Most popular music apps in Japan 2023, based on downloads

In 2023, Spotify was downloaded more than 6.6 million times in Japan, which made it the leading music app in terms of downloads during that year. It was followed by Amazon Music, which was downloaded over four million times.

Major music apps in Japan

Music streaming sales continue to grow year by year in Japan. The landscape of music apps in the Japanese market experienced significant development in 2015, marked by the introduction of services by major players such as Apple Music and Amazon Music. In addition to these international entries, Japan saw the emergence of its unique music subscription service with LINE Music in 2015, launched by LINE Corporation, which, prior to a merger in 2023, also operated the LINE messenger app, the most used social media platform in Japan. LINE Music leverages its strengths by offering features that make use of the LINE platform, such as setting songs as ringtones or sharing favorites as BGM on user profiles, solidifying its position as one of Japan's top music apps.

Spotify in the Japan market

Spotify boasts a global active user base of several hundred million users. Since its 2016 launch in Japan, it quickly became the nation's top music app. Its standout feature is personalized recommendations, crafting playlists based on user preferences and listening habits. The more you listen to music on Spotify, the more Spotify suggests music that matches your tastes through algorithm-based suggestions. Spotify also offers a Singalong feature, allowing users to adjust vocal volume and sing along to songs with synced lyrics, reminiscent of karaoke, a beloved pastime in Japan. Additionally, Spotify has emerged as the most used podcast platform in Japan, further solidifying its position as a comprehensive audio entertainment destination.