Japan’s content culture is drawing attention on global streaming services and becoming even more influential. One of the types of content that is driving this phenomenon is game music. Game music is non-verbal content that transcends language barriers and spans genres. It is evolving into a global digital asset.

In the latest of NexTone’s digital distribution business interview series, Billboard JAPAN spoke with Bandai Namco Game Music (BNGM), the music label operated by the Bandai Namco Group.

Since launching the label in 2022, Bandai Namco has used NexTone’s digital distribution service and its copyright management scheme to leverage a wealth of untapped assets—the extensive catalog of game music it has built up over the past roughly 25 years. BNGM’s mission is to establish the value of this content not simply as mere game background music but as independent music content that goes beyond the bounds of games.

We spoke with Norihiro Fukuda, a former record company employee who proposed the launch of Bandai Namco’s label, and Natsuko Kaneko, who cleared the rights for the label’s prodigious amount of music from past games.

Could you explain what kind of label Bandai Namco Game Music is and talk a bit about its philosophy and mission?

Norihiro Fukuda: BNGM’s concept is sharing the appeal of game music with the entire world.

The way people have tended to look at game music is that there are games, and this music is simply a part of those games. We thought that if we placed the music front and center and shared it with the world, people would see its appeal.

So you’d already realized the appeal of game music yourself.

Fukuda: I used to work in a record company. It seemed to me that people in game companies had realized the appeal of the music, but it hadn’t occurred to them to try to share that appeal with others.

That’s why when I later joined Bandai Namco Entertainment, I started working from the hypothesis that “if we put this game music out into the world, our output, and the way people look at this music, will change.”

For example, in the case of Elden Ring, we’d heard that the game was beloved by many overseas players. I realized that since the game itself was selling so well, there was a lot of untapped potential for the game’s music. That’s what led us to set up the music label framework and start putting this music out.

What aspects of BNGM’s handling of game music do you see as being especially important? What do you see as BNGM’s unique strengths?

Fukuda:  There’s a wide range of game music genres, but when it comes to the music that BNGM handles, it all begins with 8-bit, electronic music, like the music used in PAC-MAN.

Game music later evolved to use PCM, so the music started to include samples. Over the past roughly 45 years, game music has developed an extremely deep history. That’s why we’re always thinking about how we can share the history of the music, too, so that people can experience what makes it so great.

Another strength is the appeal of the game IPs we can leverage. Through BNGM, we’re sharing music for games that are well-known around the world.

Natsuko Kaneko: One of our strengths is definitely our wealth of IPs and game titles. But it does feel a little like a grab-bag (laughs). Bandai Namco has titles on a vast range of platforms, including arcade games, home gaming consoles, and smartphones, and there’s a huge diversity of genres, such as action games, RPGs, shooters, and rhythm games. There’s a lot of music that we haven’t put out yet, and I consider the size of our catalog to be one of our strengths.

On the official BNGM site, it says that you have more than 3,600 pieces of music. It really feels like you’re embodying the history of gaming.

Fukuda: The official site has been updated since then. It’s still an ongoing process, but as of November 2025, that number had risen over 6,000. Specifically, while there are classics like PAC-MAN, the catalog is really wide-ranging and includes all kinds of genres. For example, there’s music from the TEKKEN series, the Tales of series, and the ACE COMBAT series. This breadth may also be part of the reason there’s so much variety in game music.

Putting this music on streaming platforms enables all kinds of people around the world to enjoy it. In a sense, game music can be seen as a type of digital asset.

Fukuda:  True. We went from not streaming anything to now having a lineup of over 6,000 tracks. I feel like now there’s some recognition of how much revenue the game music streaming business can produce. We started from zero, so I’m extremely grateful to NexTone for working with us on distribution. They helped make BNGM what it is today.

Why do you think that Japan’s game music has been so well-received by listeners, both here in Japan and overseas?

Fukuda:  One of the major reasons is that game music doesn’t rely on language. If you look back on its history, for a lot of artists, like Haruomi Hosono, Yoshinori Sunahara, or Takaki Horigome from KIRINJI, respect for game music is part of the foundation of their musical activities. Personally, I feel like the roots of all kinds of musicians lie in game music.

