AVEX LEADERS KATSUMI KUROIWA AND BRANDON SILVERSTEIN HONORED WITH BILLBOARD'S "GLOBAL GROWTH AWARD"
Recognition Honors Avex's Record Growth, Global Music Expansion, and Growing Position as a Leading Global Entertainment Company
TOKYO, June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Friday night at Tokyo's Cerulean Tower Hotel in front of an assembled group of the world's most powerful global music executives who were being honored by Billboard Magazine, Avex CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa and Avex Music Group CEO Brandon Silverstein were presented with the prestigious "Global Growth Award" by Avex stars ONE OR EIGHT. The two executives were recognized for their leadership in accelerating Avex's global expansion and helping establish the Japanese independent as one of the entertainment industry's fastest growing global music and intellectual property platforms.
The Billboard Global Growth Award recognizes executives and companies demonstrating exceptional business growth, global impact, innovation, and leadership within the music industry.
"I am very honored and grateful to receive this award," said Kuroiwa. "Avex started as a small record rental shop and has steadily progressed within the Japanese music scene. Recently, our artists have performed at Coachella, and we're starting to feel that our music is gradually reaching the world.
Looking at it from a global perspective, we are still a young company with a future ahead of us. I don't think we could have succeeded if we had tried to enter the US market alone.
The reason we are standing here today is because of our encounter with Brandon. Meeting him—someone who understands Japan and is passionate about music—has become Avex's most valuable and greatest asset."
Brandon Silverstein commented: "Receiving this honor alongside Katsumi Kuroiwa is incredibly meaningful. The vision that Max Matsuura created and that Katsumi continues to lead has built the foundation for Avex's continued growth around the world.
We're not simply building a Japanese music company with international ambitions. We're building a global music company headquartered in Tokyo.
This award belongs to the entire Avex family, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help advance that vision."
The award follows a transformational period for Avex, which reported nearly USD $1 billion in fiscal year 2025 revenue, returned to profitability, expanded its global music operations, strengthened its intellectual property portfolio, and accelerated investments across artists, songwriters, music rights, entertainment properties, and creator driven businesses worldwide.
Operating across music publishing, recorded music, artist management, live entertainment, anime, merchandising, creator services, catalog acquisitions, and intellectual property development, Avex continues to expand its presence throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia while investing in the future of global entertainment.
Under the leadership of Kuroiwa and Silverstein, Avex Music Group has significantly expanded its global music business through strategic acquisitions, international partnerships, artist development, catalog investments, publishing growth, and creative ventures, strengthening its position across the world's most important music markets.
Major milestones over the past year include for Avex:
- Approximately USD $971 million in fiscal year 2025 revenue
- Return to profitability and significant year-over-year operating income growth
- Launch of a USD $100 million music rights and catalog acquisition initiative
- Global publishing administration partnership with Bruno Mars
- Expansion of Avex's global music operations across Los Angeles, Tokyo, New York, Miami, and key global markets
- Continued global growth and breakthrough success of artists including XG and ONE OR EIGHT
- Strategic investments across music catalogs, intellectual property, and creator-led businesses
- Avex stars XG won two awards at the annual MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN celebration in Tokyo on Saturday, including the Best Global Hit Award for "HYPNOTIZE" and Best Dance Electronic Song in association with JDDA for the track "GALA."
- Contributions from Avex Music Group writers and producers on releases from some of the world's biggest recording artists, including the GRAMMY Award winning "Folded" by Kehlani (Kamal Wilson), "Nokia" by Drake (Elkan), and multiple releases from Tate McRae including "Sports Car," "Tit for Tat," and "Revolving Door" (Grant Boutin), among others
ABOUT AVEX
Avex is a global entertainment company operating across music publishing, recorded music, artist management, live entertainment, anime, merchandising, creator services, catalog acquisitions, and intellectual property development. With approximately USD $971 million in annual revenue and operations spanning North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, Avex develops, acquires, manages, and expands music and intellectual property for a global audience while investing in the next generation of artists, creators, entrepreneurs, and entertainment businesses worldwide.
SOURCE Avex Music Group
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