Spotify has revealed impressive new statistics showcasing the soaring popularity of anime music on its platform. According to data shared by Music Business Worldwide, global streams of anime tracks have surged by an astounding 395% since 2021. Additionally, there are now 6.7 million user-generated anime playlists on Spotify, reflecting the growing global fascination with this genre.
Riding this wave of interest, Spotify has teamed up with anime streaming giant Crunchyroll to offer curated playlists through the platform’s dedicated Anime hub. As part of this collaboration, Crunchyroll will feature its newly launched podcast, “Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect,” within the hub. This podcast delves into the latest anime news and boasts appearances from notable artists like rapper Denzel Curry and J-Pop sensation LiSA.
This partnership builds on Crunchyroll’s increased integration with the music industry, a trend that gained momentum following its $1 billion acquisition by Sony in 2021.
Kyota Onishi, Head of Music in Japan at Spotify, commented, “We’ve seen global streams of anime music rise dramatically, and our hope is that the Anime hub becomes a central part of anime culture on Spotify.”
The popularity of anime is also driving a global surge in Japanese-language music. According to the Association of Japanese Animators (AJA), revenue from anime outside Japan grew by 111.1% year-over-year in 2022. Domestically, the anime industry reached a market value of USD $20.57 billion in 2022, up by 106.8%.
This boom is mirrored in the music world. Luminate’s 2023 Year-End report highlighted 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, further cementing its growing global presence.
