We’re excited to share news of our latest partnership with Avex in Japan. Avex is a powerhouse in the world of entertainment and this partnership signals a significant step in Orfium’s growth as the first deal of its kind in Asia.
Japan is the world’s second largest music market, yet UGC monetization is still in its infancy. Recognising the opportunity to support the market there, Orfium expanded to Japan in 2022 with the acquisition of Breaker (now Orfium Japan) and has been growing solidly in the market since then.
Orfium is set to become Avex’s partner for music catalog management on YouTube, utilizing our AI-based matching technology to maximize revenue for Avex’s rights holders, artists, writers, and composers.
Who is Avex?
Picture a goliath in the world of entertainment, a company that weaves music, animation, film, and digital prowess into the iconic music landscape in Japan. The sounds behind a whole world of anime, filmmaking, Japan’s iconic and thriving DJ scene and so much more. That’s Avex Inc.
Founded in 1988, they started in the music and entertainment industry as a wholesale business of imported music records. They’ve since expanded to be a powerhouse in record labels, live music performances, animation, and filmmaking.
Avex’s mission is most aptly put by Avex’s own Representative Director and CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa, who says they are “Making impossible entertainment, possible.”, and they have been a pioneer in doing just that. Projects like Justin Bieber’s world tour to Japan, and the first fully remotely animated film ‘She Sings, As If It Were Destiny’ are just two shining examples of Avex’s innovation that proves that they are a driving force and strong representation of the desire in the Japanese market to consume and contribute to the music and entertainment industry.
The Growth of UGC & the Japanese Music Market
Ranking as YouTube’s third-largest revenue contributor, Japan’s digital music scene is flourishing. Although YouTube thrives with 70 million monthly active users, UGC monetization is just taking flight, with many Japanese music companies only now transitioning from restrictions to embracing the vast potential of sharing and licensing.
In 2022, despite YouTube’s global payout of over $6 billion, Japan received a modest 6% – showing clearly the opportunity for artists and rights holders to gain more for their art. There’s a huge opportunity here to fill the gaps by many platforms’ own services for tracking and monetizing music which leave potentially millions of dollars worth of revenue unfound and unclaimed – and as more music is shared, that opportunity is only growing.
Having already established ourselves as the leader in other major markets for UGC rights management and monetization, Orfium is excited to be a part of reclaiming those missed revenue opportunities by partnering with more Japanese clients, and supporting the unique industry there. We already work with the world’s leading Music Publishers, Record Labels, Broadcasters and Production Music Companies in the US and UK, and have delivered unrivaled results for them; and we’re excited to demonstrate the same value for the Japanese and Asian markets.
Our local team, led by the experienced and passionate Alan Swarts, has been instrumental in our swift rise in the Japanese market – behind every great achievement, is a dedicated and skilled team, and Orfium Japan is no exception. With their deep industry knowledge and commitment, they’ve ensured that Orfium Japan is positioned to deliver the full potential and degree of success we’ve seen around the world for our clients.
Looking Ahead: What Lies Beyond the Horizon
Orfium’s partnership with Avex follows agreements with Warner Music Japan and Victor Entertainment, and we’re looking forward to sharing news of more Japanese partner deals very soon. Driven by our company goal to deliver optimized UGC revenue generation, we are continuing to improve the industry for the better for creators, artists and rights owners, one partnership at a time. As we grow internationally, we look forward to more partnerships across the music and entertainment landscape of Japan and Asia
Be a Part of the Journey with Orfium Japan
If you’re intrigued by our journey and want to explore opportunities with Orfium, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.