Qobuz, a French high-fidelity music streaming and download service, was recently launched into Japan’s market. This service that combines streaming and downloads, setting it apart from other services. This strategic move targets Japan’s music market, known for its enduring preference for physical media and appreciation for high-quality audio. Japan is the world’s second-largest music market, with over 50% of sales coming from physical formats. While streaming is growing, it still lags behind global trends, with less than 30% market share.
Qobuz’s new service aims to meet Japan’s increasing demand for streaming while catering to its high audio standards. Georges Fornay, the Deputy CEO at Qobuz, explains: “Japanese music lovers, known for their high standards when it comes to sound quality, are an ideal audience for Qobuz’s high-quality offering. We think they’ll really connect with what we’re offering. Our service brings together the best of both worlds—amazing, uncompressed audio available for streaming and download.”
Since his launched in 2007 as a digital music store , Qobuz expanded its high-res streaming to 26 countries. It first entered Japan in 2021 by acquiring e-onkyo, a download store formerly run by the electronics company Onkyo. Now, with this full-scale launch, Qobuz is ready to bring high-res audio to Japanese listeners, with options ranging from CD quality to 24-bit/192 kHz, plus DXD and DSD for those who want the best of the best.
Unlike services like Amazon Music HD, which focus solely on streaming, Qobuz’s merged streaming and download model can appeal to Japanese listeners who value both quality and the choice to “own” their music digitally. Qobuz’s entry into the market comes at an opportune time, as Spotify hints at a potential high-res streaming option with its anticipated “Super-Premium” tier. Qobuz’s unique blend of streaming and download capabilities positions it as a strong competitor for audio purists in Japan.
Fornay noted: “This expansion into the world’s second-largest music market, where streaming is booming, comes at an ideal time and strengthens our position as the undisputed benchmark for high-quality streaming and downloading.”
