Last Updated on 2024-11-10 by a-indie
To Our Readers
Thank you for always reading our articles. I’m Tomohiro Yabe, Editor-in-Chief.
Today, I’d like to share with you our new initiatives. While this may be a bit long, I would appreciate if you could read it through to the end.
Facing an Era of Change
Text: Tomohiro Yabe Tool Used: Claude Proofreading & Editing: Tomohiro Yabe (BELONG Editor-in-Chief)
The music industry is currently in the midst of major changes. Technological advancement is fundamentally changing how music is created and experienced.
It’s precisely at this moment that we at BELONG Media/A-indie have decided to start a new project.
First, let me tell you about our new concept.
About Our New Concept
“Enhancing the Resolution of Musical Encounters”
BELONG Media/A-indie is launching new initiatives to make encounters with music more vivid and profound.
While we have previously based our approach on “Roots Rock Media,” exploring artists’ roots, we will now be expanding with new endeavors.
The core of our concept “Enhancing the Resolution of Musical Encounters” lies in carefully exploring artists’ creative backgrounds, roots, and intentions behind their works, presenting music to listeners in a more three-dimensional way.
Additionally, as a new initiative, we will be utilizing AI as a new tool.
AI will be used solely as a means to achieve our goal of “enhancing resolution.” While maintaining our traditional interview-based approach, we aim to create more vivid musical encounters by incorporating AI as a new tool.
About the New Project
BELONG Media/A-indie is launching a new project called “Jingle Jungle Range Town.” The purpose of this project is to deliver indie music we love to a wider audience.
To achieve this, we will enhance reader participation programs that we have wanted to implement but haven’t been able to until now.
Additionally, by incorporating AI perspectives, we will create entry points into the increasingly complex world of indie music and convey its appeal in an easy-to-understand way. Project details will be announced on November 25.
– Name: Jingle Jungle Range Town
– Organizer: BELONG Media/A-indie
– Start Date: November 25, 2024 (Monday) 12:00
– Purpose: To communicate the appeal of indie music to a broader audience of listeners
What Will Happen to the Current Content?
As mentioned earlier, starting something new doesn’t mean we’re stopping our current activities. We will continue with our existing content, including musician interviews, just as before.
These will remain our core focus going forward.
Why Are We Starting Something New?
1. Gaining New Perspectives: By incorporating AI viewpoints, we will create entry points into complex indie music and communicate its appeal in an accessible way
2. Creating Media Together with Readers: We aim to become an interactive medium where we can think together with readers and enable two-way communication
3. Reaching New Readers: We aim to develop new indie music listeners and reach a broader readership
Future Developments
Regarding the details of the new project, we plan to release 13 days of teasers on social media, followed by two press releases (Range Town News).
We look forward to hearing your opinions and questions after each release. Please share your honest thoughts with us.
Main Story Released as a Teaser
BELONG Media will release the main story of the new project as a teaser on X from Monday, November 12, 2024, to Sunday, November 24, 2024.
Posts will be published at 12:00 PM each day. All images shared in these posts will be AI-generated.
Additionally, after the project’s full launch on November 25, we plan to expand the X account for the new project (Jingle Jungle Range Town).
Range Town Newsletter (Press Release) Publication
1. First Issue: Monday, November 25, 2024, 12:00 PM
• Project details and main story release
• New music column launch
• Details on reader participation
• Newsletter launch information
• Future developments
2. Second Issue: Monday, December 9, 2024, 12:00 PM
• Announcement about premium articles
• Year’s best singles coverage
• Comment submission campaign
• Open letter (project progress)
• Editor-in-Chief interview (Interviewer: Yuki Takita)
• Future developments
AI Usage Guidelines
BELONG Media/A-indie has established guidelines for AI implementation. These guidelines aim to demonstrate our responsibility as a fair and neutral music media outlet in AI operations. For more details, please visit the link below.
BELONG Media/A-indie AI Usage Guidelines
Final Words
Thank you for always reading our articles. And to the artists and industry professionals, thank you for your continued support with interviews and assistance.
We’ve been running this music media for 10 years and have interviewed over 100 artists.
