Crunchyroll adds music to SVOD service

Crunchyroll adds music to their service with content from Sony Music Entertainment!

Today, Crunchyroll has made a big announcement expanding their SVOD service with music! Indeed, they are partenering with US-based Sony Music Entertainment to license Sony Music Entertainment Japan content internationally. The new music category includes thousands of music videos and concerts from artists known for their anime collaborations, this includes videos from Hiroyuki Sawano, LiSa, King Gnu and many more!

During the Crunchyroll Anime Awards held this year in Japan on March 4th, the company announced a new music initiative celebrating Japanese music and musicians that brings iconic performances from popular and contemporary artists to its service. This new batch of content on Crunchyroll is now available to the paying subscribers. User features include music video curation, artist listing page, and search integration, followed by a dedicated music landing page/screen, enhanced discoverability, and show page integrations in the future.

“Crunchyroll is always looking for ways to add more value for its fans, and we know that anime and music have always been intrinsically connected art forms,” noted Asa Suehira, Chief Content Officer for Crunchyroll. “From the early years of anime, music artists have worked closely with the anime producers to write lyrics and meaningfully integrate the music into the story. Crunchyroll wants to replicate that same synergy for our fans.”

Over the last five years, anime music has become more accessible outside of Japan. Playlisting on Spotify and Apple Music has accelerated global popularity, with influential playlists on Spotify including Anime Hits, Anime on Replay, and Anime Now, and on Apple Music, New in: Anime and Anime Character Songs.

Over the last few years, Crunchyroll has been opening the door for music at events, including its yearly flagship Crunchyroll Expo, alongside New York Comic Con, Anime Expo, San Diego Comic-Con, and Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival, co-producing or presenting IP-inspired concerts, collaborating with DJs or sponsoring artists, and dance parties.