I think another thing that makes game music so appealing is something it shares in common with classical music. When customers (players) play games, they are being continually exposed to the music of those games. The music becomes enmeshed with all kinds of memories, so the game music itself becomes one of their fond memories. I think game music has the same kind of value as the value that leads people to listen over and over to music by non-game music artists.

Game music doesn’t just create an atmosphere for games, it’s also becoming established as musical content in its own right. How does BNGM see this shift, and what kind of media mix and potential for live shows do you see?

Fukuda:  As a music label, our goal is for our game music to stand on its own as content and make its own way in the world. That said, there are also a lot of people who use it as background music, so we still don’t really know if it can bloom into the kind of content that sweeps the global charts.

But as far as our ambitions, we’d love to put out music that could break into the top 10 on the global music charts.

Kaneko:  BNGM works with development teams from the first stages of game development to help create music that supports the concept of the game it’s used in. We offer comprehensive, 360-degree support for music-related operations. This includes not only taking care of composers and handling copyright matters, such as contracts, but also turning completed musical pieces into products and developing music-related events.

It’s because we have such respect for the composers that create this music that we want to share it all with the world, regardless of genre.

Fukuda: Our strengths lie in the fact that we’re a music label inside a game company, and that we manage music publishing. I’m sure the creators also want the music they’ve created to be heard by as many people as possible. I see it as our role to help them out.

Because a lot of our game music is made in-house, as a music label, BNGM is able to coordinate closely with the production side. If one day we’re able to take the world by storm, then we might move onto a second phase, where we become more deeply involved with the creation of the music.

In closing, could you share any upcoming initiatives and talk about BNGM’s specific vision for the future?

Kaneko:  We’re currently streaming over 6,000 pieces of music, but there’s still a wealth of untapped game music. We can put out several thousand more tracks, and we truly want to share this music with the world. We want to elevate game music from a sub-genre to a full-fledged genre so even more people can enjoy it. To accomplish that, we’re going to be coordinating with composers and producing catchy music.

Fukuda:  We plan to take a good hard look at the music from past games that we have yet to make full use of. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I think our next major actions will be focused on having game music stand by itself and become a part of the major music scene in its own right. Game music from Japan is loved by people around the world. I’m very proud of this fact, and what we want to do is increase the number of game music lovers even further.

This interview by Yuki Tatsuta first appeared on Billboard Japan.

By: Billboard Japan / Photo: Shota Tsutsuura / Copyright: PAC-MAN^: ™& © Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.

Heated Rivalry is one of the most buzzed-about TV miniseries in recent years, a true phenomenon that has crossed over beyond what anyone might have thought possible for a gay love story.

So, it’s natural to start thinking about the show’s Primetime Emmy potential. Let’s see, there could be acting nominations chatter about Hudson Williams (who plays Canadian Shane Hollander) and Connor Storie (who plays Russian Ilya Rozanov). And there could be nods in music categories for the show’s lead composer Peter Peter and/or the many artists who contributed songs to the miniseries.

We might as well call a halt to all this conjecture right here, because the program won’t be eligible for the Primetime Emmys. A spokesperson for the Television Academy chose to deliver the good news first: “Heated Rivalry is eligible to enter an Emmy competition. But because it is solely produced by a foreign production company, it is only eligible to enter the International Emmy competition, held by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, not the Television Academy’s Emmy competition. Per the Television Academy’s rules, foreign television production is ineligible in the Television Academy’s Emmy competition unless it is the result of a co-production (both financially and creatively) between U.S. and foreign partners, which precedes the start of production.”

Heated Rivalry is a Canadian series created, written and directed by Jacob Tierney for Crave. The first season premiered online on Crave on Nov. 28 and was picked up for streaming on HBO Max in selected territories; Neon in New Zealand; and Movistar Plus+ in Spain.

Heated Rivalry became Crave’s most-watched original series to date and HBO Max’s top debut for an acquired, non-animated title since the platform’s launch in 2019. Williams and Storie may be asked to present on the Primetime Emmys (as they did on the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes) but they won’t be in the running this year, nor will their program.

