The Music Business in Japan

Japan has a large population of over 127 million people who are very Westernized. Although Japan has bountiful forests, mountains and open countryside, the majority of young people are drawn to the major urban centers, such as Tokyo, where trends and tastes (i.e. what's "cool") usually emerge. Tokyo and Osaka are the 2 biggest cities with a population of about 21 million people put together.

Like in the West, there are thousands of young kids in every small town and big city with dreams of being a "rockstar". There is MTV in Japan and kids have grown up hearing and seeing the most popular mainstream artists from Japan and abroad. Recently, the Japanese manga (comicbook series), BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad, about a rising Japanese rock band, was translated into English and made into an anime (animation) which has become popular when it was broadcast on MTV and other networks around the world. The English version comicbook series and anime on DVD are published by Tokyo Pop (www.tokyopop.com). It is a good depiction of the indie "music scene" in Japan-and very inspirational.

Most domestic Japanese indie music is in the pop, rock, hard rock, punk, hiphop/rap, singer/songwriter, and techno/house genres.

Most of the instruments and gear used today come from Japanese companies such as Yamaha, Roland, Korg, Zoom, among many others. All the music instrument shops have the latest domestic and foreign gear and software on display. There are plenty of music schools to teach drums, guitar, bass, synths, singing, and even stage presence. As the "indie" route is becoming more popular in Japan, more schools are offering courses on the music business and the DIY (do-it-yourself) process. Clothing shops and hair salons cater to appearances. Whatever genre, Japanese can sound and look like pros.

Music shops, schools and privately-run facilities also have professional recording gear and rehearsal rooms which individuals and bands can (and have to) rent since Japanese houses are not suited for gathering and playing loud music (many houses are small with paper walls called shoji). Besides, nobody wants to disturb the "wa" (peace) in their neighborhoods. Some of the operators of these facilities as well as live houses have formed indie record labels (some are scrupulous and charge bands high fees to produce and press their indie CD's while others are genuinely trying to help talented bands to make it big).

You often see kids with soft guitar cases on their backs on trains, bikes and on the streets. If they're not in school uniform, you know they are in a band if they got a cool haircut and dress like their rock idols. It's "cool" to be in a band in Japan.

Many can play their instruments well by the time they are in high school. However, due to strict school and parental rules, high school kids cannot really go out and gig at night (but like all teenagers, they sometimes break rules). They are left to perform in their high school talent show or cultural festival, or some weekend talent contest sponsored by Yamaha or such. By the time they've finished high school they have to get a "real" job and some will abandon their "rockstar" dreams while others will continue in indie bands at night after work. They will play gigs at "live houses", sell tickets, their CD's and merchandise at their gigs. Those who are serious will travel to Tokyo to play at more "live houses" or even on the street. Bands breakup and new ones form from their scattered members. And some bands and artists will find success.

Every year the bigger record labels and production companies hold auditions or even accept demos. Talented indie bands and artists with a good demo and workable image (you must send in photos) may get "signed". However, in Japan "signed" means you become an employee of the company and they pay you a nice salary (plus bonuses) for several years. There is little or no negotiation. But this is the way it has been done in Japan. Many things are standardized in Japan to make society run smoothly and life easier (even price-fixing for music products is common at all levels). The company takes care of you as long as you do what they want. This is a dream for many Japanese kids.

Those indie artists who don't get "signed" by big companies may get a deal with a small niche record label (i.e. Japanese indie label). These deals are mainly licensing or P&D (production and distribution) deals whereby the record label will manufacture and sell the CD's with some fixed amount or rate going back to the artist. Again, there is little or no room for negotiation. Also, there are usually no advances. (Maybe being an employee is not so bad after all.)

There are Japanese record labels/companies that will import or license the music of foreign indie artists/bands or labels as long as you already have a finished master or product(s) they think they can sell profitably in Japan (or use to help sell products). These kinds of deals are better for you because the importer or licensor in Japan will take on the responsibility of sales promotion. When quantities reach a certain level it is more economical for the record company to manufacture in Japan rather than import/ship your products to Japan (i.e. a P&D arrangement may be offered).

