Closer to ‘Music for Everyone’: Spotify set to launch in Japan next month

AFTER months of speculation by music and IT enthusiasts, Spotify is finally set to launch in Japan, where the public is still very much attached to physical copies of music.

According to I4U News, local Japanese IT media has been abuzz with reports that Spotify, the world’s number one music streaming service, will be launching there in July, sourcing officials from music labels.

In January, an increase in the number of job openings for a Spotify office in Tokyo became available, fueling rumors that the popular music streaming company would be launching its services there.

Japan is a difficult market to crack for streaming services because consumers still prefer physical media. Figures published by the Recording Industry Association of Japan showed that revenue from CDs, LPs, and other physical audio products only declined by two percent in 2015.

Spotify has over 70 million users worldwide and is currently available in 59 countries, having just launched in Indonesia in March.

Gaining access to the world’s second largest music market will be a huge step forward for the streaming service, but Spotify is only now playing catch-up to Apple Music, which has been available in Japan since 2015.

Spotify still reigns as number one in the music streaming market worldwide though, with more than 30 million paying subscribers compared to Apple Music’s 13 million.

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