Music in gaming, health and niche platforms: opportunities beyond streaming

Music is increasingly being embedded in gaming platforms, health technologies, children’s experiences and niche cultural ecosystems. This article explores how these emerging environments could shape the next phase of music monetisation.

This article is part of Tuned Global’s SXSW series exploring the future of streaming in a superfan era. The series examines four themes shaping the next chapter of the music industry: fan engagement, monetisation beyond streaming, ecosystem integrity and new vertical opportunities.

For more than a decade, the music industry’s growth narrative has been dominated by music streaming platforms.

Streaming now accounts for nearly 70% of global recorded music revenues, according to the IFPI Global Music Report 2025, illustrating how central digital platforms have become to the music industry’s growth.

New subscribers, new territories, new catalogue.

But some of the most promising areas for future music revenue are not new at all — they are simply underdeveloped.

Gaming, health technology, children’s experiences and niche cultural platforms have been discussed for years. Many companies have experimented with them.

Yet despite the conversation, these areas remain significantly underdeveloped compared to their potential. As the music streaming industry matures, these adjacent ecosystems are becoming increasingly important for future growth.

The next phase of music monetisation may not come from new streaming services, but from finally unlocking the value of these adjacent ecosystems.

Gaming: from sync licensing to social music experiences

Gaming has long been considered an opportunity for music, but historically it has been framed through the lens of sync licensing.

A song appears in a game soundtrack. A licensing fee is paid. But that only scratches the surface of what is possible.

As Con Raso, CEO of Tuned Global noted:
“If you move music into the social platform of the gaming experience, it provides real opportunity.”

Modern games are social environments where players spend hours interacting, building identity and forming communities.

Music could evolve into a shared layer inside those environments.

• Artists hosting listening sessions inside games.
• Fans interacting with music while they play.
• Shared music experiences in multiplayer worlds.

The opportunity is not simply soundtrack placement. It is participation.

Industry Insight

As Con Raso, CEO of Tuned Global, notes, embedding licensed music directly into digital environments such as games can create entirely new forms of fan engagement and monetisation.

Interactive music experiences

Music is also increasingly moving into interactive formats.

Instead of simply releasing songs, artists can curate programming, host sessions and interact directly with audiences.

Formats like Social Radio illustrate how artists can create programming for their community, blending music, storytelling and fan interaction into a shared experience.

In these environments, music becomes less about passive listening and more about participation.

Music in health and wellness

Another area that has been explored for years but remains underdeveloped is music in health and wellness.

Research into music’s therapeutic effects continues to grow. Applications range from stroke recovery and cognitive therapy to anxiety reduction and sleep support.

In these contexts, music is not simply entertainment. It becomes part of a treatment or wellbeing framework.

That creates entirely new contexts for music engagement and new commercial relationships between music providers, healthcare technology companies and institutions.

Tuned Global's client, MediMusic is a great example of this trend.

Age-specific music ecosystems

Children’s music platforms represent another important but still evolving category.

Unlike traditional streaming services, these environments must prioritise safety, curated catalogues and age-appropriate discovery systems.

The result is a completely different type of music experience — one that combines entertainment, education and digital wellbeing.

As digital consumption begins earlier in life, these environments will likely play an increasingly important role in how young audiences develop musical identity.

A good example is Gabb Music, a client of Tuned Global.

Cultural and local music platforms

Alongside these verticals, we are also seeing continued growth in platforms built around specific cultural or geographic communities.

Some, such as Tusass in Greenland, focus on indigenous repertoire.
Others, such as Twist music by e& (ex-etisalat) prioritise regional artists who might otherwise disappear inside massive global catalogues.

These platforms highlight an important shift.

“Niche” does not mean small. It means specialised.

And specialised platforms often build deeper engagement and stronger community loyalty than broad global services.

Moving from experimentation to scale

None of these areas are entirely new. What is changing is the maturity of the technology and infrastructure that supports them.

Streaming solved global distribution. The next challenge is enabling music to operate seamlessly inside many different environments.

• Games.
• Devices.
• Communities.
• Health applications.

The industries experimenting with that shift today may define the next decade of music monetisation.

Key takeaways: new music verticals

• Gaming platforms are evolving from soundtrack licensing toward interactive music experiences.
• Health and wellness applications are exploring the therapeutic value of music.
• Children’s music platforms require specialised discovery and safety environments.
• Niche and culturally focused music services are building strong fan communities.

As music becomes embedded across games, health technologies, connected devices and specialised platforms, the infrastructure supporting these experiences will play an increasingly important role.