Sync Licensing Revenue Lifts the Music Market — Anime and Screen Tie-Ups Drive Growth Beyond Subscriber Counts

Against a backdrop of expanding film, screen, and game production, synchronization (sync licensing) revenue is gaining presence as a new growth axis for the music market. As a revenue source not dependent on subscriber counts, it is becoming key to overseas expansion, with anime tie-ups at the center.

Sync revenue arises as compensation for using songs in screen works such as film, drama, games, and advertising. As nonlinear revenue less swayed by subscriber swings, it is counted among the factors supporting recent market growth.

In policy and industry terms, the main route by which Japanese music is heard overseas has been tie-ups such as anime songs. Linking songs to a work's global distribution connects directly to building recognition in overseas markets.

For the music industry, leveraging sync rights shapes release strategy itself. How to connect songs with screen works, and how to clear rights with local partners, has become a practical point that determines the breadth of revenue opportunities.

From an industry view, combining subscription revenue with tie-up revenue is becoming standard. Together with social-media buzz and festival rollouts, delivering songs through multiple entry points is increasingly required.

BRUSH MUSIC editorial view: sync rights are an important pillar that complements a revenue structure skewed toward streaming. For independent creators too, rights design with screen and game tie-ups in mind is a realistic first step toward overseas expansion.

Sources: METI music industry business-model report, Musicman, industry research