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Nintendo Launches Music Streaming App for Switch Online Subscribers

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Nintendo has released Nintendo Music, a new music streaming app that gives Nintendo Switch Online subscribers access to soundtracks from the company's extensive game library.

nintendo-music-app.jpg

The app features music from popular Nintendo franchises including Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Splatoon. Songs are organized by game, character, and themed playlists like "boss battles" and "victory themes." Nintendo has also included mood-based playlists featuring relaxing or upbeat tracks.

There's a spoiler prevention feature that allows users to hide soundtracks from games they haven't completed, thereby avoiding potential story reveals through music. The app also includes an extended play function that can loop selected tracks for up to 60 minutes of continuous playback.

Nintendo Music supports both streaming and offline listening through downloads, and users can create custom playlists in addition to accessing Nintendo's curated collections. Character-specific playlists are available as well, such as a collection of K.K. Slider's performances from Animal Crossing.

Access to Nintendo Music requires an active Nintendo Switch Online membership, but it can be used by members on a free trial. The service is additionally available to all users included in a Switch Online Family membership plan.

The app's release comes as Nintendo has taken a stricter stance on unofficial uploads of its music to platforms like YouTube, indicating this may be part of a strategy to provide official access to its game soundtracks. Nintendo Music is available now as a free download on the App Store in supported regions. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Nintendo Launches Music Streaming App for Switch Online Subscribers
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/31/nintendo-music-app-for-switch-online-subscribers/
I don’t hate the idea of and I appreciate all the work that went into it, the curation, the spoiler toggle… but also fear they’ll start takedowns on YT playlists, and I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t just dump their stuff on apple music or Spotify and make a ton of easy money. Why go through all this?
 
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PruneTracy said:
I don’t hate the idea of and I appreciate all the work that went into it, the curation, the spoiler toggle… but also fear they’ll start takedowns on YT playlists, and I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t just dump their stuff on apple music or Spotify and make a ton of easy money. Why go through all this?
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More control. Nintendo have already curated their own playlists and added features to the app that make it a unique experience.
 
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Nintendo jumping into the streaming music business is a little like Sonos suddenly jumping into the bluetooth headphone business, but worse.
 
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PruneTracy said:
I don’t hate the idea of and I appreciate all the work that went into it, the curation, the spoiler toggle… but also fear they’ll start takedowns on YT playlists, and I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t just dump their stuff on apple music or Spotify and make a ton of easy money. Why go through all this?
Click to expand...
Probably easier this way to check for an active Nintendo Online account.
 
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Veeper said:
Nintendo jumping into the streaming music business is a little like Sonos suddenly jumping into the bluetooth headphone business, but worse.
Click to expand...
What’s strange though is it requires a Nintendo online account. And I HIGHLY doubt anyone will be signing up for an account to use this service. It’s going to be used by people who already pay monthly for NSO.
So to forgo passive easy money on other platforms, they’re spending money to… not earn more money… 🤷‍♂️
 
PruneTracy said:
I don’t hate the idea of and I appreciate all the work that went into it, the curation, the spoiler toggle… but also fear they’ll start takedowns on YT playlists, and I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t just dump their stuff on apple music or Spotify and make a ton of easy money. Why go through all this?
Click to expand...
Seems kind of obvious now. They want to use this as another perk to sell Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions. I love those playlists too, but they're on borrowed time now.
 
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JonathanX64 said:
You either fully support abolishing copyright, patent systems, trademark laws, and all related garbage, or you accept and enjoy this. There is no middle ground.
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As great as a lot of Nintendo music is, thankfully Square, Capcom, Falcom, and Konami have all the best music libraries. Nintendo is definitely behind all of them…
 
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PruneTracy said:
I don’t hate the idea of and I appreciate all the work that went into it, the curation, the spoiler toggle… but also fear they’ll start takedowns on YT playlists, and I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t just dump their stuff on apple music or Spotify and make a ton of easy money. Why go through all this?
Click to expand...
Due to differences in Japan and US copyright law, Nintendo has always been hesitant to publish any music in the US as it would mean losing control over how the composition is used. This app is actually a pretty clever workaround as it bypasses alot of the traditional music publishing avenues, and as it can only be accessed via this software, they can still argue that the music is only sound intended to be heard in the software and not published as a standalone piece of music.

Whatever money Nintendo stands to make from music streaming and downloads in the west is a drop in the bucket compared to their actual bread and butter of gaming hardware/software. It’s not even worth their concern as far as they see it, and definitely not worth something like the Zelda theme becoming available under something like a compulsory license.

Nintendo has always been good about releasing their soundtracks in Japan, and they’ve been readily available for anyone with the means and will to import - something that’s only gotten easier and cheaper in the modern age of global e-commerce and the internet.
 
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PruneTracy said:
What’s strange though is it requires a Nintendo online account. And I HIGHLY doubt anyone will be signing up for an account to use this service. It’s going to be used by people who already pay monthly for NSO.
So to forgo passive easy money on other platforms, they’re spending money to… not earn more money… 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
Releasing on Spotify and such is actually not very lucrative. Plus, Nintendo’s goal is not just to make a quick buck, but to cultivate its Online Subscription by expanding its benefits and getting more and more people on board. Plus, the extra control they have over their own app and catalog is something they always like.
 
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First an alarm clock and now a music streaming service?

I don't see the point of either, but I love the "outside the box" thinking by Nintendo.

The world is a better place when not every company is run by beancounters and management consultants.
 
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My experience of it so far is very good. They've got the soundtrack for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet on there and it matches my copy of the CD soundtrack for it from Japan, albeit the app is missing 9 tracks. It's also nice to get the English track titles to a lot of these soundtracks which previously as stated were only released in Japan.

A lot of these tracks haven't been officially released in the west, which is very good. It's the first time the music from the Booster Course Pass for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have been released for example. And these aren't just low quality rips from games, these are the master recordings and they all sound great. It's also great to get the Wii Channel music, which once again is the first time these have been officially released.

It would be great if they put them all on Apple Music or Spotify but I guess this is Nintendo and it does give another incentive to subscribe to NSO.

My only real gripe with it is they have not credited any composer of any of the music at all on there. For example the artist for the Pokemon soundtrack is just 'Pokemon Scarlet & Violet' whereas there was about 5/6 composers who worked on the soundtrack. This really needs to be rectified.
 
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Nintendo is out here launching anything BUT the Switch 2!

On a side note, it sure would be cool to see an Apple portable game system at some point. I know they probably would never do it but it’s just cool to imagine a little M4 Max powered system that can play all the games from both iOS and Mac OS and connects to Apple TV to play on the big screen.
 
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PruneTracy said:
What’s strange though is it requires a Nintendo online account. And I HIGHLY doubt anyone will be signing up for an account to use this service. It’s going to be used by people who already pay monthly for NSO.
So to forgo passive easy money on other platforms, they’re spending money to… not earn more money… 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...

It's $20 a year. It's the cheapest paid streaming service around now.
 
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