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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). It also appealed to artists not content with their current labels (e.g. Gackt from Nippon Crown ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avex Inc
Avex Inc. ( kabushiki gaisha , commonly known as Avex and stylized as avex) is a Japanese entertainment conglomerate led by founder Max Matsuura and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1988, the company manages J-pop talents like Ayumi Hamasaki, TVXQ! and internet sensation PikoTaro. It has also shifted into other business domains like anime, video games and live music events, partnering with Ultra Music Festival and hosting the annual A-nation. The company is a member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) ''keiretsu''. Name AVEX is an acronym of the English words Audio Visual EXpert. Since its foundation, its corporate name was Avex D.D., Incorporated, and ten years later it was changed to Avex, Incorporated. The current name, Avex Group Holdings, Incorporated, was adopted in 2004 as part of reconstruction process after Tom Yoda's resignation. Avex Group Holdings, Incorporated was used for the main subsidiaries, while the old name (Avex, Incorporated) was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
TRF (group)
TRF (an abbreviation of TK Rave Factory) is a Japanese pop band. Its members are DJ Koo, Sam, Etsu, Yu-ki and Chiharu. History The band debuted as "trf" in 1993. From 1994 to 1995, the band released five singles produced by Tetsuya Komuro, each selling over a million copies under the Avex record label. In 1995, their song "Overnight Sensation: Jidai wa Anata ni Yudaneteru" received a Japan Record Award. The following year, the band changed their name to an all-capital "TRF" with their single "Hey! Ladies & Gentlemen". Yu-ki did voice acting for the children's animation movie '' Elmer's Adventure: My Father's Dragon'', for which she sang the opening theme song as well. She also performed the opening song to the 2006 Tokusatsu series ''Kamen Rider Kabuto'' as well as several variants of it. Chiharu worked on the choreography for J-pop singer Shizuka Kudō, and appeared in a drama as herself. Sam was married to popstar and protégé of Tetsuya Komuro, Namie Amuro, in 1997, who ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny & Associates
was a Japanese talent agency formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962, which managed groups of male idols known as The company had a significant impact on pop culture with male idols and boy bands in Japan since the 1980s. Until 2019, the company was known for its strict policies regarding music distribution abroad and its strict control over the right of publicity to using the likeness of idols under its management. In the wake of continuing sexual abuse allegations directed against Kitagawa, who died in 2019, his niece, Julie Keiko Fujishima, stepped down as president in September 2023. On October 2, 2023, Johnny & Associates announced that they would be splitting into two entities: Smile-Up, a firm focused on reparations for Kitagawa's sexual abuse cases, and Starto Entertainment, a talent agency managing the acts that had been managed under Johnny & Associates. History 1962–1989 In 1962, Kitagawa launched his first group, Johnnys. In its early days, Kitagawa's agency rente ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kishidan
is a Japanese rock band. They have a retro image, wearing Japanese school uniforms in the style of bōsōzoku. The lead singer, Sho Ayanokoji (often styled as "Show Ayanocozey"), was DJ Ozma, until he retired in December 2008. Kishidan announced a "comeback", after a three-year break, on January 27, 2009. The band had never officially split up, but had been taking a break while Show and Hikaru were working on the DJ Ozma side project. Their song, ''Omae Dattanda'' released on November 10, 2009, was used for the 11th ending theme song for Naruto Shippuden. They are signed to Avex Trax (影別苦須 虎津苦須 sub-label) and are managed by Sony Music Artists. Their song, ''Warera Omou, Yue ni Warera Ari'', is used for the opening theme song for Kamen Rider Ghost, released on December 9, 2015 Members * — Vocals, Dragon Voice, Emcee and Guitar; born June 24, 1979 * — Dance and Scream; born January 24 * — Guitar; born October 23 * — Guitar; born Mar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Level-5 (company)
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher based in Fukuoka. The company was founded in October 1998 by Akihiro Hino after he departed from Riverhillsoft. Level-5 is known for their '' Professor Layton'', ''Inazuma Eleven'', '' Ni no Kuni'', '' Yo-kai Watch'', '' Snack World'', and '' Megaton Musashi'' franchises. History Level-5 was established in October 1998 by Akihiro Hino and his development team at Riverhillsoft, following the release of '' OverBlood 2''. Since Hino did not originally believe that his team could become an independent developer, he formed a partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment, who would allow him to develop for their upcoming PlayStation 2 under the condition that he set up his own company. The name, "Level-5", was a reference to Japanese school report cards, where "Level-5" is the highest possible mark. Soon after being created, the company had eleven employees. Level-5's first full-scale production was the action role-playing game '' Dark C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vanity Label
Informally, a vanity label (compare vanity press) is a record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ... founded as a wholly or partially owned subsidiary of another, larger, and better established (at least at the time of the vanity label's founding) record label, where the subsidiary is (at least nominally) controlled by a successful recording artist, designed to allow this artist to release music by other artists they admire. The parent label handles the production and distribution and funding of the vanity label, but the album is usually released with the vanity brand name prominent. Usually, the artist/head of the vanity label is signed to the parent label, and this artist's own recordings will be released under the vanity brand name. Creating a vanity label ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hitomi (singer)
