Qobuz Launches in Japan as Market’s First Hi-Res Streamer & Download Store

Flaunt Weeekly Qobuz launches in Japan, the second-largest music market worldwide, as the region’s first hi-res streamer and download store.

French pioneer of high-quality music streaming, Qobuz, takes a major step with its launch in Japan, the world’s second-largest music market. This strategic expansion marks a major turning point in the international development of the platform, reinforcing its trajectory towards profitability and its commitment to a musical experience that combines quality and discovery.

After establishing a presence in 25 countries, Qobuz now enters its 26th territory with its expansion into Japan. Since its launch in the United States in 2019, Qobuz has opened in 15 new markets in just four years. Its move into Japan, following the acquisition of e-onkyo music in 2021marks its commitment to a high-potential market.

Streaming dominates the global music market with over 67% of revenue, but Japan presents a unique landscape where the physical market still accounts for over 50% of sales. Paid streaming is showing remarkable growth in the region, where the offering remains limited and dominated by a few major players.

“Our move into Japan marks a major turning point, bringing us closer to our goal of profitability,” says Georges Fornay, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Qobuz. “We are proud to offer Japanese music lovers a valuable musical experience combining exceptional sound quality, editorial richness, and musical discovery. 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.”

A pioneer and global benchmark in high-quality sound, Qobuz stands out for its singular approach. Dedicated exclusively to music, the platform offers a unique experience combining three fundamental pillars: high-resolution streaming, high-resolution downloads, and cutting-edge editorial content.

The platform offers an incomparable listening experience thanks to its uncompressed audio quality, ranging from 16-bit CD quality to 24-bit/up to 192 kHz, and now DXD and DSD, faithfully reproducing artists’ and engineers’ original intent in the studio, and setting new standards for the streaming industry.

Qobuz also offers a dedicated community of music enthusiasts an environment conducive to rich and varied music discovery. Qobuz Magazine features a plethora of editorial content, including artist interviews, in-depth articles diving deep into genres, labels, and music history, and a section dedicated to Hi-Fi gear reviews.

The platform enriches its catalog of over 100 million titles by integrating high-resolution tracks from e-onkyo music and a repertoire of Japanese music, including specialized genres like J-pop for its launch in Japan.