The music industry of East Asia, a region that includes Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan is a rapidly growing economic sector that is home to some of the world's largest music markets.
In 2003, South Korea became the world's first music market where digital music sales surpassed those of physical formats. [1] [2]
In 2012, Japan surpassed the United States as the world's largest recorded music market for the first time, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Though the U.S. remained the largest if licensing fees are included into the figures. [3] However, in the following year, Japan fell back to the second-largest music market after experiencing a 16.7 per cent decrease due to the country's reliance of CDs and slow adoption of digital services. [4] [5]
In 2019, there were 750 million digital music users in China. [6] It was also estimated that its digital music market hit a yearly revenue of approximately 13.2 billion yuan in 2020. [7] China is expected to become one of the largest music markets in the world by 2020. [8]
Although global physical music sales (such as CDs) have been declining in recent years, in East Asia (particularly Japan and South Korea), however, physical music sales have been rising consistently. [9]
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry credits this phenomenon to "K-Pop fans who want high-quality physical formats and deluxe box sets". [9]
According to a music executive from Universal Music Group, CDs are becoming "the new merchandise in Asia". [10]
Several controversies have arrived based on the way the industry has been treating its artists.
It is not uncommon for record labels to prohibit their pop artists from dating for a certain period of time or for as long as they have a contract with the company. [11] In Japan managers may attempt to discourage their artists from dating or engaging in behavior that may tarnish their images by keeping a busy schedule and only letting artists know about their schedules a day at a time. [11] Artists who break this contract, as in the case of Minami Minegishi from AKB48, run the risk of getting dropped from their music group or contract. [12]
Korea has similar rules for musical pop artists. Artists have more freedom to date and get married, however managers have strong control over their personal lives and behaviors. [12] In Taiwan, artists are also expected to behave in certain ways, as they cannot discuss taboo topics such as politics. [12]
The following table lists the total revenues of the music markets of East Asia:
Rank | Country | Revenue in 2020 (in million USD) | Source |
---|---|---|---|
1 | South Korea | 5771.9 | [13] |
2 | Japan | 2392.8 | [14] |
3 | China (PRC) | 292.3 | [13] |
4 | Taiwan | N/A [a] | |
5 | Hong Kong | N/A [a] |
Notes ^
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1933. It operates a secretariat based in London, with regional offices in Brussels, Hong Kong, Miami and Nairobi.
K-pop, short for Korean popular music, is a genre of music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It is influenced by styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, experimental, rock, jazz, gospel, hip hop, R&B, reggae, electronic dance, folk, country, and classical on top of its traditional Korean music roots. The more modern form of the genre emerged with the formation of one of the earliest K-pop groups, the boy band Seo Taiji and Boys, in 1992. Their experimentation with different styles and genres of music and integration of foreign musical elements helped reshape and modernize South Korea's contemporary music scene.
Lee Soo-man is a South Korean record executive and record producer who is best known for being the founder of SM Entertainment, a multinational South Korean entertainment company based in Seoul. He has also been referred to as the "president of culture", as he pioneered the Korean Wave. Lee debuted as a singer in 1971, while he was a student at Seoul National University. He founded SM Entertainment in 1989, which has since then become one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea.
Mandopop or Mandapop refers to Mandarin popular music. The genre has its origin in the jazz-influenced popular music of 1930s Shanghai known as Shidaiqu; with later influences coming from Japanese enka, Hong Kong's Cantopop, Taiwan's Hokkien pop, and in particular the Campus Song folk movement of the 1970s. 'Mandopop' may be used as a general term to describe popular songs performed in Mandarin. Though Mandopop predates Cantopop, the English term was coined around 1980 after "Cantopop" became a popular term for describing popular songs in Cantonese. "Mandopop" was used to describe Mandarin-language popular songs of that time, some of which were versions of Cantopop songs sung by the same singers with different lyrics to suit the different rhyme and tonal patterns of Mandarin.
The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, represent and supply music creators. Among the many individuals and organizations that operate in the industry are: the songwriters and composers who write songs and musical compositions; the singers, musicians, conductors, and bandleaders who perform the music; the record labels, music publishers, recording studios, music producers, audio engineers, retail and digital music stores, and performance rights organizations who create and sell recorded music and sheet music; and the booking agents, promoters, music venues, road crew, and audio engineers who help organize and sell concerts.
The Korean wave or K wave is the increase in global popularity of South Korean culture since the 1990s. First driven by the spread of K-dramas and K-pop across East, Southeast and South Asia during its initial stages, the Korean Wave evolved from a regional development into a global phenomenon, carried by the Internet and social media and the proliferation of K-pop music videos on YouTube. While some sources attribute the term Hallyu, a variation of a Japanese expression using Ryu (流) as a postfix to refer ‘~way’, ‘~style’, ‘~group’, to being first used by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in South Korea in 1999, when the ministry produced a music CD titled in Chinese 韓流—Song from Korea; other scholarly sources attribute the term's ascendance from Korean television dramas first airing on Chinese television in 1997, naming the phenomenon hanliu, meaning "Korean wave". The term was adopted by Chinese media to refer to the success of South Korean popular culture in China. The term was reintroduced in Japan as hanryu or kanryu by the Asahi Shimbun in 2001. These two words, hallyu and Korean wave, were officially included in the Oxford English Dictionary in 2021.
