The Orchard launches Tokyo office

21 August 2019 - Press release

Expansion provides substantial growth opportunity for the independent sector in second-largest global music market

The Orchard, the global leader in independent music distribution and artist and label services, announced today that it is expanding into Japan, the second largest music market in the world. The company is establishing new fully staffed Tokyo-based operations that will provide local support, release strategy and expertise to the Japanese independent music industry.

The Orchard Japan team will be led by Yuuki Kaneko, Vice President, Japan and report into The Orchard’s global headquarters in New York. Kaneko comes to The Orchard from Amazon Japan where he worked on the music team during his 11-year tenure. Previously, Kaneko also held positions at Tower Records Japan.

The opening of a local office in Japan further enhances The Orchard’s global reach and value proposition, and extends its position as the industry’s most comprehensive worldwide solution for independent artists and labels.

The Orchard Japan will offer music distribution and a suite of services to Japanese labels, management companies and artists, giving them access to both local and global opportunities. It also will provide international independent repertoire, extensive digital and physical service offerings for access to the Japanese music market.

Creators will have direct access to The Orchard’s robust technology platform, which boasts 11 languages in addition to the local Japanese language and houses marketing, data and reporting tools to manage digital and physical assets. The Orchard team in Tokyo will provide regional expertise and language capabilities to sign and develop Japanese artists and labels, as well as build artist awareness and engagement both locally and internationally. The Orchard’s distributed artist and label base will have the ability to leverage the Tokyo office's supply chain and network in the region, expanding reach worldwide and revenue streams in a thriving market.

Brad Navin, CEO of The Orchard, said, “We are excited to enter the Japanese market and have Yuuki and the Tokyo team working with independent labels and artists to embrace the opportunities offered by Japan’s ongoing shift to streaming. Yuuki’s substantial knowledge of both the digital and physical business within Japan will help us deliver on our goal of having local support in every key part of the world, led by people who have a firm grasp on the region’s strengths and deeply understand the music culture and industry. This expansion gives even greater reach to our global market solution for discovering music, reaching untapped audiences and advancing consumption.”

Kaneko said, “I am honored to lead the company’s efforts in showcasing Japanese artists and labels worldwide. The Orchard Japan is in a position to bring the Japanese music community to new heights on a global scale, using transparent analytics from our proprietary technology to grow and develop The Orchard’s international roster within the territory.”

The Orchard has added over 5 offices in key international markets during the past year, expanding its global network to more than 40 offices. In addition to Tokyo, new locations include Taipei, Seoul, Warsaw, Madrid and beyond, as well as expanded offices in Nashville, Sydney, Moscow, Copenhagen, Milan and Barcelona.