Avex USA, the US division of Tokyo-headquartered entertainment giant Avex, has made a strategic investment in artist management company S10 Entertainment, a JV between Brandon Silverstein and Jay Z’s Roc Nation.
The partnership was announced this week by Avex Inc’s global CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa at an investor conference in Tokyo.
S10 Entertainment, the management division of Silverstein’s S10 music and entertainment holding company has seen recent successes with the likes of Myke Towers’ new single Adivino (featuring Bad Bunny), which debuted at No.1 on Spotify’s Global Chart and followed his 2023 hit Lala – claimed to be the longest standing solo Latin Global No.1 in Spotify history.
According to the announcement, Avex USA’s investment in S10 Entertainment “establishes a groundbreaking alliance” between the two companies.
This new investment in S10 Entertainment follows the success of Avex USA’s earlier partnership with Silverstein in S10 Publishing, his music publishing division that’s seen recent hits from writers Jasper Harris (Tate McRae’s greedy), GENT! (Doja Cat’s Agora Hills) and RVSSIAN collaborator King Kosa who is behind the hit Santa by RVSSIAN / Rauw Alejandro / Ayra Starr.
Their previous publishing successes include Grammy-nominated producer HARV (Justin Bieber’s Peaches), Jamaica’s Shenseea, and others.
Collectively, S10 has six current songs featured on Spotify’s Global Top 50 and has amassed over 40 billion streams to date.
Since its Los Angeles launch in 2020, under the leadership of CEO Naoki Osada, Avex USA has grown its North American operations, across music publishing, record labels and venture investments, while also linking Avex’s global operations with the North American market.
Today, Avex Inc. employs over 1,500 people across 11 global offices, representing over 450 creatives in music, film, TV and fashion and promoting over 1,500 shows annually.
“We are very grateful that Brandon, Jay and Roc Nation have welcomed us into their family and are incredibly excited to create something truly unique and impactful through this partnership.”
Naoki Osada, Avex USA
Naoki Osada, CEO of Avex USA, said: “We’ve achieved a tremendous amount with Brandon in recent years, and over that time built a great trust between us.
“We share a lot in common with our respective companies’ DNA, and extending our partnership was a natural and organic step.
“We are very grateful that Brandon, Jay and Roc Nation have welcomed us into their family and are incredibly excited to create something truly unique and impactful through this partnership.”
“Joining forces with Avex perfectly extends the S10 and Roc Nation family.”
Jay Brown, Roc Nation
Jay Brown, Roc Nation Co-Founder and Vice Chairman, added: “Joining forces with Avex perfectly extends the S10 and Roc Nation family. Both Brandon and Avex are innovators, and this partnership offers endless possibilities and opportunities.”
“Adding the Avex team to our management ecosystem, following the immense success I’ve had with Avex in our publishing venture, was a natural progression in deepening our ever-growing relationship.”
Brandon Silverstein, S10
Brandon Silverstein, S10 Founder & CEO, added: “I feel incredibly fortunate to have globally-minded partners like Jay Brown, JAY Z, and the Roc Nation family.
“Adding the Avex team to our management ecosystem, following the immense success I’ve had with Avex in our publishing venture, was a natural progression in deepening our ever-growing relationship.
“Naoki Osada and the global Avex team are a true force of nature, and I am very excited about our next steps together and the limitless potential for global opportunities that our collaboration with S10, Avex, and Roc Nation opens.”
Avex USA unit also oversees the record label SELENE, Avex USA Publishing, and its Future of Music investment fund. In 2022, the value of the fund expanded to $25 million.
In January 2023, Avex USA launched a record label called Blue Suede Records in partnership with TikTok star Ari Elkins. A year prior, the company partnered with Sony Music Publishing to provide worldwide administration services (ex. Japan) to Avex USA’s catalog and roster of songwriters and producers.
In October 2023, Avex USA Publishing formed a joint venture with Coup D’Etat Music, a subsidiary of The Revels Group, to sign Nigerian Afrobeats singer-producer Victony.Music Business Worldwide