KARENT (Vocaloid record label)
KarenT (stylized as KARENT) is an independent record label that is operated by Crypton Future Media and is focused on Vocaloid music distribution. KARENT releases songs via download and streaming platforms such as the iTunes Store, Amazon music, and Spotify, though they also release physical CDs.
The name KARENT is derived from the American futurologist, Alvin Toffler. In this book "The Third Wave", Toffler coined a new term "prosumer" and described that the role of producers and consumers would begin to merge. He had a daughter who supported his work but died at a young age before she could see the world from "The Third World." Her name was Karen Toffler, and Crypton chose the name as they were impressed and inspired by Alvin Toffler's books, so it was a chance to honor his legacy.
A similar distribution site to Crypton's KARENT is RouteR (router.fm) but the major difference is that while RouteR is targeted towards a general audience, KARENT specializes in only Vocaloid songs.
History
Prior to the website's launch, the majority of overseas fans were disappointed that it was difficult to buy Vocaloid music in their own countries as many CDs were Japan-only or the cost of shipping CDs served as a major deterrent. KARENT, which operates in both Japanese and English, was able to bridge this gap by offering fans overseas to buy Vocaloid music directly from their website. All music sold under the label's name is held under their respective producer's copyright, which helps up-and-coming producers produce music with full knowledge that they own all rights.
In March 2009, Piapro started the service and registered the subdomain, http://piapro.jp/karent/ but in June of 2010, KARENT's own domain was registered.
From 2010, the number of downloads from overseas exceeded that of local downloads. The service is especially popular in the United States.
Concerns With Infringement
In 2010, the popular songs Magnet, Just be Friends, Spice, and more were removed from sale on the website due to its associated artwork. Artist Yunomi was accused of plagiarism when it was discovered that she had copied her illustrations from stock images and photographs and had used them as CD albums for KARENT. As such, all artwork from the artist has since been removed.
Fundraising
After the 2011 Touhoku earthquake and tsunami tragedy, a number of Vocaloid-related fundraising drives were started. Crypton Future Media joined many companies in the fundraising, with money that was spent on KARENT releases to be donated to the Japanese Red Cross. Because of the gesture, sales of music jumped tremendously, especially from fans overseas.
Website
There are over 130 musicians signed up to the KARENT label and over 1600 albums that are available for purchase. From the website, users can listen to samples of the song before they buy it, as well as see the lyrics. The website can be sorted by artist, song (latest), Vocaloid, and genres. The service is available in Japanese, English, and Chinese. The website also features special features that discuss upcoming events related to music and its distribution, interviews with already established Vocaloid producers, and original CDs that generally compilations of songs from the website. Furthermore, the news section of the website discusses new releases.
New releases are often posted on their YouTube channel and Twitter account to allow fans globally to quickly consume the song and decide faster whether or not they are willing to purchase it. Additionally, the website is updated as often as daily with new songs.
KARENT has proven itself to be the leading distributor for Vocaloid music and they will often be invited to Hatsune Miku events worldwide to sell music CDs to fans all around the world. However, because most of the items on the website are digital downloads, fans tend to gravitate toward the website rather than visit booths. The ease of purchase is what draws fans to the service time and time again.
Links
Official website
Vocaloidism
Crypton Future Media
Vocaloid Fandom wiki