now have access to the “Music” tool in Anchor, where they can incorporate full songs from Spotify’s library of 70 million tracks into their spoken-word audio creations. And in return, listeners can interact directly with the music within an episode by liking, saving, and sharing with each track as they would in any playlist.

The shows will be available to Premium and Free listeners. Spotify Premium users will hear full tracks as part of these shows, while Free users will hear 30-second previews of each song. Shows can be listened to globally wherever Spotify is available.

Our catalog of Music + Talk Spotify Originals will also get a boost across a number of markets as new shows from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, India, Japan, and the Philippines join our library today. Plus, there’s more to come from all the markets included in our latest launch. These shows will explore the many facets of music, from the stories and inspiration behind a song to the listening trends of the modern age, and they will offer an opportunity for artists to engage listeners in a unique way.

More ways to get inspired

Along with the market expansion, Spotify will begin offering a variety of new educational and inspirational resources for creators interested in using Music + Talk.

Today also marks the launch of an exciting new Spotify Original called Music + Talk: Unlocked, which will explore creative uses of the Music + Talk format—from guided runs to music trivia and more. Listeners and creators can find more best-in-class shows in the Music + Talk hub in the Spotify app.

Since we rolled out Music + Talk last year, we’ve learned from the needs and behaviors of listeners, as we always do with new products. Savvy streamers will notice that we’ve implemented small tweaks to improve the listening experience and reflect those needs: clearer visual distinction between the music and talk segments of an episode and music previews on episode pages.

We can’t wait to see new creativity and stories from around the globe as more markets make the audio storytelling features their own. Check out Anchor’s blog post and creator landing page for more information on how to get started with Music + Talk.

Up Close at Spotify’s ‘Tokyo Super Hits Live 2020’ Virtual Concert

December 4, 2020

Photo credit: THINGS

From RapCaviar to iViva Latino! and A1, Spotify’s flagship playlists help listeners around the world fall in love with new artists from across genres. These playlists—and the live events that come out of them—have helped artists both broaden their bases and connect more closely with fans old and new. Recently, our Tokyo Super Hits! playlist has paved the way for J-pop, delivering the great works of Japanese pop artists to global audiences.

Last week we brought Tokyo Super Hits! to even more listeners through Tokyo Super Hits Live 2020, a virtual livestreamed concert for J-pop fans around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S., Canada, Australia, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia tuned in for a three-hour livestream of performances and commentary from some of the biggest names in J-pop.

The seven artists who performed at the event included established creators like ARASHI, Perfume, End of the World, and [Alexandros], and emerging Early Noise artists like Vicke Blanka, Vaundy, and Macaroni Empitsu. During their sets, each act was surrounded by onstage effects such as LED panels, confetti, fireworks, laser beams, and rotating mirrors to create a feast for viewers’ eyes as well as ears.

That evening, the event became the number one trending hashtag (#TokyoSuperHits) on Twitter in Japan and kept its position throughout the event as fans watched from their computers and smartphones and millions checked out the microsite.

Check out some close-up shots of Tokyo Super Hits Live 2020.

Spotify Brings ‘Robert Presents a Listening Stand-up Show – Akiyama Dai-ichi Building’ to Japanese Comedy Lovers

October 12, 2020

This year, we found that Spotify listeners around the world are tuning in to comedy podcasts more than any other genre—making it the top-ranking global podcast category in 2020 to date. Now, Spotify’s newest Original podcast in Japan will be filled with laughs as well. Starting October 12, listeners can find Japan’s popular comedy trio Robert in a new weekly series, Robert Presents a Listening Stand-up Show – Akiyama Dai-ichi Building, a Spotify Original Podcast.

In the scripted stand-up comedy show, the trio (Ryūji Akiyama, Hiroshi Yamamoto, and Hiroyuki Baba), play janitors who share hilarious fictional conversations with the people who live in their building. Other characters will be played by a rotating cast of up-and-coming guest star comedians and talents like Shisonnu, New York, and Rice.

