Meet the Entertainment Company Behind the Most Successful Fusion of J-Pop and Anime

This story was created in paid partnership with Chris Gallagher.

When you search for the most popular anime soundtracks, chances are that the majority of that repertoire was produced by one entertainment company: Pony Canyon. Known for its powerhouse presence in both music and anime, Pony Canyon has been a dominant force in the Japanese music scene since the ‘60s. But now, with the rise of streaming platforms and the increasing popularity of non-English music, the company is poised to make a significant leap onto the world stage through Pony Canyon USA, which officially launched at a press conference at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles on July 3. With their artists already reaching the streaming playlists of young global audiences, Pony Canyon has made significant investments in its global strategy, with new offices and local hires in Los Angeles and Taipei.

A Shifting Taste in Music

A decade ago, the idea of non-English music topping global charts seemed far-fetched. Now, the digital age brings us a seismic shift in how we consume music. Streaming platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and unexpectedly, TikTok, have broken down geographical barriers for musicians. Artists now have the platforms to make their music available in countries they haven’t been to. These digital platforms have led to a new cultural zeitgeist where country of origin and language are no longer dispositive factors in what audiences choose to watch or listen to. This trend has paved the way for Pony Canyon’s ambitious global expansion to introduce Japanese music to international listeners.

We’re already seeing the beginning of this cultural influence. In recent months, we’ve seen TikTok resurrect Miki Matsubara’s ’s “Mayonaka no Door ~stay with me,” a song released by Pony Canyon in 1979 with R&B and disco influences reminiscent of Donna Summer. The song resonated with listeners, whether or not they were fans of anime or Japanese music to begin with. If anything, this shows that language barriers no longer exist when it comes to music appreciation.

Synergies from Music and Anime

A lot of Pony Canyon’s success could be attributed to anime (including a recent release of Kinnikuman in July on Netflix), but a closer look shows that the company’s strength actually lies in the infusion of good music into well-written anime. By making that synergy the key to their storytelling, Pony Canyon achieved dominance in a market where most entertainment companies often treat music and film or anime as separate entities. The unified approach has allowed Pony Canyon to produce anime like “Attack on Titan,” which features music from their roster, including the reggae punk band SiM with their track, “The Rumbling.”

As an independent company, Pony Canyon enjoys the flexibility to forge high-quality partnerships worldwide without the constraints of legacy subsidiaries. This independence means that they can tailor their distribution strategies and collaborations to fit every artist’s or market’s unique demands – a nimble approach for such a big name in entertainment. This approach seems to be ideal for high-profile collaborations such as the one between BAND-MAID, a punk-rock girl group that co-wrote a single with Mike Einziger, the lead guitarist for American band, Incubus.

A Long View of Cross-Culture Music

“My dream, which I want to set as a goal for Pony Canyon, is this,” says Takashi Yoshimura.
“For music, it’s to have our artists and songs win a Grammy Award. For anime and visual content, it’s to produce works that can win an Academy Award. By achieving these, we aim for Pony Canyon to become a global company in 5 to 10 years. This is our biggest goal and dream.” With new offices around the world, and an increasing pipeline of content from Japan to fans around the world, Pony Canyon is well-poised to make these dreams a reality.