Avex Trax

GenreVarious (mostly J-pop and Dance)Country of originJapanLocationMinato, TokyoOfficial websitewww.avexnet.jp

Avex Trax (Japanese: エイベックス トラックス, Hepburn: Eibekkusu Torakkusu) 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.^[1]

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 either ended contracts with their former labels (e.g. Namie Amuro, Ami Suzuki). It also appealed to artists not content with their current labels (e.g. Gackt).

Formerly distributed by the Nippon Crown label excluding several early releases from 1990 to 1992 which were distributed by SOHBI Corporation [ja],^[2] in 1997 it 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
• 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

Labels

B-ME

• Be First
• Novel Core
• Sky-Hi

Bluestar Records

• MASH [ja]

Love Life Records

• Hitomi

motorod

• Nanase Aikawa

影別苦須 虎津苦須

• Kishidan

Former artists

Groups

• AAA
• After School

Soloists

• Sae Ōtsuka
• Hitomi Shimatani
• Namie Amuro

J-Friends Project

• J-Friends

motorod

• Dead End
• Janne Da Arc
• Oblivion Dust

Notes

References

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Parent Company website (in Japanese)
• Avex Trax discography at Discogs
• Avex Trax at Anime News Network's encyclopedia