Big Bang is a South Korean boy band formed by YG Entertainment. The group consists of four members: G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, and Daesung; former member Seungri retired from the entertainment industry on March 11, 2019. Dubbed the "Kings of K-pop", they helped spread the Korean Wave internationally and are one of the most influential acts in K-pop history. They are known for their trendsetting musical experimentation, self-production, and stage presence.
Hokkien pop, also known as Taiwanese popular music, T-pop, Tai-pop, Minnan Pop and Taiwanese song, is a popular music genre sung in Taiwanese Hokkien and produced mainly in Taiwan. Hokkien pop is the most popular amongst Hoklo people in Taiwan, Mainland China, and the Overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia.
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece, or simply IFPI Greece, is the Greek branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Greece. The association publishes a Top-75 combined repertoire albums sales chart is compiled. The charts is published by IFPI Greece and sponsored by Cyta Hellas.
In the first decade of the 21st century, the rise of digital media on the internet and computers as a central and primary means to record, distribute, store, and play music caused widespread economic changes in the music industry. The rise of digital media with high-speed internet access fundamentally changed the relationships between artists, record companies, promoters, retail music stores, the technology industry, and consumers. The rise of digital music consumption options contributed to several fundamental changes in consumption. One significant change in the music industry was the remarkable decline of conventional album sales on CD and vinyl. With the A la carte sales models increasing in popularity, consumers no longer download entire albums but rather choose single songs.
The Gaon Music Chart tabulates the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in South Korea. It is produced by the Korea Music Content Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, with an aim to create a national chart for South Korea similar to the Billboard charts of the United States and the Oricon charts of Japan. It started tracking sales since the beginning of 2010. It was officially launched in February 2010 with a launching ceremony held on February 23, 2010 at the Westin Chosun hotel in Seoul. The launch also included a small awarding ceremony, which awarded girl group Girls' Generation with top artist of January and boy band Super Junior with best album of 2009. Meanwhile, the song "We Fell In Love", performed by Jo Kwon of 2AM and Ga-in of Brown Eyed Girls, took the title of best weekly mobile ringtone.
G-Music Limited is a company built in 2002 by Rose Records and Tachung Records, both are the largest local music retails and wholesale chains in Taiwan. The physical retail arms have been kept separate, for different customer bases and brand identity, but the e-retailing, wholesale and distributor business is unified as Rose Tachung Records.
The vinyl revival is the renewed interest and increased sales of vinyl records, or gramophone records, that has been taking place in the music industry. Since 2007, vinyl records have enjoyed renewed popularity in the West and in East Asia.
BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band that was formed in 2010 and debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment. The septet—consisting of members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—co-writes and co-produces much of their own output. Originally a hip hop group, their musical style has evolved to include a wide range of genres. Their lyrics, often focused on personal and social commentary, touch on the themes of mental health, troubles of school-age youth and coming of age, loss, the journey towards loving oneself, and individualism. Their work also often references literature and psychological concepts and includes an alternative universe storyline.
Recording Industry Foundation in Taiwan, also known as IFPI Taiwan, formerly IFPI Members Foundation in Taiwan, is the organization that represents the interests of the music industry in Taiwan, and a member of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
The album era was a period in English-language popular music from the mid 1960s to the mid 2000s, in which the album was the dominant form of recorded music expression and consumption. It was primarily driven by three successive music recording formats: the 331⁄3 rpm long-playing record (LP), the audiocassette, and the compact disc. Rock musicians from the US and the UK were often at the forefront of the era, which is sometimes called the album-rock era in reference to their sphere of influence and activity. The term "album era" is also used to refer to the marketing and aesthetic period surrounding a recording artist's album release.
The music industry of Asia is an industry that people sell music-related products to earn money. The business structures of the industry include recorded music, live music, radio broadcasting, and digital and online distribution. The Asian music industry consists of music industry of Central Asia, East Asia, North Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Asia. The music industry of Asia influences Asian culture and economy. The music industry of Asia also has a worldwide impact.
...It's also the first country where digital surpassed physical sales.
According to IFPI, global physical format sales declined from 61% in 2011 to an estimated 58% in 2012. However, in Japan, CD and DVD sales posted strong increases (sales numbers or percentages were not provided). While in South Korea physical sales are expected to rise for the third consecutive year, with IFPI crediting K-Pop fans who want high-quality physical formats and deluxe box sets, with driving the format's sustained popularity.