The podcast will be the first original comedy show for Spotify in Japan, presented in partnership with leading local entertainment company Yoshimoto. Robert Presents a Listening Stand-up Show – Akiyama Dai-ichi Building will satisfy listeners looking for the best in stand-up comedy and make fans laugh through an easily accessible, free audio medium. Most of all, the show sets the stage for the next generation of comedians yet to be discovered in Japan.

Stream the first episode of Robert Presents a Listening Stand-up Show – Akiyama Dai-ichi Building below.

Spotify Japan Launches New Original Podcast With Influencer kemio

June 18, 2020

If you’re looking for the latest on fashion and social media trends, look no further than Japanese internet star kemio. Known for his big personality and high-energy videos, kemio has amassed millions of followers since stepping into the online limelight. And now, he’s ready to tackle a new project: his very own podcast.

His new Spotify Original podcast, kemio no mimisouji club, gives fans a chance to hear kemio in a whole new light as he interacts with some of Japan’s most popular guests, discussing everything under the sun, from life philosophies and careers to trends in social media.

We chatted with the Manhattan-based Tokyo native to learn about his new show.

You’ve already seen a lot of success on social video platforms. How did you get your start and what have you learned since then?

I started making short videos for social media when I was in high school, which is where this really all started. I was working my first part-time job and just making them for fun. I didn’t really expect for them to go viral, but their popularity allowed me to transition my career into video and other social media platforms, and opened many other doors for me. Since then, I’ve learned to not care what people think. I’ve had a lot of people throughout my career say I can’t do this or that. If I had listened to those people, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s important to always stay true to yourself and your dream because at the end of the day, no one but you will make it happen.

Podcasts are a very different medium, with no visual aspect. How is your podcast going to be different from your videos?

The podcast is going to be more informative than my videos. I’ll have weekly guest appearances, which is a very different format. Also, my videos are more fun and mostly about me, but the podcast will be about learning and educating people—including myself. It’s a place for listeners to learn from my guests about different industries.

Can you share who any of the guests are for the show?

In my first episode, I talk to HIKAKIN-san*, who is a very well-known video influencer in Japan. I wanted to have him as my first guest because I really admire him and think he helped pave the way for video influencers in Japan today.

But I want to note that not all of my guests will be from this industry. I want to use this platform to open up conversations about other important topics as well.

How is the podcasting medium different from video? Anything that surprised you?

Podcasting is very different from making videos. When I make a video, I pretty much do everything myself. However, with a podcast there are many other people behind the scenes that make it come together properly. I love this because I like working and hearing from other people on the team. It’s a great learning experience for me and I’m very grateful.

How do you think your fans will react to the new show?

I want to show my fans the other side of me that they may not know through my videos. And this podcast gives me a chance to connect to new audiences on a new platform. I think existing fans will enjoy the show—it’s just an extension of my career, which they already love and support.

Podcasts are starting to become more popular in Asia. How do you think that will change in the coming months and years?

I think they will definitely become more popular— especially in Japan. My hope is that they will become more mainstream, much like they are here in the United States.

What role Spotify played in your podcast journey?

Podcasts are widely popular in the United States, where I live. To me, the appeal of podcasts is being able to listen to what you are interested in anytime, even while doing something else. With Spotify, you can enjoy a comprehensive audio experience by going back and forth between music and podcasts.

Spotify has truly helped bring this idea to life. I didn’t have the tools or knowledge of running my own podcast before this started. They have really helped make the show possible.

Stream the first episode of kemio no mimisouji club below.

* HIKAKIN is known as one of Japan’s most successful internet video stars.

Stream Your Favorite TV and Movie Anime Songs with Spotify’s New Japanese Anime Hub

November 14, 2019

For years, anime television shows and movies like Attack on Titan and NARUTO have been making their way from Japan to TVs around the globe. Over time, the Japanese animation style has become known not only for its visual aesthetic, but also for the rich audio experience behind the medium. And for some, the music is just as important to the culture of anime as the animation itself.

