What Shinko Music Entertainment does

Shinko Music Entertainment Co., Ltd. (シンコーミュージック・エンタテイメント) is a privately held Japanese music publishing company headquartered in Tokyo, founded in 1932. The company operates a comprehensive music publishing ecosystem comprising over 4,000 publications across three primary product categories: monthly music magazines (288 titles including flagship brands BURRN!, YOUNG GUITAR, BACKSTAGE PASS, METALLION, and Jaz.in/JaZZ JAPAN), specialized series publications (over 1,040 titles across genres such as idol, anime, rock, and guitar effects), and printed sheet music and instructional books (over 3,300 titles covering band scores, guitar, piano, orchestral instruments, and music theory). The company also operates Shinko Music Records, a wholly-owned record label subsidiary handling artist management, demo tape recruitment, and master recording production, alongside copyright management and licensing services for both domestic and international musical works in partnership with JASRAC.

The business model combines recurring revenue from monthly magazine subscriptions, one-time purchases of sheet music and books, and licensing royalties from copyright and master recording rights. Pricing is structured across low-to-mid ticket items (magazines at 1,045-1,650 yen, books at 1,100-5,500 yen, scores from 330 to 8,800 yen). Distribution is multi-channel: direct-to-consumer via the proprietary shinko-music.co.jp website and Amazon Japan marketplace, plus B2B wholesale to bookstores and music instrument retailers through dedicated sales representatives and trade fair participation (Shinko Music Fair). Customer segments span individual music students and hobbyists, professional musicians and educators, music fans following specific genres, and B2B retail partners across Japan.

The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or ownership structure, and operates exclusively within the Japan domestic market. There is no evidence of AI/ML integration, technology platform development, or recent M&A activity; operations appear focused on maintaining and incrementally extending the existing catalog and brand portfolio.

Name

Shinko Music Entertainment

Legal name

SHINKO MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT CO., LTD.

Website

https://shinko-music.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Shinko Music Entertainment is a Tokyo-based, privately held Japanese music publisher founded in 1932 that produces magazines (BURRN!, YOUNG GUITAR, BACKSTAGE PASS), printed sheet music, music books, and operates a record label (Shinko Music Records) serving musicians, hobbyists, educators, and music fans across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Publishing

NAICS

Music Publishers (512230), Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Print Music Publishing (Sheet Music, Scores, Educational Repertoire) (MPAIABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB), Royalty Accounting & Payment Services (Statements, Audits, Payee Management) (MPAIABAL)

Keywords

• Music publishing
• Sheet music
• Music magazines
• Music books
• Copyright licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Magazine and Publication Sales: Sale of monthly magazines and special issue publications (mooks) covering music genres, artist interviews, and music education content
2. Music Score and Sheet Music Sales: Sale of printed music scores, songbooks, and sheet music for various instruments including piano, guitar, and wind instruments
3. Music Book Sales: Sale of music-related books including artist biographies, music theory texts, data books, and hobby/practical books
4. Music Instruction Books: Sale of music education and instruction method books for various instruments including guitar, bass, ukulele, drums, piano, and wind instruments
5. Copyright Licensing: Management and licensing of music copyrights for domestic and foreign compositions
6. Master Recording Rights: Production and management of master recordings and sound recordings

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shinko Music Entertainment is a Japanese music publishing house that produces and sells sheet music (band scores, guitar, piano, orchestral, ukulele, bass, and choir), music books, and music magazines covering genres including rock, jazz, classical, pop, anime, and idol music. The company also operates Shinko Music Records for artist management and record production, and provides copyright management and licensing services for domestic and foreign musical works. Its catalog includes over 288 monthly magazine titles, over 1,040 series titles, and more than 4,000 total publications sold across Japan through direct online channels and B2B wholesale to bookstores and music instrument retailers.

Product overview

Shinko Music Entertainment is a Japanese music publishing company that publishes sheet music (scores), music books, and magazines. The core products include a portfolio of music magazines such as BURRN! (heavy metal), YOUNG GUITAR (guitar), BACKSTAGE PASS (idol), Jaz.in (jazz), and OUT of MUSIC, along with specialized magazine series like awesome!, Ani-PASS, ROCK AND READ, IDOL AND READ, and The EFFECTOR BOOK. Their sheet music division offers band scores, guitar tabs, piano scores, wind instrument scores, and music instruction books. The company also operates a record label (Shinko Music Records) for artist management and provides copyright management/licensing services for both domestic and international musical works. The portfolio represents a comprehensive music publishing ecosystem covering both printed sheet music and periodical publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BURRN!: Heavy metal music magazine
• YOUNG GUITAR
• BACKSTAGE PASS
• Shinko Music Records

