Avex Trax

Avex Trax
Parent company	Avex Inc.
Founded	September 1990 (September 1990)
Founder	Max Matsuura
Distributor(s)	Avex Entertainment
Genre	Various (mostly J-pop and Dance)
Country of origin	Japan
Location	Minato, Tokyo
Official website	www.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.

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, 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
• 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

Artists

See also: Category:Avex Trax artists and List of artists under the Avex Group

Current

• Aina the End (Since 2018)
• Shinjiro Atae (Since 2016)
• Beverly (Since 2016)
• BoA (Since 2001)
• Bridear (Since 2019)
• BsGirls (Since 2014)
• Chō Tokimeki Sendenbu (Since 2018)
• DA-ICE (Since 2020)
• Do As Infinity (Since 1999)
• et-and (Since 2021)
• Every Little Thing (Since 1996)
• Exo (Since 2015)
• Gems Company (Since 2020)
• Ayumi Hamasaki (Since 1998)
• Satoshi Hayashibe (Since 2016)
• Hirai Dai (Since 2013)
• Chiaki Ito (Since 2018)
• Hitomi Kaji (Since 2016)
• Kamen Rider Girls (Since 2014)
• Keiko (Since 2020)
• Ketsumeishi (Since 2012)
• Kohana Lam (Since 2021)
• kolme (Since 2015)
• lol (Since 2015)
• m.c.A.T (Since 1993)
• Mameshiba no Taigun (Since 2020)
• MaRiNaSu (Since 2021)
• Miyuu (Since 2015)
• mzsrz (Since 2020)
• NCT (Since 2018)
• Nissy (Since 2014)
• onefive (Since 2022)
• One Love One Heart (Since 2022)
• Ai Otsuka (Since 2003)
• Piko Taro (Since 2016)
• Red Velvet (Since 2018)
• SKE48 (Since 2011)
• Shuta Sueyoshi (Since 2017)
• Super Junior (Since 2011)
• Emiko Suzuki (Since 2017)
• Akira Takano (Since 2019)
• Tohoshinki (Since 2011)
• Tokyo Girls' Style (Since 2010)
• Misako Uno (Since 2007)
• Naoya Urata (Since 2017)
• Vicke Blanka (Since 2016)
• Takuro Yoshida (since 2009)
• yukaDD (Since 2023)

B-ME

• Be First (Since 2021)
• Novel Core (Since 2020)
• Sky-Hi (Since 2013-2020 at the main label and 2020-present; co-founder)

Bluestar Records

• MASH (Since 2019)

Love Life Records

• Hitomi (Since 1994-2005 at the main label and 2005-present)

motorod

• Nanase Aikawa (Since 1995)

影別苦須 虎津苦須

• Kishidan (Since 2009)

Former

• Hitomi Shimatani (1999-2021; now under AI.R LAND RECORD/Daiki Sound)

External links

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