Avex Trax is a record label owned by Japanese entertainment conglomerate Avex Inc. The label was launched in September 1990, and was the first label by the Group.
History
Two years after Max Matsuura began a career distributing studio albums from other countries, he and his two Avex co-founders, Tom Yoda and Ken Suzuki, decided to found their own label. Aiming to compete with more established labels such as Nippon Columbia, Nippon Crown, BMG Victor, Victor Musical Industries, Toshiba-EMI, CBS/Sony, Teichiku Records, King Records, Nippon Phonogram and PolyGram K.K., they created the Avex Trax label.
The first artist to sign to the label was the band TRF, which became a success. This led to Avex Trax becoming a "house of refuge" for artists who had left their former labels (e.g. Ayumi Hamasaki from Nippon Columbia, Namie Amuro from Toshiba-EMI, Ami Suzuki from Sony Music Japan).234 It also appealed to artists not content with their current labels (e.g. Gackt from Nippon Crown).5
Formerly distributed by Sohbi Corporation [ja] until 19926 and then by the Nippon Crown label from 1992 on, in 1997 Avex became a self-distributed label together with Cutting Edge, which was formerly distributed by Toshiba-EMI.
Sub-labels
Current
- B-ME – joint venture with BMSG [ja]
- Bluestar Records (Since 2019) – formerly a sub-label of Cutting Edge
- Love Life Records – Hitomi's private label
- motorod (Since 2002) – formerly a sub-label of Cutting Edge
- Frame [ja] - joint venture with Level-5
- 影別苦須 虎津苦須 – Kishidan's vanity label
Defunct
- J-Friends Project (1997–2003) – joint venture with Johnny & Associates
Notable artists
See also: Category:Avex Trax artists and List of artists under the Avex Group
| Groups | Soloists |
Labels
B-ME
Bluestar Records
- MASH [ja]
Love Life Records
motorod
影別苦須 虎津苦須
Former artists
Groups Soloists DuosJ-Friends Project
motorod
Notes
External links
- Official website (in Japanese)
- Parent Company website (in Japanese)
- Avex Trax discography at Discogs
- Avex Trax at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
References
"Avex Group | About Avex Group | History". Avex Inc. Retrieved May 22, 2010. http://www.avex.co.jp/e_site/group/history.html ↩
"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. https://president.jp/articles/-/75520 ↩
"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. https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/geino/156396 ↩
"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. https://natalie.mu/music/artist/137 ↩
"Gackt、エイベックスへの移籍を発表". BARKS (in Japanese). 2010-04-17. Retrieved 2024-10-17. https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000060280 ↩
"SOHBI Corporation (Label)". Discogs. Retrieved April 15, 2023. https://www.discogs.com/label/287358-SOHBI-Corporation ↩
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