Brandon Silverstein’s Vision Takes Center Stage as Avex Music Group Pursues Global Dominance

At a dimly lit vinyl bar outside Tokyo’s center, pool cues hang framed above the table. Each bears a nameplate, but only one belongs to an American: Brandon Silverstein. The placement tells a story that goes far beyond billiards prowess—it captures years of relationship-building between Silverstein’s S10 Entertainment and Japanese entertainment powerhouse Avex Inc.

This March, that partnership reached its apex with the launch of Avex Music Group, the rebranded U.S. division of Avex, positioning Silverstein as CEO of what he calls “a boutique major with a global perspective.”

The journey began in 2017 when Silverstein founded S10 as an artist management firm. After friend and collaborator Ryan Tedder suggested launching a publishing company, Silverstein knew he needed the right partner. “I was looking for a different type of partner,” Silverstein recalls from Avex’s pristine Tokyo headquarters.

That search led to Naoki Osada, then-head of Avex USA, in 2019. Their connection sparked S10 Publishing’s 2020 launch as a joint venture with Avex. Soon after, Silverstein made his first Tokyo trip to meet Avex founder Max Matsuura and Group CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa. “From the initial meetings, [we had] very similar visions, cowboy mindsets,” Silverstein explains.

Today, S10 Publishing’s roster boasts chart-topping songwriter-producers who’ve shaped the sound of contemporary pop. Harv co-wrote and co-produced Justin Bieber’s “Peaches.” Jasper Harris worked on hits for Tate McRae and Jack Harlow. Gent! contributed to Doja Cat’s success. Together, they’ve generated more than 22 global number-one hits and amassed 50 billion streams worldwide.

Silverstein’s Entrepreneurial Philosophy Drives New Signings

Recent moves demonstrate Silverstein’s belief that “artists are some of the most incredible entrepreneurs.” In May, Avex Music Group signed producer Elkan—known for Drake’s “Nokia” and Rihanna’s “Friend of Mine”—to a global publishing deal while partnering on his joint venture, Toibox by Elkan.

“They just need an infrastructure, the right infrastructure, to have their ideas prevail,” Silverstein says of artists-turned-entrepreneurs. This philosophy aligns with Avex’s core approach to creation, which Kuroiwa describes as “entrepreneurship, since we’re an independent company—and we would like to remain independent.”

The strategy proved prescient with We the Band, Justin Bieber’s backing musicians who signed with Avex Music Group in June. Silverstein had maintained relationships with the group since signing member Harv to a publishing deal in 2021. “Artists are finding talent first,” he notes, pointing to how these organic connections often yield the strongest partnerships.

Avex Music Group also acquired 100% of S10 Publishing’s catalog and increased its stake in S10 Management alongside Silverstein and Roc Nation. For Avex—known in Japan as the fourth major alongside Sony, Universal and Warner—this represents the culmination of a five-year plan toward global expansion.

Building Bridges Between East and West

Founded in 1988, Avex has consistently pushed boundaries, from Euro-beat’s early days to Japanese hip-hop’s emergence. “When we started, we were laser focused on Euro-beat, a really small genre and market,” Kuroiwa recalls. “[We did] stuff that other record companies wouldn’t choose to do, and that has shaped who we are today.”

That maverick spirit appears in the company motto: “Really! Mad + Pure.” Despite employing around 1,500 people across offices in over 50 cities and earning $1 billion in 2024, Avex maintains its entrepreneurial edge.

The company’s Youth Studio program trains over 200 potential superstars, with scouts monitoring 500 arts schools for talent. One or Eight, the Japanese boy band developed at Avex Youth Studio Tokyo, exemplifies this global ambition. The group’s August 2024 debut marked the first time an Avex act received U.S. management through S10, co-managed with Avex itself.

Atlantic Records partnered with Avex on all future One or Eight releases in May. The band’s debut single “Don’t Tell Nobody” featured Tedder as co-producer, while “DSTM” prominently samples Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music”—the first time the hit has been officially sampled. S10 songwriter David Arkwright contributed to “DSTM,” demonstrating the cross-pollination Silverstein envisioned.

“Our writers are getting early access to placing songs for [One or Eight],” Silverstein explains. Many have attended writing camps in Japan, creating an ongoing exchange that benefits both markets.

The partnership extends beyond individual acts. Following their 2020 joint venture, S10 and Avex built a West Hollywood studio house for events and community building. This April, Avex Music Group upgraded to a larger space previously owned by A$AP Rocky and Rihanna, serving both creative purposes and housing visiting Avex executives.

“Creatives are craving boutique companies that are fresh and exciting and are globally positioned, and I don’t think there’s a lot of that,” Silverstein observes. “We want to back the artist’s vision and the writer’s vision and the producer’s vision and allow them to be their own CEO.”

Kuroiwa sees this foundation as crucial to Avex’s international success. “[S10] really helped us in creating something new,” he notes. “There were a couple of companies in Japan that [attempted this] in the past, but they couldn’t make it happen.”

With characteristic confidence, Silverstein responds: “We’ve got the right team. We’ve got the right relationships. We have the right partnership. We have the right vision. We have the right momentum. We’re ready.”