Although there are hundreds of retail music shops throughout Japan, there are only a few (mainly vinyl record shops) that will actually carry an inventory of indie products. Most have to be specially ordered by the customer. This is alright since the shop can order it wholesale from the distributor who can have it sent to any place in Japan within 24 hours (Japan is about the size of California State and has a vast, cheap and efficient next-day delivery system). Naturally, if there are a lot of requests by customers for a certain product, a store may put it on its shelves. Larger record companies employ an army of retail shop promoters whose job is to encourage retail shops to put the products of their company on shelves. Smaller record companies may only have 1 or 2 people to do this type of work. With the growing boom in the indie scene, more and more Japanese music retailers-even HMV, Virgin Megastore and Tower Records-are including an "indies" section in their stores.

If you already have a finished master, it is not so hard nor expensive to manufacture a retail-ready product and find a Japanese distributor-be it the traditional method or online (i.e. direct sales via your Japanese website and/or other online marketplace). The "hard" part comes in sales promotion. Since the job of the indie distributor is to sell products to wholesalers and retailers they provide virtually no promotion directed to the general consumer. So it is the job of the indie artist/band or record label to provide sales promotion directed at Japanese consumers. So don't celebrate just yet if you do manage to find a Japanese distributor for your indie product (or manage to get it in some online shop). Celebrate when you get paid because if your product does not sell in Japan, you probably won't see any money. Most indie distributors will take a box of your product and only pay you when all are sold (or return them to you if they don't sell).

Traditionally, in Japan you were either a "pro" (i.e. "signed" to a record company) or an "amateur" (i.e. not an "employee" of a record company). Recently, "amateur" has been replaced with the word and concept of "indie". The indie scene is booming in Japan with new distribution, sales, and rights administration systems setup especially for indie bands/artists. Some indie bands/artists can make a living playing at "live houses" and selling CD's and merchandise. Successful indie artists have sold over 100,000 units. Though rare, some have sold 1 million units. The album "Message" by the Okinawan band Mongol 800 became the first million-seller independent release in 2002 and "Street Story" by the independent band HY was a million-seller in 2003. Some independent artists, such as Chitose Hajime, have signed to major labels and enjoyed a high level of success, leading some major labels to focus increased efforts on scouting independent artists for new talent.

Many foreign independent artists/bands and record labels have found Japan to be a very receptive environment for their music and a valuable source of revenues.

Articles:

1. Japanese Market Opportunity for Foreign Indie Music - If you are in the business of selling music, do not forget Japan!
2. The Music Business in Japan - General info on the music "scene" in Japan
3. Playing Gigs in Japan - Promoting your music through live gigs at Japanese Live Houses
4. How Much Does It Cost? - The activities and related costs of selling and promoting your music in Japan
5. Useful Tips On Visiting and Doing Business in Japan - Info and advice for visiting and doing business in Japan

Japan Music Marketing Resources:

List of Live Houses in Japan - Book your own live tour / gigs in Japan!

Indie Music Websites (Japanese)
Below are online indie music communities/support networks where you can promote your music and live shows in Japan.

www.indiesmusic.com
www.nextmusic.net
www.muzie.co.jp
www.musictower.jp
www.audioleaf.com
www.visualrocks.com
www.music-trip.que.ne.jp
www.banzai-music.com
mnc.s19.xrea.com
www.music-i.jp

Downloads:

Japan Music Marketing Kit:
A do-it-yourself kit which includes ready-to-print mailing labels and cover letters intended for independent record labels, artists and bands who want to send their music to Japanese companies that distribute, import and license foreign music. More info...

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS NOW

FREE Japanese characters in Illustrator outlines and PDF:
Japanese characters (with English explanations) in various fonts you can use in the design of your t-shirts, posters, stickers, CD's, etc. They come in Illustrator outlines and PDF so you can modify them, cut and paste, etc. on non-Japanese computer systems. You can combine characters to make simple phrases. Characters for date (year, month, day) and city names are included too so you can make your own designs for Japan tour t-shirts or other print/online designs.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS NOW

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