Audio CD and vinyl rising
Of the recent statistics published by the Recording Industry Association of Japan show that in 2019 the total volume of recorded music in Japan (physical and musical video formats) decreased by 7% to a total of 180.7 million units per year , while the total value of production is decreased by 5% to 229.1 billion yen.
Meanwhile, digital music sales rose 10% to a total of 70.6 billion yen, the sixth consecutive annual increase. Downloads are down 12%, to 94.3 million units, with a sales volume decrease of 12% to 22.5 billion yen. Enrollment in streaming music services, however, continued to record substantial growth, increasing by 33%, to 46.5 billion yen. Therefore, streaming has far exceeded the download, to 66% compared with 32% of total digital sales.
The combined production value of recorded and digital music in 2019 fell 2%, to 299.8 billion yen.
In sphere studio album, the total production volume of physical formats (including singles and albums on CD, vinyl and cassette) decreased by 4% year on year to 134.3 million units, while the total value of production is decreased by 3%, to 152.8 billion yen.
The volume of production of CD albums and singles fell by 4% to 132.3 million units, while in terms of the reduction in value was 3%, to ¥ 149.5 billion. The vinyl records, whose popularity has suffered a rise in recent years, increased by 9% of the production base, to 1.2 million units and 3% of the base value, to 2.1 billion yen. This is the sixth consecutive year that vinyl records significant increases.
The juice of these data is that Japan, we remember still the world's biggest market for the distribution of music (both physical and digital), still prefer the physical format. Despite the increases recorded in the second half of 2019, the best way to win over the Japanese audience is releasing on CD or vinyl store like Amazon, Diskunion, Playasia, CD Japan and the like.
Meanwhile, digital music sales rose 10% to a total of 70.6 billion yen, the sixth consecutive annual increase. Downloads are down 12%, to 94.3 million units, with a sales volume decrease of 12% to 22.5 billion yen. Enrollment in streaming music services, however, continued to record substantial growth, increasing by 33%, to 46.5 billion yen. Therefore, streaming has far exceeded the download, to 66% compared with 32% of total digital sales.
The combined production value of recorded and digital music in 2019 fell 2%, to 299.8 billion yen.
In sphere studio album, the total production volume of physical formats (including singles and albums on CD, vinyl and cassette) decreased by 4% year on year to 134.3 million units, while the total value of production is decreased by 3%, to 152.8 billion yen.
The volume of production of CD albums and singles fell by 4% to 132.3 million units, while in terms of the reduction in value was 3%, to ¥ 149.5 billion. The vinyl records, whose popularity has suffered a rise in recent years, increased by 9% of the production base, to 1.2 million units and 3% of the base value, to 2.1 billion yen. This is the sixth consecutive year that vinyl records significant increases.
The juice of these data is that Japan, we remember still the world's biggest market for the distribution of music (both physical and digital), still prefer the physical format. Despite the increases recorded in the second half of 2019, the best way to win over the Japanese audience is releasing on CD or vinyl store like Amazon, Diskunion, Playasia, CD Japan and the like.
