[Music Thoughts] The YOASOBI Business Model: Turning Novels into Music

Thinking about songs
| This is the 'Utakou' (Song Thoughts) corner♪

Today's theme is
'turning novels into music'.

Operating under this concept,
YOASOBI has reshaped the music scene
not just in Japan, but globally.

Two geniuses who have released
hit songs one after another,
such as 'Idol' and 'Racing into the Night'.

Yes, as you all know,
they are a music unit consisting of
two members: vocalist ikura
and composer Ayase.

However, I think very few people
are aware that there is a business model
called 'YOASOBI'.

1. The YOASOBI Business Model

~Turning stories into songs~

This morning, November 16th,
I woke up, went to a nearby FamilyMart,
bought coffee and the Nikkei newspaper,
and as I was spending an elegant time in the eat-in area,

there was an article about the finale
of the concert YOASOBI held at the Tokyo Dome
on November 10th, and with coffee in hand,
I thought, 'Oh!'

As expected of Nikkei, they view
YOASOBI as a business.

~The 'YOASOBI' Business Model~

Since the formation of YOASOBI,
ikura and Ayase have been creating songs
with the concept of 'turning novels into music'.

In other words, the 'story' comes first,
and the song comes after.

For a composer, it seems easier to start
when the theme is already decided
rather than creating a song from nothing.

Of course, there is a risk of being
constrained by the framework of the story,
but by reading the story deeply
and turning it into a song,
there is a huge advantage in that
you can also capture the fans of the story.

And the biggest advantage
is that they 'never run out of material'.

Japan, in particular, is a treasure trove
of manga, novels, and anime.

Ordinary songs have certain patterns,
such as heartbreak songs or cheering songs,
and even the most popular artists
can potentially 'run out of ideas'.

However, YOASOBI does not have that.

The "story" comes first, and the song follows.
The business model that drives this cycle is
"YOASOBI".

Recently, there have been many works that tie in with anime
and incorporate foreshadowing from the story into the lyrics.

Why don't you all try enjoying the music while unraveling the "story" as well?

I think it will deepen your understanding of the work
and allow you to enjoy the music even more.

2. Song Introduction

"Idol"

Among YOASOBI's many hit songs,
this is the one that has been listened to the most around the world.

Please listen to the concert version.

3. Magazine Introduction

"Lyric Patissier"

I co-manage a magazine called "Lyric Patissier"
with the popular creator Toraneko.

That is all from Sumihiro 🐦.
Thank you for reading until the end.