These days, thanks in part to the availability of anime on Spotify in over 20 Spotify playlists, the music behind anime hits is experiencing its own surge in streaming. What’s more, the classical, J-Rock, and J-Pop musicians behind some of the genre’s beloved theme songs have also seen an increase in their stream counts.

To continue to raise the volume on the genre, we recently launched our new Anime Hub. Now fans in Japan, the U.S., Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, India, South Africa, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, and the 13 regions in MENA can find and stream anime music more quickly and easily than ever.

Since the hub launched on October 8, fans in the U.S., Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, and Mexico have streamed anime music the most, with about 25,000 daily active users streaming playlists inspired by Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Tokyo Ghoul. Plus, four new playlists—Genesis of Aquarion, Kantai Collection, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, and CARDCAPTOR SAKURA—have recently come to Spotify from Victor Entertainment’s Flying Dog label, known for its rich categories of anime-related music. This adds over 1,300 anime-related tracks to Spotify, including theme songs and an original soundtrack album for Genesis of Aquarion mainly composed by Yoko Kanno.

Avatar Pop Stars Take Center Stage

February 4, 2019

One of the most influential artists in Japanese music right now is more hologram than human.

Hatsune Miku is an aqua-haired avatar built on Vocaloid, a singing-synthesizer software that allows users to generate digitized vocal identities. Miku captures nearly 160,000 listeners on Spotify each month, approaching the popularity of flesh-and-blood J-pop stars like Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. Despite being built out of lasers and lights, she’s taken over Japanese convenience stores, appeared in advertisements, and even performed live in giant stadiums.

Miku’s runaway success has since inspired her creator, Crypton Future Media, to roll out a steady stream of new avatars, brought to life by different actors who lend their voices to the software. The massive popularity of the Vocaloid avatars is in part due to the opportunity for musical experimentation the characters offer their fans: Devotees have used their favorite avatars’ voices to record thousands of songs, leading to a passionate online community of Vocaloid creators.

Today there are thousands of avatars, each with multiple tracks to his or her name. The five below are arguably Vocaloid’s biggest stars in terms of overall popularity, and the tracks highlight the far-flung and compelling ways the avatars’ voices can been used. As you’ll see, some are written by well-known artists, while others are by fans-turned-producers. Take a listen—if you hadn’t just read this piece, would you know that what you’re hearing is more hologram than human?

1. Hatsune Miku

Big Boi — “Kill Jill” Featuring Killer Mike & Jeezy

One genre Vocaloid technology hasn’t extensively cracked is hip-hop. “Kill Jill” chops up Hatsune Miku’s computerized singing and sets it against a skittering beat. Big Boi, Killer Mike, and Jeezy rhyme over top, offering one way Vocaloid could take on a larger role in rap in the future.

2. Megurine Luka

Samfree — “Luka Luka Night Fever”

Musicians using Vocaloid can do whatever they want with the software, and some simply opt to create theme songs for their favorites. Influential producer Samfree’s “Luka Luka Night Fever” is one of the first huge hits for Megurine Luka, a post-Miku character meant to carry a more “adult” image than the school-outfit-sporting Miku. Samfree’s ode to her is a delirious Eurobeat tune in which the 2-D character talks directly to her creator. It’s a clever concept that shows just how much people connect with these avatars.

3. Kagamine Rin & Len

HoneyWorks — “Suki Kirai” Featuring Kagamine Rin & Len

Kagamine Rin and Len surprisingly haven’t done many duets together, despite being released within the same software package. Music team HoneyWorks showed how well their voices complement each other on the track “Suki Kirai,” one of the most popular songs to feature more than one Vocaloid avatar. Part of its success is owed to the dialogue between the two characters, who spend the duration of the song trying to figure out if they like or hate one another.

4. GUMI

Hachioji-P — “KiLLER LADY” Featuring GUMI

Crypton Future Media dominates the Vocaloid market thanks to its characters, but many competing companies, like Megpoid, have begun offering alternatives. The company’s green-haired avatar named GUMI might be the most successful counter character to Hatsune Miku and Megurine Luka. Proof of her increasing popularity came when Hachioji-P, a beloved Vocaloid producer, started using her voice in his songs. One highlight is 2016’s buzzing electro-pop number “KiLLER LADY,” which places her laid-back singing voice in front of a wall of bass and synthesizers.