However, we’ve come to realize that we may have unconsciously been creating content that’s too focused on musically knowledgeable listeners.
For listeners who are just starting to learn about music, the current indie music scene can be overwhelming with too many genres and countless artists, making it difficult to know where to begin.
As staff members, we hadn’t noticed this issue. We thought it might be beneficial to shift our perspective and learn from the viewpoint of newcomers to music through the use of AI technology.
To be honest, we have some concerns about this new initiative. However, we believe it’s both interesting and necessary to actively participate in the future where music and new technology converge.
The success of this project depends on your voices. Please review our new content and share your opinions freely. Your feedback will be crucial in determining our direction.
We will continue to explore music’s appeal and deliver new value. Please join us in this new endeavor. Let’s create a new form of music media together.
We look forward to your continued support of BELONG Media/A-indie.
BELONG Media/A-indie Editor-in-Chief
Tomohiro Yabe
Q&A Session
Q1: Why are you changing direction?
A1: Rather than changing direction, we’re returning to our roots while significantly expanding. The music industry is currently experiencing major changes, particularly due to AI and digital technology. We want to not only adapt to these changes but also use these technologies to convey the appeal of indie music to more listeners.
Q2: What will happen to the existing content (interviews, news articles, etc.)?
A2: We will continue with our existing content unchanged. The content we’ve valued, such as interviews with indie musicians, will remain the same. New projects will be developed in addition to this existing content.
Q3: Is this project temporary or a long-term initiative?
A3: The new project is planned as a long-term initiative. We see it as a major challenge that will continue for 5-10 years. However, we will flexibly adjust the project’s direction and content based on your feedback, changes in the music industry, and technological advances.
Q4: Will the new content be paid?
A4: Currently, we plan to provide new content for free, but we may consider making some content paid in the future. Paid content is being considered as one way to sustainably provide higher quality content.
Q5: Will BELONG Media/A-indie’s independence and editorial policy change?
A5: We will maintain our independence and fair editorial policy as before. There will be no changes to these principles as we begin the new project.
Q6: Will you start covering non-music content?
A6: Music will remain our central theme. However, we plan to cover technology and cultural elements closely related to music more broadly. While keeping music at the core, we’ll also look at various elements surrounding it.
Q7: How will the project’s progress and results be shared?
A7: We plan to share the project’s progress and results through monthly open letters to readers. These open letters will communicate project developments and outcomes. We will maintain open communication with everyone.
About BELONG Media/A-indie
BELONG Media is an indie music media outlet that started in 2012. We cover indie music from around the world, including Japan and overseas. In 2021, we appeared as a guest on J-WAVE’s “SONAR MUSIC.” In 2022, we launched “A-indie,” an English-language sister site focusing on Asian music.
- BELONG Media: [https://belongmedia.net/]
- A-indie: [https://a-indie.com/]
- x(BELONG Media): [https://x.com/BELONG_Media]
- x(Jingle Jungle Range Town Project): [https://x.com/JingleJungleRT]
- Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/belong_media]
- Link List: [https://linktr.ee/belong_media]
- Contact regarding this matter: BELONG Media/A-indie Email: [belongmagazine1967＠gmail.com](Please change “＠” to “@”)
Writer: Tomohiro Yabe (yabori)
Editor-in-Chief of BELONG Media/A-indie. Started writing a music blog “Timeless Masterpiece” in 2010, which became the predecessor of BELONG.
After writing for “only in dreams” hosted by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION’s vocalist Masafumi Gotoh, he studied music business at a music vocational school.
Has been writing about Japanese and international music for over 10 years.
Previously worked at a music CD rental shop with over 100,000 album titles, specializing in garage rock, psychedelic rock, and Japanese indie rock.
Using these experiences, he has published 26 issues of “BELONG Magazine,” a music magazine focused on “roots rock.”
Currently writing articles based on SEO strategies learned at a web development company. His hobby is watching “Kaiken! Nandemo Kantei-dan.”
You can find his previous articles here
Twitter: @boriboriyabori
- is a music media platform run by BELONG, a Japanese music organization. We publish music articles with a focus on Asian indie music.