Avex Music Group, the U.S. arm of Japanese music giant Avex, has signed a global distribution deal with The Orchard, the companies announced Thursday (Feb. 5).
The first music expected to be released under the deal will come from We the Band — the longtime backing band for Justin Bieber — who signed with Avex in June. The group consists of Harv (bass), Tay James (DJ), Julian Michael (guitar), Devin “Stixx” Taylor (drums) and O’Neil Palmer (keys). Harv co-wrote and co-produced Bieber’s 2021 hit “Peaches,” while James has worked as the star’s A&R and DJ since 2009. The group released its debut single, “One & Only,” last summer.
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Avex Music Group (formerly Avex USA) launched last May with Brandon Silverstein as CEO. That announcement coincided with Avex’s 100% acquisition of S10 Publishing, which Avex established as a joint venture with Silverstein in 2020. Avex Music Group previously signed producer Elkan (Rihanna, Drake) to a global publishing deal and partnered on Toibox by Elkan, his joint-venture publishing company. We the Band marked Avex Music Group’s first artist signing.
“As we continue to expand Avex’s presence around the world, having a distribution partner that has a powerful global footprint is critical,” said Silverstein in a statement. “Brad Navin and his team have built a best-in-class company with expertise in every area to help us grow our artists’ fanbases all around the world. We’re excited for Avex Music Group’s next chapter as we work alongside The Orchard to grow our business.”
Added Brad Navin, CEO of The Orchard, “Avex is a significant global player and we are delighted to partner with them on their future output. We’re looking forward to working with Brandon and the entire Avex Music Group team on an amazing schedule of releases for 2026. This alliance will ensure that Avex’s diverse and exciting catalog reaches a wider international audience than ever before, leveraging The Orchard’s extensive global distribution network and expertise in local market development.”
Founded in 1988, Avex generated nearly $1 billion in revenue in 2024, according to a press release.
