A fresh worldwide distribution pact just landed between a Japanese entertainment heavyweight and a major indie distributor, shaking up how new releases hit international markets.
Avex Music Group and The Orchard deal
Avex Music Group and The Orchard deal
- Avex Music Group is locked in a distribution agreement with The Orchard for upcoming releases.
- Coverage spans global territories, excluding Japan, China, and Korea.
- We The Band, Justin Bieber's long-time backing group, will drop music first.
- Avex, founded in 1988, runs over 40 labels with 1,500-plus employees globally.
- Revenue nearly hit USD $1 billion in 2024.
- Operations cover talent management, publishing, touring, and marketing.
- Ten offices sit across multiple countries worldwide.
- Brandon Silverstein runs Avex Music Group as CEO from Tokyo and Los Angeles.
- His S10 Entertainment handles artist management under AMG's umbrella.
- Silverstein got the top job back in March 2024.
- S10 Publishing kicked off in 2020 as a joint venture with Avex.
- Avex grabbed a stake in S10 Entertainment during May 2024.
- Full ownership of S10 Music Publishing's song catalog came in early 2025.
- AMG rolled out a new leadership team and a New York office in October 2025.
- An East/West Coast setup was part of that broader structural shift.
- Brad Navin, CEO of The Orchard, called Avex a major global player.
- His team is gearing up for a packed 2026 release schedule with AMG.
- Navin pointed to local market know-how as a key strength in the partnership.
- Avex Artist Academy trains thousands of aspiring performers across Japanese cities.
- A dedicated scouting crew auditions over 10,000 candidates every year.