Ticketing giant AXS is suing a company called SecureMyPass that allegedly helps scalpers in “spoofing” digital concert passes, claiming it has repeatedly caused “unsuspecting consumers” to be turned away from big-ticket shows.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday (Jan. 15) in Los Angeles federal court, attorneys for AEG-owned AXS accuse SecureMyPass of “fraudulent practices” — namely, allowing brokers to bypass digital encryption and transfer systems designed to ensure that fans have a legitimate ticket.

The “counterfeit” tickets, which feature working barcodes, have resulted in fans being denied entry at venues after paying “inflated prices” on resale platforms, AXS claims, citing alleged examples of confused fans at concerts headlined by Paul McCartney, Lorde and other big acts.

“Because these counterfeit tickets are not genuine AXS tickets, broker resellers may deliver multiple copies of the same ticket, defrauding customers who are turned away when their ticket has already been redeemed,” AXS’s attorneys write. “Consumers, venues, artists and AXS alike are all harmed by SMP’s pernicious and fraudulent behavior.”

In an emailed statement to Billboard on Thursday (Jan. 15), SecureMyPass says it “disputes many of the allegations in AXS’s complaint and believes the lawsuit fundamentally mischaracterizes both our business and the realities of the ticket resale market.”

“SecureMyPass helps brokers deliver tickets they already own to customers who paid for them,” the company adds. “Any customer harm cited by AXS stems from enforcement choices made at the venue level, not from ticket validity.”

In its own statement to Billboard, AXS said it was “deeply committed to fan protection and fair access to live events. We will continue to act in ways that support consumer trust and the integrity of the ticketing ecosystem. Beyond that, we do not comment on pending litigation.”

Large primary ticket vendors like Ticketmaster and AXS often require fans to transfer and store digital passes within their own proprietary apps — a practice sometimes criticized by consumer advocates but one that the companies say guarantees validity. Fans can usually still sell their tickets on resale sites like StubHub and SeatGeek, but must often complete the actual transfer within the vendor’s app.

According to AXS’s lawsuit, SecureMyPass is designed to “circumvent” those protections, allowing “anonymous brokers” to create fake tickets and sell them to “unsuspecting” fans: “SMP does this by essentially spoofing the AXS Mobile ID ticket, including what looks to be a dynamic QR code, thereby creating a counterfeit ticket, which can be scanned at venue entry,” the company’s lawyers write.

The tickets look real, the lawsuit says — not only featuring the AXS logo and trade dress but also more advanced features, like the moving “dynamic” code that refreshes as it does on the original digital passes. Crucially, however, AXS says such tickets are not linked to a unique ID number, meaning bad actors can resell the same pass over and over.

“The broker could easily send the same link to multiple buyers, creating a race to the venue,” AXS writes. “Once the first buyer scans into the venue using the counterfeit product, all remaining latecomers would be denied access.” Resellers can also sell tickets with “nonexistent sections and seat numbers,” AXS says, meaning that even when fans gain entry to the building, they can sometimes later be ejected from the venue when they try to get to their seats.

This isn’t the first time AXS has tried to crack down on how its tickets are transferred. Back in 2024, it filed a similar suit against several firms it claimed were enabling scalpers to evade safeguards. That case eventually settled, but not before one of the targets countersued AXS with claims that the resale restrictions were “monopolistic” and illegal, aimed at forcing fans to use its own resale platform.

In its statement on Thursday SecureMyPass echoed those arguments, saying the AXS lawsuit was “not about consumer access or fan protection,” but about a large company seeking to control the resale market itself. SecureMyPass also sharply disputed that its technology had caused any fans to be turned away from concerts.

“Importantly, tickets delivered through SecureMyPass scan correctly,” the firm said. “When customers are denied entry, it is not because the ticket is invalid, but because venue staff have been instructed to visually identify and reject tickets delivered outside the AXS app.”

In its lawsuit, AXS cites several alleged cases of spurned fans, including at least seven who were denied entry to a Lorde concert in October at Denver’s famed Red Rocks Amphitheater. It also cites another fan who was allegedly refused admission to a Suki Waterhouse show at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.

