Information as of October 28, 2026.
At a glance
- What changed: DOVA-SYNDROME, one of Japan’s best-known free BGM sites, has been renamed OpenTracks. The new name and site address took effect on September 15, 2026.
- Who runs it: TRACKS Inc., which took over operation of the service in March 2026.
- Why it matters to VTubers: many Japanese VTubers use the library for stream and video background music, and several overseas VTuber agencies have now partnered with the service.
- Other recent changes: the terms were revised on June 22, 2026 to allow instrumental performances and singing of the tracks, and a first corporate collaboration with Casio produced seven new free tracks on September 29.
A track from the service’s official YouTube channel, which now carries the OpenTracks name.
Background: what DOVA-SYNDROME was
DOVA-SYNDROME is a free BGM (background music) service founded by the composer Takashi Waraya and launched roughly eighteen years ago, according to an interview published by VTuber NewsDrop on October 1, 2026. Creators can use its tracks at no charge, and the library has grown to more than 19,000 tracks plus a catalogue of sound effects. One of its most-used tracks, “Morning” by Sharou, has reportedly been downloaded more than 660,000 times since 2014. In Japan the service is known to many viewers mainly by its pink icon.
The service’s selling points, as its representative director Yuichi Miyagawa describes them, are that the music is free, the catalogue is large, and the tracks are safe to use on YouTube. TRACKS says it has been in direct contact with YouTube since 2015, which it says helps it respond quickly when a copyright problem arises. For streamers, a track that triggers copyright claims is a practical risk, which is why the safety point features in the pitch.
The rename and the ownership change
Operation of the service passed to the management company TRACKS Inc. in March 2026, and the name changed to OpenTracks on September 15, 2026. VTuber NewsDrop’s interview gives three reasons for the new name. First, “DOVA-SYNDROME” was already a registered trademark in several countries. Second, user research in Japan found that many people recognized the service only by its pink icon and were unsure how to pronounce the name. Third, the team feared the old name would be a larger barrier as the service expanded into non-English-speaking regions, and that renaming later, after new features were in wide use, would be harder on users.
The old dova-s.jp address now redirects to opentracks.com, and the official YouTube channel uses the “OpenTracks (formerly DOVA-SYNDROME)” label.
What else has changed in 2026
- Performing and singing allowed (June 22, 2026): the service ended its earlier ban on using tracks for instrumental performances and singing on social platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. The notice said the old restriction had existed to protect composers’ intentions and to avoid the burden of handling individual licence requests, and that free, worry-free use for video creators would not change. It also announced a partnership with a sheet-music service to sell scores of selected songs.
- Casio collaboration (September 29, 2026): TRACKS worked with Casio Computer, which runs the sound platform Waves Place, to release seven free tracks by five composers chosen from OpenTracks applicants. The tracks were deliberately made using only three of Casio’s 1980s keyboard sounds (VL-1, SK-1 and MT-40), and can be used free of charge for commercial or non-commercial purposes under OpenTracks’ licence terms.
- Composer support: OpenTracks says it shares part of its advertising and YouTube channel revenue with composers, but sees that as only one form of support, alongside providing a platform and connecting composers with companies and creators.
Overseas VTubers and agencies
For readers outside Japan, the notable part of the interview is the service’s outreach to English-speaking creators. Miyagawa said several overseas VTuber agencies have partnered with OpenTracks: Glitch Stars, V4Mirai, Aegis-Link, Variance Project and VOGI. He described two goals for these partnerships. One is reassurance, meaning telling English-speaking VTubers the service is safe to use through direct contact with the team, channel whitelisting and licence support. The other is research, learning how overseas creators actually use the music and what problems they face.
Miyagawa said overseas use had grown gradually over about three years, judging from reactions on X, YouTube comments and Content ID usage reports, although the company does not have precise overseas statistics. He also suggested that the anime-style, pop and relaxed “yuru” feel of the catalogue suits VTuber culture, which began in Japan.
What is planned next
According to the interview, planned features include multilingual support, better music discovery, account features such as listening and download history, the ability to follow composers, and closer communication with overseas creator communities. The company’s stated long-term goal is for OpenTracks to be the first place creators outside Japan think of when they need safe, free BGM within two to three years, and for “free BGM” to become recognized internationally as a form of music distribution that grew out of Japanese creator culture.
What we don’t know yet
- When the multilingual site will launch, and which languages will come first.
- Exactly how channel whitelisting works for creators who are not part of a partner agency.
- Whether the broader performance and singing permission applies in the same way to every track; check each track’s page and the current terms before use.
Creators should always read the current terms of use on the official site before relying on any track in a monetized stream or video.
Sources
- VTuber NewsDrop (October 1, 2026): interview on the DOVA-SYNDROME rename to OpenTracks
- OpenTracks: notice on lifting restrictions on music and singing use (June 22, 2026; banner on the rename)
- PR TIMES via Inside Games (September 29, 2026): OpenTracks and Casio free BGM collaboration
- OpenTracks (formerly DOVA-SYNDROME) official YouTube channel
Reviewed by WVR Inoue on October 28, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Thumbnail: おだやかなそら。｜フリーBGM OpenTracks（旧DOVA-SYNDROME） OFFICIAL YouTube CHANNEL by OpenTracks (formerly DOVA-SYNDROME) on YouTube. Shown via YouTube; all rights belong to their owners.