5. Kaito

KuroUsa — “Cantarella” Featuring Kaito and Hatsune Miku

Vocaloid avatar Kaito has had one of the stranger paths to stardom. He actually came out a full year before Hatsune Miku debuted, but failed to take off. Then, after Miku became a cultural phenomenon, Kaito’s sales skyrocketed as burgeoning creators sought out a male voice to apply to their tracks. 2012’s “Cantarella” by KuroUsa is Kaito’s standout track. This elegant number utilizes strings and a ballroom-ready melody to tell a story about obsessive love, with Hatsune Miku’s voice splashed in during the hook to up the drama.

Want to explore more? Check out the Sound of Vocaloid playlist on Spotify.

How Anime Has Helped Japanese Music Go Global

November 20, 2018

Anime isn’t just a style of animation—it’s a rich and exciting world of storytelling. A futuristic city where humans clash with titans, the adventures of a teen wizard … anime can mean action, fantasy, supernatural, comedy, or romance, but it’s far more sophisticated than Saturday morning cartoons.

Anime fans know that music plays a major role in heightening the drama. While the vast sonic landscape of anime music is no secret in Japan, it’s now traveling faster than ever to millions of new fans globally—and as streaming numbers prove, they’re just as obsessed. As a result, the adults and teens who love anime are now discovering more about Japanese music and culture as a whole.

Today, J-Pop (Japanese pop) and J-Rock (Japanese rock) are now popular genres around the world. Thanks to the international explosion of anime, a song like “Red Swan,” the sweeping opening theme of Attack on Titan season three, finds an audience far beyond Japan. The cinematic rock ballad was created by composer, pianist, and rock drummer YOSHIKI, leader of the world-famous rock band X Japan, and HYDE, vocalist of legendary rockers L’Arc~en~Ciel.

“When I first heard that the producer and director of Attack on Titan might be interested in having me as a composer for the opening theme song, I said ‘Whoa, this is such an honor,’” YOSHIKI told us. “It’s one of my favorite series.”

“Guren No Yumiya” by Linked Horizon, the opening theme for Attack on Titan season one, has collected 13 million global streams on Spotify—so this new collaboration between two of Japan’s biggest rock stars is just another way that Japanese music is crossing over and making major waves. Hear more from YOSHIKI about how “Red Swan” came together in the video below.

Spotify’s recent Global Cultures initiative speaks to the importance and responsibility of sharing diverse genres across the globe, including Japanese music.

“The music streaming era only came over to Japan recently, mainly because physical sales are still strong here,” explains Noriko Ashizawa, Senior Editor, Shows & Editorial in Japan. “However, more and more Japanese artists are finding a lot of potential listeners of their music outside of the country—where physical sales aren’t as popular anymore—on Spotify. Anime is one of the most effective channels to attract global listeners to Japanese music. We’ve started creating a variety of Anime playlists dedicated to each popular series such as Attack on Titan and JOJOs Bizarre Adventure to help promote J-Tracks and spread them around the globe, similar to the recent rise of Latinx music and K-Pop.”

With the help of Global Cultures, we can spread the word on anime fan favorites like TK from Ling tosite sigure’s “unravel,” the opening theme song for “Tokyo Ghoul” season one. In just nine months, the song has been streamed more than 11.6 million times on Spotify. And as proof of anime music’s crazy-quick expansion, its number of monthly listeners in the U.S. is even bigger than in Japan.

Similarly, the rock band FLOW, whose high-octane sound blends elements of punk, ska, and pop-rock, is also on fire. The band’s top 10 Spotify songs—all anime related—have already reached over 25 million streams. (And their catalogue only became available in Japan this past July.)

Whether you’re a die-hard otaku (a young obsessed fan) or a total newbie to anime, there’s plenty of Japanese music to discover on Spotify. Get a taste with the mega-popular “Red Swan” right here.

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