, known professionally as , is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She began her career as teen model before making her singing debuting under the helm of Tetsuya Komuro in 1994, who produced Hitomi's earliest work in pop music. Hitomi has striven for artistry over the course of her career, penning "forward-looking" lyrics and becoming known for her "unusual" fashion sense that accompanied a "supermodel allure". Her signature songs include " Candy Girl", "Love 2000" and "Samurai Drive". Hitomi's career enjoyed success from Komuro's direction, including his work on her chart-topping second album '' By Myself'' (1996), however, her desire for more artistic input led to their amicable split by 1998. She started working with other musicians and composers, and branched out into musical genres such as pop rock as evident on her fifth album '' Love Life'' (2000), a turning point which sustained her position in the industry. Hitomi began incorporating electropop styles with her subsequent move ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joint Venture
A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to access a new market, particularly emerging market; to gain scale efficiencies by combining assets and operations; to share risk for major investments or projects; or to access skills and capabilities.' Most joint ventures are incorporated, although some, as in the oil and gas industry, are "unincorporated" joint ventures that mimic a corporate entity. With individuals, when two or more persons come together to form a temporary partnership for the purpose of carrying out a particular project, such partnership can also be called a joint venture where the parties are "''co-venturers''". A joint venture can take the form of a business. It can also take the form of a project or asset JV, created for the purpose of pursuing one specific project, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cutting Edge (record Label)
Avex Inc. ( kabushiki gaisha , commonly known as Avex and stylized as avex) is a Japanese entertainment conglomerate led by founder Max Matsuura and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1988, the company manages J-pop talents like Ayumi Hamasaki, TVXQ! and internet sensation PikoTaro. It has also shifted into other business domains like anime, video games and live music events, partnering with Ultra Music Festival and hosting the annual A-nation. The company is a member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) ''keiretsu''. Name AVEX is an acronym of the English words Audio Visual EXpert. Since its foundation, its corporate name was Avex D.D., Incorporated, and ten years later it was changed to Avex, Incorporated. The current name, Avex Group Holdings, Incorporated, was adopted in 2004 as part of reconstruction process after Tom Yoda's resignation. Avex Group Holdings, Incorporated was used for the main subsidiaries, while the old name (Avex, Incorporated) was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Discogs
Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''The New York Times'' as "Wikipedia-like". While the site was originally created with the goal of becoming the largest online database of electronic music, it now includes releases in all genres and on all formats. By 2015, it had a new goal: that of "cataloging every single piece of physical music ever created." As of 2025, its database contains over 18 million user-submitted album listings. History Discogs was started in 2000 by Kevin Lewandowski who worked as a programmer at Intel Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and Delaware General Corporation Law, incorporated in Delaware. Intel designs, manufactures, and sells computer compo .... It wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gackt
, better known as Gackt (stylized in all caps), is a Japanese singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. Born in Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa to a Ryukyuan people, Ryukyuan family, Gackt learned the piano at a young age and was raised on classical music and enka before becoming interested in rock music while attending high school. He has been active since 1993, first as the frontman of the short-lived independent band Cains:Feel, and then from 1995 the now-defunct visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. Gackt started his solo career in 1999 with debut Mini-LP, mini-album ''Mizérable (EP), Mizérable'' and first full-length album ''Mars (Gackt album), Mars'' (2000). He has released nine studio albums and, with forty-eight singles released, holds the male soloist record for most top ten consecutive singles in Japanese music history. They are mostly conceived around two conceptual stories "Moon Saga" (''Moon (Gackt album), Moon'', ''Crescent (Gackt album), Crescent'', ''Di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sony Music Entertainment Japan
, often abbreviated as SMEJ or simply SME, and also known as Sony Music Japan for short (stylized as ''SonyMusic''), is a Japanese music arm for Sony. Founded in 1968 as CBS/Sony, SMEJ is directly owned by Sony, Sony Group Corporation and is operating independently from the United States–based Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment due to its strength in the Japanese music industry. Its subsidiaries include the anime, Japanese animation production enterprise, Aniplex, which was established in September 1995 as a joint-venture between Sony Music Entertainment Japan and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, but which in 2001 became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. It was prominent in the early to mid 1990s producing and licensing music for animated series such as ''Roujin Z'' from acclaimed Japanese comic artist Katsuhiro Otomo and Capcom's ''Street Fighter'' animated series. Until March 2007, Sony Music Japan also had its own North American sublabel, To ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
