Avex Trax

{{Infobox record label

| image_name = Avex logo 2017.svg

| parent = Avex Inc.

| founded = {{Start date and age|September 1990}}

| founder = Max Matsuura

| distributor = {{Unbulleted list

| Avex Music Creative (Avex Inc.) (since 1997)

| {{Collapsible list|title=Former distributors

| {{illm|SOHBI Corporation|ja|創美企画}} (1990–1992)

| Nippon Crown Co. Ltd. (1992–1997)

}}

| genre = Various (mostly J-pop and Dance)

| country = Japan

| location = Minato, Tokyo

| url = {{Official URL}}

}}

{{nihongo|Avex Trax|エイベックストラックス|Eibekkusu Torakkusu|lead=yes}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.avex.co.jp/e_site/group/history.html|title=Avex Group {{!}} About Avex Group {{!}} History|website=Avex Inc.|access-date=May 22, 2010}}

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).{{Cite web |date=2023-11-16 |title=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 |url=https://president.jp/articles/-/75520 |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=President Online (プレジデントオンライン) |language=ja}}{{Cite web |date=2015-01-15 |title=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 |url=https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/geino/156396 |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=日刊ゲンダイDigital}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=鈴木亜美のプロフィール・作品情報 |url=https://natalie.mu/music/artist/137 |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=音楽ナタリー |language=ja}} It also appealed to artists not content with their current labels (e.g. Gackt from Nippon Crown).{{Cite web |date=2010-04-17 |title=Gackt、エイベックスへの移籍を発表 |url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000060280 |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=BARKS |language=ja}}

Formerly distributed by {{illm|Sohbi Corporation|ja|創美企画}} until 1992{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/label/287358-SOHBI-Corporation|title=SOHBI Corporation (Label)|website=Discogs|accessdate=April 15, 2023}} 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 {{illm|BMSG|ja|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
{{illm|Frame (record label) {{!}} Frame|ja|FRAME (レコードレーベル)}} - joint venture with Level-5
影別苦須虎津苦須 – Kishidan's vanity label