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Avex Trax
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>Two years after <a href="/facts/Max_Matsuura/60fvmrnR">Max Matsuura</a> began a career distributing <a href="/facts/Studio_album/WFW6z2fj">studio albums</a> from other countries, he and his two Avex co-founders, <a href="/facts/Tom_Yoda/cYTDQSKj">Tom Yoda</a> and Ken Suzuki, decided to found their own label. Aiming to compete with more established labels such as <a href="/facts/Columbia_Music_Entertainment/BJgUsYpP">Nippon Columbia</a>, <a href="/facts/Nippon_Crown/weFz4fq7">Nippon Crown</a>, <a href="/facts/BMG_Victor/NVcseRzf">BMG Victor</a>, <a href="/facts/Victor_Musical_Industries/FwnSQLFF">Victor Musical Industries</a>, <a href="/facts/Toshiba-EMI/WVkcD6jV">Toshiba-EMI</a>, <a href="/facts/Sony_Music_Japan/DshbF68Y">CBS/Sony</a>, <a href="/facts/Teichiku_Records/kRXLnhEa">Teichiku Records</a>, <a href="/facts/King_Records_(Japan)/fv0ccxc1">King Records</a>, <a href="/facts/Universal_Music_Japan/cKAMe7C2">Nippon Phonogram and PolyGram K.K.</a>, they created the Avex Trax label. </p><p>The first artist to sign to the label was the band <a href="/facts/TRF_(group)/RU8adzSJ">TRF</a>, which became a success. This led to Avex Trax becoming a "house of refuge" for artists who had left their former labels (e.g. <a href="/facts/Ayumi_Hamasaki/4uf5WQpE">Ayumi Hamasaki</a> from Nippon Columbia, <a href="/facts/Namie_Amuro/RYxLKtVV">Namie Amuro</a> from Toshiba-EMI, <a href="/facts/Ami_Suzuki/DvKC8CNq">Ami Suzuki</a> from <a href="/facts/Sony_Music_Entertainment_Japan/DshbF68Y">Sony Music Japan</a>).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> It also appealed to artists not content with their current labels (e.g. <a href="/facts/Gackt/XIjjFkd6">Gackt</a> from Nippon Crown).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p><p>Formerly distributed by Sohbi Corporation [ja] until 1992<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> and then by the Nippon Crown label from 1992 on, in 1997 Avex became a self-distributed label together with <a href="/facts/Cutting_Edge_(record_label)/z6om4Nud">Cutting Edge</a>, which was formerly distributed by Toshiba-EMI. </p> <h2 id="sub-labels">Sub-labels</h2> <h3>Current</h3> <ul><li>B-ME – <a href="/facts/Joint_venture/f2Fv8QqA">joint venture</a> with BMSG [ja]</li> <li>Bluestar Records (Since 2019) – formerly a sub-label of <a href="/facts/Cutting_Edge_(record_label)/z6om4Nud">Cutting Edge</a></li> <li>Love Life Records – <a href="/facts/Hitomi_(singer)/zAGWWpUo">Hitomi</a>'s <a href="/facts/Vanity_label/PNDrDjvE">private label</a></li> <li>motorod (Since 2002) – formerly a sub-label of <a href="/facts/Cutting_Edge_(record_label)/z6om4Nud">Cutting Edge</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Frame_(record_label)/lQw6t99Y"> Frame</a> [ja] - joint venture with <a href="/facts/Level-5_(company)/38A2JTNe">Level-5</a></li> <li>影別苦須 虎津苦須 – <a href="/facts/Kishidan/KuRlCCV9">Kishidan</a>'s vanity label</li></ul> <h3>Defunct</h3> <ul><li>J-Friends Project (1997–2003) – joint venture with <a href="/facts/Johnny_%2526_Associates/nrTuBmVD">Johnny & Associates</a></li></ul> <h2 id="notable-artists">Notable artists</h2> <p class="note">See also: Category:Avex Trax artists and <a href="/facts/List_of_artists_under_the_Avex_Group/wlSvhdKL">List of artists under the Avex Group</a></p> <table><tbody><tr><td>Groups<ul><li><a href="/facts/%40onefive/2Cqn0up7">@onefive</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Boku_ga_Mitakatta_Aozora/nzV79pd7">Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Bridear/5dF38jv7">Bridear</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Ch%25C5%258D_Tokimeki_Sendenbu/A9BCGg3U">Chō Tokimeki Sendenbu</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Da-ice/JY8DVcbX">DA-ICE</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Do_As_Infinity/Wom8Aze2">Do As Infinity</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Every_Little_Thing_(band)/8xN3DFqR">Every Little Thing</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Exo/gQjCsTL5">Exo</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></li><li>GENIC</li><li><a href="/facts/Kamen_Rider_Girls/J3Yhw3Wu">Kamen Rider Girls</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Ketsumeishi/1DUqrdgk">Ketsumeishi</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Kolme_(group)/CTUp3CTo">kolme</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Lol_(Japanese_group)/R7HLfEUC">lol</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Mameshiba_no_Taigun/K6gWMhzx">Mameshiba no Taigun</a></li><li><a href="/facts/NCT_(group)/mzPzCPlG">NCT</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a></li><li><a href="/facts/Red_Velvet_(group)/8jL6T3fM">Red Velvet</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a></li><li><a href="/facts/SKE48/wQLLULJv">SKE48</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Super_Junior/HhjjeCvN">Super Junior</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a></li><li><a href="/facts/TRF_(group)/RU8adzSJ">TRF</a></li><li><a href="/facts/TVXQ/EsToDRz7">Tohoshinki</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></li><li><a href="/facts/Tokyo_Girls%2527_Style/m8BVJ6xy">Tokyo Girls' Style</a></li></ul></td><td>Soloists<ul><li><a href="/facts/Aina_the_End/ttpVf70Y">Aina the End</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Shinjiro_Atae/t7Dhemy5">Shinjiro Atae</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Beverly_(singer)/gv3fAD7V">Beverly</a></li><li><a href="/facts/BoA/0XIAl6My">BoA</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a></li><li><a