The world of anime music is experiencing explosive growth, and Spotify is at the forefront of this trend. New statistics released by the streaming giant reveal a staggering 395% increase in global streams of anime music since 2021. This surge is further reflected in the 6.7 million user-generated anime playlists now available on the platform, demonstrating a burgeoning global interest in this genre.
Spotify is actively capitalizing on this growing popularity. The company recently partnered with anime streaming giant Crunchyroll to create custom-curated playlists specifically for Spotify’s dedicated Anime hub. This partnership also sees Crunchyroll contributing a dedicated section within the hub, featuring their newly launched podcast, “Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect.” This podcast delves into the latest anime news, featuring notable guests such as rapper Denzel Curry and J-Pop star LiSA.
This collaboration reflects the wider trend of anime and its related music gaining global traction. Sony Group Corp acquired Crunchyroll in 2021 for over $1 billion, highlighting the company’s growing influence within the music sector. Kyota Onishi, Head of Music in Japan at Spotify, remarked, “On Spotify, global streams of anime have surged over the past few years, and we hope the Anime hub will become an indispensable part of anime culture.”
This rise in anime music popularity reflects a broader trend of growing interest in Japanese culture globally. The Association of Japanese Animators (AJA) reported a 111.1% year-over-year increase in anime revenue outside Japan in 2022. Domestically, the animation industry reached a market size of USD $20.57 billion in 2022, marking a 106.8% increase.
This burgeoning interest is also evident in the growing popularity of Japanese-language music. Luminate’s 2023 Year End report revealed that Japanese-language music saw its share of the world’s Top 10,000 streaming tracks rise from 1.3% in 2022 to 2.1% in 2023. This trend indicates a growing global appetite for Japanese music and culture, and Spotify’s Anime hub is poised to become a central platform for this cultural phenomenon.
