https://wearethemusicmakers.co/latest Music tech and AI in music: the news that matters, what we think about it, and a directory of the tools. en-us Mon, 31 Aug 2026 05:30:00 GMT https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/08/japan-record-market-h1-2026-streaming-46-percent-vinyl-up-42 https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/08/japan-record-market-h1-2026-streaming-46-percent-vinyl-up-42 Japan's recorded music market grew to an estimated ¥196.5 billion in the first half of 2026, up 4%, and streaming made up 46% of it. CDs fell 11% to ¥72.0 billion and vinyl rose 42%, but physical formats together still slightly outsold digital. For international indies, Japan remains the one big market where the plastic you press can matter as much as the playlist you land on. Mon, 31 Aug 2026 05:30:00 GMT We are the music makers industryjapanriajstreamingphysical-mediacdvinylindependent-artists