Avex Music Group CEO Brandon Silverstein. Photo Credit: Jeremy Jackson
About 29 months after investing in S10 Entertainment, Avex has upped its stake to 85% and announced an expanded role for Avex Music Group head Brandon Silverstein.
Tokyo-headquartered Avex today disclosed its latest investment in Silverstein-founded S10, pointing to the above-noted ownership percentage as well as “an agreement to reach 100% ownership over time.”
And while the planned acquisition certainly confirms that the involved parties are satisfied with the relationship at hand, the bolstered partnership didn’t come out of left field.
To be sure, the Japanese conglomerate last year purchased the entire S10 Publishing catalog and increased its interest in the distinct S10 Management. (S10 Publishing had debuted in 2020 as an Avex-Silverstein JV.)
Simultaneously, Avex Music Group set sail, uniting Avex USA with the relevant S10 assets and placing Silverstein at the helm of the combined LA-based operation.
(Subsequently, the expansion-minded Avex Music earlier in 2026 inked a global distribution deal with The Orchard, secured a publishing admin pact with Bruno Mars, and launched a $100 million IP acquisition fund.)
Now, Silverstein will continue in the post – besides remaining an Avex Music board member and partner – and take on “a broader role in shaping Avex Group’s global music strategy,” according to the investing company.
Time will reveal the precise strategic impact here, but in general, Avex indicated that Silverstein is expected to work “in close partnership with” its board “to develop opportunities and strategic partnerships across recorded music, publishing, live entertainment, touring and investments.”
“S10 began with a belief in exceptional talent and what we could build around it,” Silverstein added. “I’m proud of what our artists, songwriters and team have accomplished, and grateful to the partners who helped us get here. This next chapter is an opportunity to build on that work at a greater scale with Avex, investing in talent, developing new businesses and creating more opportunities across markets.”
On the opposite side of the deal, Avex CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa praised S10 as “an exceptional management company that is playing a key role in realizing our global ambitions.
“Bringing S10 into Avex reflects our confidence in Brandon’s leadership and our commitment to growing Avex’s global music business. Together, we will bring the full breadth of Avex’s capabilities to artists and creators around the world,” he concluded.
Also on the global-growth front, though the development flew under the stateside media radar, Avex last week inked a local representation agreement with Seoul-based entertainment agency Billions, which is now managing Avex-signed One or Eight in South Korea.
