Now in it’s 9th year the Tokyo International Music Market (TIMM) has been integrated into the larger CoFesta, or Japan’s general entertainment content fair, for the last six editions. This year, for the first time, the event was held at the some location as CoFesta, the Hotel Grand Pacific Le Daiba in Odaiba, Tokyo Bay.
| “ I want to find something that has appeal outside just Asia.” He pointed to PSY’s massive global hit “Gangnam Style” as evidence that Asian music can make it in the U.S. – Carl Bland, Toco Talents, Ltd. |
CoFesta, according to the organizers PROMIC (the Foundation for the Promotion of Music Industry and Culture), an industry body founded by record companies, publishers and management companies and others, is “the world’s largest comprehensive contents festival. The events connected with the contents industry like games, animation, manga, characters, broadcast, music and film are held in cooperation with each other,”
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This year TIMM hosted 40 booths and 100 buyers according PROMIC and presented two showcases. These included the Rookies’ 10 Minute Stage (for new artists) and the Showcase Live, featuring established acts like World Order and rock group The Bohemians. The star guest was May J, a singer and music show host on the national broadcaster NHK.
Sony Music Artists Japan and Avex Holdings Group, a major record company in Japan, also participated in the confab. International players included the market-leading GMM Grammy from Thailand, Bureau Export from France, SXSW and Mu:CON, the new South Korean music conference, among others.
Surachai Sensri, Managing Director at the Bangkok-based GMM Grammy, GMM International related that his company has had success in pairing his singers with those from the powerhouse Johnny’s and Associates in the past. He added, “We have two target markets for this year, Japanese people who used to live in Thailand and working with Japanese companies. We have had [leading Japanese publisher] Nichion as a sub-publisher for many years, and the artist management group Upfront uses our melodies for their artists.”
The Hong Kong-based ToCo Talents Ltd. found success at the conference last year, licensing Japanese R&B covers, and is hopeful for this year. ToCo Owner Carl Bland noted, “I’d like to find some Japanese content that were are confident can cross over to the international market. I want to find something that has appeal outside just Asia.” He pointed to PSY’s massive global hit “Gangnam Style” as evidence that Asian music can make it in the US.
Music publishing was well represented at TIMM with Ataka Narumi, Director of Music for Advertising at Universal Music Publishing, Brandon Young, Director or Music Affairs at Activision Publishing and Tricia Holloway, an Independent Music Supervisor and Principal of Path Music, in LA all taking part.
Sebastian Mair, CEO of the Japan-based consultancy Music Solutions noted “the Sync Summit 2012 for Under-exploited opportunities overseas for Japanese rights holders was very well attended” but after it concluded the market saw less activity.
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