*sigh*

First of all, avex is a music company. They are focused on one thing and one thing only: profit. To chastise them for doing just that is extremely naive.
Second of all, don't pretend any of the singers under avex have any sort of deep artistic need to put out their music. They are ALSO interested in the same thing: profit. If they weren't interested in making money and just putting out music, THEY WOULDN'T SIGN WITH AVEX.

- Hamasaki Ayumi IS a product, and her facade of being some sort "artist" is shallow and tiresome. She makes pop music (that she doesn't even compose), and she is a half-decent lyricist. She didn't even get popular until avex started producing and marketing as a pop-dance artist. Song for XX is really her only artistically significant work, if anything.
- Iconiq is marketed as Japanese because she IS Japanese. There are not usually forms listed in Japan that says "ethnicity" in the musician profiles. The lack of mention of her non-avex releases? Because they aren't in avex, and thus there may be a legal holding them back.
- Tohoshinki/JYJ are the same as Ayumi, and particularly less of "artists" than she is because at least SHE writes all her own lyrics. Tohoshinki/JYJ are an idol group, meticulously groomed and manufactured by a huge entertainment company with one sole purpose: profit (there it goes again!)
There are legal problems with JYJ releases because of their contract dispute with SM. That's really it. avex done what they should have: they did what made the most profit. They have every right to not release or promote any future JYJ releases, while also selling what they have already produced. What, do you expect avex to just let their extremely profitable merchandise sit in a warehouse?

Kevin please read .....from April 2010 ....these agencies have issues.....all on record.....


http://community.livejournal.com/aramatheydidnt/712231.html

I have gathered some of the topics or problems about Avex. But you may add and discuss it all here.

- Ayumi Hamasaki was treated as a "product" rather than an artist.

- Iconiq is marketed as a Japanese rather than a Korean.

- Three Tohoshinki members, which have filed a lawsuit against their Korean company SM Entertainment, form JYJ; Avex puts JYJ Japanese activities on hold; Avex dropped JYJ because of Shoujo Jidai.

- JYJ: ?We can?t shake off the thought that Avex was using the three of us as tools to make more profits instead of treating us as artists.?

But also if there is something K-Pop here again, it is recommended to continue this in the K-Pop thread.

I decided to put this kind of thread because it really bothers me, especially Avex is really caught in a problem, specifically JYJ and Avex's discontinuance of support from them (since because SM Entertainment broke ties with them).

I wanna know your thoughts about this. And don't question anything regarding the set-up of this thread. Thank you.