Sony Music Group has reported record-breaking quarterly earnings, marking a significant milestone for the Japanese entertainment giant, as surging music streaming revenues and the global success of its anime property Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle boosted performance across its media divisions.
According to results released on Tuesday, Sony Music’s overall sales climbed 21% year-on-year to 542.4 billion yen ($3.65 billion), while operating income jumped 28% to 115.4 billion yen ($776 million) for the quarter ending September 30. The robust performance prompted Sony’s Tokyo-based parent company to raise its annual earnings forecast, citing continued momentum in its music and visual media segments.
Executives now project music division sales to reach 1.98 trillion yen ($13.3 billion) this fiscal year, up 6% from previous estimates, and operating income to hit 385 billion yen ($2.6 billion) — a 7% upward revision. Overall, Sony raised its fiscal 2025 forecast by 3% to 12 trillion yen ($80.7 billion), asserting that U.S. tariff policies would have no major impact on its outlook.
A major contributor to the record quarter was the runaway success of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle, which has become both a cultural and financial phenomenon. The film, co-produced through Sony’s Visual Media & Platform unit and distributed by Toho in Japan and Sony Pictures’ Crunchyroll internationally, has drawn over 77 million viewers worldwide, generating 94.8 billion yen ($637 million) in box office receipts as of mid-October.
Sony executives highlighted the achievement as a prime example of how the conglomerate’s cross-divisional synergy — combining in-house production, global distribution, and creative partnerships — can maximize the value of its intellectual properties. The company drew parallels to Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters, which currently holds the No. 2 spots on both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 charts with its soundtrack and hit single “Golden.”
In addition to anime-driven success, Sony Music’s streaming revenues surged 12% in recorded music and 25% in publishing, underscoring the ongoing shift toward digital consumption. The New York-based Sony Music Group, which manages top global artists like SZA, Bad Bunny, Bruce Springsteen, Tyler, the Creator, and Tate McRae, reported double-digit growth across both sales and operating income.
Recorded music revenues rose 10.5% to 321 billion yen ($2.16 billion), buoyed by a 7% rise in physical sales, while publishing revenues climbed 16% to 106 billion yen ($721.7 million). Meanwhile, Sony’s Visual Media & Platform division — which oversees anime, games, and entertainment content — saw a remarkable 70% year-on-year jump to 106 billion yen ($712.7 million).
With both its streaming and entertainment arms firing on all cylinders, Sony’s latest results reaffirm its strong position at the intersection of music, media, and technology — signaling that the company’s creative synergy strategy is paying off handsomely.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Sony Music’s record-breaking earnings were driven by booming streaming revenues and the global success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, reinforcing Sony’s strength in combining music, anime, and entertainment to boost overall profits.