Products and services

• Monthly Music Magazines A portfolio of monthly music magazines covering heavy metal (BURRN!, METALLION), guitar (YOUNG GUITAR), jazz (Jaz.in/JaZZ JAPAN), idol and pop culture (BACKSTAGE PASS), and multi-genre music (OUT of MUSIC) with artist interviews, live reports, gear reviews, and music journalism. Targeted at music enthusiasts and genre-specific fans across Japan.
• Magazine Series (Mook Special Issues) Special issue (mook) publication series covering in-depth artist conversations, entertainment features, anime soundtrack content, idol group coverage, and guitar equipment reviews. Targeted at dedicated music fans seeking comprehensive artist and genre coverage.
• Sheet Music Publications Printed sheet music and songbooks covering J-POP, rock, anime/game music, classical, jazz, Studio Ghibli, and international artists across instruments including piano, guitar, band ensembles, orchestral instruments, ukulele, bass, and choir. Available in skill-level variations from beginner to advanced, with specialized series for children and teachers.
• Music Books Music-related book publications including artist and talent books for both domestic and international artists, autobiographies and biographies, music data books and disc guides, hobby and practical books on self-development, fashion, and cooking, as well as photo collections and poetry.
• Music Instruction Books Method books and instructional materials for learning instruments including guitar, bass, ukulele, drums, piano, and wind instruments, plus vocal training, music theory, and children's music education materials. Targeted at music students, hobbyists, and music teachers.
• Shinko Music Records Record label subsidiary providing artist management, record releases, and demo tape recruitment for musicians. Operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shinko Music Entertainment.
• Copyright Management and Music Licensing Services Music copyright management and licensing services for domestic and foreign musical compositions, plus production and management of master recordings and sound recordings. Licensed through JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers).

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers)coreOthersJASRAC licensing for music copyright management. JASRAC License Number: S0805281888. JASRAC manages public broadcasting rights for Shinko Music publications.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Alfred Music: Major US-based music publisher producing sheet music, method/instruction books, and music education materials for piano, guitar, strings, and other instruments. Closely aligned with Shinko's music instruction book and score publishing across multiple instruments and skill levels.
• Hal Leonard Corporation: The world's largest printed music publisher, offering sheet music, books, and educational materials across all instruments and genres. Directly comparable to Shinko Music's core print music publishing, instruction book, and book publishing business, with a similar focus on serving music students, educators, and hobbyists.
• Yamaha Music Media: Publishing arm of Yamaha Corporation in Japan, producing music magazines, sheet music, music books, and instructional materials. Comparable business model combining print publications and music education content for the Japanese market, with strong piano and instrument education coverage.
• Ongaku no Tomo Sha (音楽之友社): Long-established Japanese music publisher (founded 1941) producing music magazines (mostly notably 'Music Friend' / 音楽の友), classical sheet music, music education materials, and books. Directly comparable in scope — multi-decade Japanese music publisher with periodicals, scores, and education content.
• Rittor Music (リットーミュージック): Japanese music publisher known for Guitar Magazine, Bass Magazine, Sound & Recording Magazine, and music books. Direct competitor in the Japanese music magazine, music book, and sheet music segments with overlapping audience of guitarists, bassists, and music enthusiasts.

Emerging players

• Musescore: Digital sheet music platform with tens of millions of user-uploaded scores, plus a notation software business. Represents the digital-native disruption to traditional sheet music publishing that pressures Shinko's printed score revenue base; comparable as an alternative channel for the same end consumer (sheet music users).

Regional players

• Zensho Publishing (全音出版): Japanese music publisher specializing in classical and educational sheet music, primarily serving music schools and conservatories. Comparable in the sheet music and music education publishing niche, though with a more classical and pedagogical focus versus Shinko's broader genre mix.

Others

• ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music): UK-based music examination board and publisher of graded music exam books, sheet music, and music education resources. Comparable in the music education and graded instruction book publishing niche that overlaps with Shinko's piano and instrument education materials, with globally recognized exam-grade content.

Broad incumbents

• Wise Music Group: Global music publishing group encompassing classical, concert, and popular music rights administration (Edition Peters, G. Schirmer, Chester Music, etc.). Comparable on the copyright/licensing/royalty administration side of Shinko's business, with broader geographic reach and a classical-leaning catalog.
• Universal Music Publishing: Major global music publishing division covering catalog rights acquisition, royalty administration, and sync licensing at massive scale. Comparable to Shinko's copyright management and master recording rights businesses, though operating at far greater scale and with broader international reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shinkomusic
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShinkoMusicEntertainment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shinko Music Entertainment