href="/facts/Che%2527Nelle/F19jyTF1">Che'Nelle</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Ayumi_Hamasaki/4uf5WQpE">Ayumi Hamasaki</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Chiaki_Ito/WaJEsBl6">Chiaki Ito</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Hitomi_Kaji/Ik5GRUEo">Hitomi Kaji</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Keiko_(singer%2c_born_1985)/cIDdTLDh">Keiko</a></li><li><a href="/facts/M.c.A.T/TScHvozA">m.c.A.T</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Michael_Fortunati/9EMAaalv">Michael Fortunati</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Takahiro_Nishijima/E4SCy1u8">Nissy</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Seiko_Oomori/C1tk0Lad">Seiko Oomori</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Ai_Otsuka/ddrBsNN2">Ai Otsuka</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Daimaou_Kosaka/2870e8F1">Pikotaro</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Shuta_Sueyoshi/DnRMoDJe">Shuta Sueyoshi</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Misako_Uno/E86rU0hf">Misako Uno</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Naoya_Urata/Ppk8MCG9">Naoya Urata</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Takuro_Yoshida/tn9R6sbK">Takuro Yoshida</a></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Labels</h3> <h4>B-ME</h4> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Be_First/14IsHMHV">Be First</a></li> <li>Novel Core</li> <li><a href="/facts/Mitsuhiro_Hidaka/pKgtfyEc">Sky-Hi</a></li></ul> <h4>Bluestar Records</h4> <ul><li>MASH [ja]</li></ul> <h4>Love Life Records</h4> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Hitomi_(singer)/zAGWWpUo">Hitomi</a></li></ul> <h4>motorod</h4> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Nanase_Aikawa/3ngH5UUK">Nanase Aikawa</a></li></ul> <h4>影別苦須 虎津苦須</h4> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Kishidan/KuRlCCV9">Kishidan</a></li></ul> <h2 id="former-artists">Former artists</h2> Groups <ul><li><a href="/facts/AAA_(band)/wvVeAWlm">AAA</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/After_School_(group)/Y7oDKvaI">After School</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Sweets_(group)/79tTEJnD">SweetS</a></li></ul> Soloists <ul><li><a href="/facts/Sae_%25C5%258Ctsuka/rYRKEwpk">Sae Ōtsuka</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Hitomi_Shimatani/qEoCWLGf">Hitomi Shimatani</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Namie_Amuro/RYxLKtVV">Namie Amuro</a></li></ul> Duos <ul><li><a href="/facts/Soul_Control/9wlk9gmM">Soul Control</a></li></ul> <h3>J-Friends Project</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/J-Friends/qMUB45fD">J-Friends</a></li></ul> <h3>motorod</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Dead_End_(band)/U1BaVN57">Dead End</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Janne_Da_Arc/mEaJQIDF">Janne Da Arc</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Oblivion_Dust/cCflFRSg">Oblivion Dust</a></li></ul> <h2 id="notes">Notes</h2> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://www.avexnet.jp/">Official website</a> (in Japanese)</li> <li><a href="http://www.avex.co.jp/">Parent Company website</a> (in Japanese)</li> <li><a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/Avex+Trax">Avex Trax</a> discography at <a href="/facts/Discogs/wdyMoREv">Discogs</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=556">Avex Trax</a> at <a href="/facts/Anime_News_Network/fEL6hKHM">Anime News Network</a>'s encyclopedia</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Avex Group | About Avex Group | History". Avex Inc. Retrieved May 22, 2010. <a href="http://www.avex.co.jp/e_site/group/history.html" target="_blank">http://www.avex.co.jp/e_site/group/history.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"なぜ浜崎あゆみは平成で最も売れた女性歌手になったのか...ファンの心を一気につかんだラジオ番組での告白 若さ特有の孤独や不安を､歌に昇華させた". President Online (プレジデントオンライン) (in Japanese). 2023-11-16. Retrieved 2024-10-17. <a href="https://president.jp/articles/-/75520" target="_blank">https://president.jp/articles/-/75520</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"業界は冷ややか...安室奈美恵"エイベックス移籍"の全舞台裏". 日刊ゲンダイDigital. 2015-01-15. Retrieved 2024-10-17. <a href="https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/geino/156396" target="_blank">https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/geino/156396</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"鈴木亜美のプロフィール・作品情報". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-10-17. <a href="https://natalie.mu/music/artist/137" target="_blank">https://natalie.mu/music/artist/137</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Gackt、エイベックスへの移籍を発表". BARKS (in Japanese). 2010-04-17. Retrieved 2024-10-17. <a href="https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000060280" target="_blank">https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000060280</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"SOHBI Corporation (Label)". Discogs. Retrieved April 15, 2023. <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/287358-SOHBI-Corporation" target="_blank">https://www.discogs.com/label/287358-SOHBI-Corporation</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Japanese distribution <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Japanese distribution <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Japanese distribution <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Japanese distribution <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Japanese distribution <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Japanese distribution <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>