The suit claims SecureMyPass tickets are creating confusion for fans, who are venting their frustrations to AXS itself. “I bought tickets for Paul McCartney on Gametime tickets and was sent a link yesterday saying your tickets have been delivered, however they don’t show up in the AXS app,” one fan allegedly told the company. “They only open in the web link they sent which is Securemypass.com.”

“SMP’s acts are … causing widespread damage and harm to consumers who are the victims of SMP’s fraudulent conduct, and to venues and other event organizers who shoulder the costs of identifying and assisting those victims,” the company writes.

In technical terms, AXS is suing for various forms of trademark infringement, claiming that duplicated tickets amount to a fake product bearing the company’s insignias. It is also suing for breach of contract over its claims that SecureMyPass violated the terms of use of the AXS app and website.

La Cura Fest by Carín León will take place for the first time in March, and the Mexican music star announced his first guests on Thursday (Jan. 15). These include Spanish pop star Alejandro Sanz, Mexican music idols Grupo Frontera and country singer and rapper Jelly Roll as headliners, reflecting León’s eclectic musical tastes and versatility.

The lineup also features Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Kany García, Mexican singer-songwriter Kevin Kaarl and country band Midland, with more artists to be announced in the coming weeks.

The event will be held on Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15, at the Expogan in the Mexican city of Hermosillo, Sonora, León’s hometown.

The lineup, in this first phase, includes colleagues and friends of the “La Primera Cita” singer, many of whom he has collaborated with throughout his career. With Sanz, for instance, León recorded hits such as “El Vino de Tu Boca” and “Mil Motivos”; with García, “Te Lo Agradezco”; and with Grupo Frontera, “Que Vuelvas” and “Mutuo.”

In addition to the main stage at the Expogan (Expo Ganadera), there will also be a secondary stage at the venue’s palenque for more intimate shows, according to a press release.

Originally planned as a one-day event, the festival announced a second date after tickets, which went on sale Dec. 5 without the lineup being announced, sold out within hours. Anticipation grew on Dec. 22 when Sanz confirmed his attendance in a video, followed by Grupo Frontera.

Tickets are still available for the second date of La Cura Fest by Carín León, with prices ranging from about $100 to $200.

Here’s the lineup with the artists announced so far:

50 Cent’s intuition and pettiness helped guide him to rap glory. The G-Unit mogul looked back on turning down a million-dollar deal with Universal, which was a blessing that led him to sign with Eminem and Dr. Dre.

50 posted a clip on X on Wednesday (Jan. 14) of the late Irv Gotti talking about how he was trying to block 50’s deal with Universal Music Group over the Queens rapper’s feud with his Murder Inc. label, which operated under the Def Jam/Universal umbrella in the early 2000s.

50 Cent ended up rejecting the alleged $1.3 million offer from Universal. He ended up meeting Eminem, who introduced 50 to Dr. Dre, and, well, the rest is history. 50 signed a million-dollar deal with Shady Records through Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment in 2002.

“[Tony] Yayo did not understand why I wouldn’t do a deal with universal they offered me 1.3 mill and we was broke,” 50 recalled. “I said No yall can keep that. Now you see why I love Eminem so much, if he ran your kid over with a car. I’d say No he didn’t! LOL.”

50 and Em remain close to this day, more than 20 years later, and they’ve teamed up for a handful of collaborations over the years, including “Don’t Push Me,” “Gatman & Robin” and “Patiently Waiting.”

During a 2023 backstage interview with Apple Music’s The Rebecca Judd Show at O2 Arena, 50 revealed that the first purchase he made with his rap money after signing a deal was a Mercedes Benz for his grandma.

“I bought my grandmother a C220 Benz. I’ll never forget because when I got the car, I got it right away is the first thing I bought when the deal was done,” he said.

Things turned out OK for 50, who went on as dominant a run that rap has ever seen in the mid-2000s, while selling millions of albums, topping the charts and notching profitable brand deals.

Even though he’s still not releasing new music and running the charts, 50 remains a pillar of hip-hop culture, and has pivoted to owning spirits brands as well as running his lucrative film/television production company.