I am actually a fan of 2NE1 lol. Their music is...refreshing, and I like that they are trying to be bad asses and not the normal cutesy role.

I have to agree about CL though. She's not THAT great. Maybe She's the best the K pop industry has? I mean, she does speak great English, so perhaps she's their biggest shot for going international.

@LoBFCanti
I believe Koda was more earnest in actually wanting to put out good music. Her first album was solid J-Urban/R&B. But, she didn't sell, so avex decided to amp up the sexy and use constant gimicks to promote her, and it worked. It's really quite sad, because I like Koda as a person, but her music and style is just totally fake. I'm not saying Koda is being forced into a position she is uncomfortable with or doesn't support, but I do think her current position definitely compromises her artistry.
It's really hard to say that Ayumi is some kind of artist. She's a pop-rock Madonna. It's really hard to say "Oh yeah, she's artistic", when it's all spectacle with little to no substance. People like Utada and Shiina are on completely different levels than her.
Misono may also get a lot of artistic freedom because she doesn't sell well at all, so avex doesn't really care what she does because it won't matter.
EMI were dicks to Shiina, but it's also because they took a huge gamble on her. She makes excellent music, but she isn't mainstream and she isn't marketable.

^
2NE1 IS trying way too hard. They are the biggest mistake YG has ever made. Their watered-down pop music (that people still INSIST is hip-hop despite NOT BEING ANYTHING LIKE HIP-HOP) is just crap, and their "image" is tiresome. No, wearing a lot of Jeremy Scott designs does not make you artistic.
And God, CL. The K-Pop community just goes on and on and on and on about how amazing CL is, how great of a rapper she is, how perfect her english is, how she sings so great, when she is really is just all around mediocre. Miryo and T are much better rappers than her. She does everything decently, and nothing too well.

^ IMO, you cannot really say that 2ne1 is trying waay too hard because YG and AVEX are not the only company that uses that strategy. Agencies nowadays uses these new artists to gain profit. But didn't really cared about their artists. They can only gain artistic freedom if they move out and start a brand new path.

2NE1 is trying too hard

HMV Online has released some exciting and interesting information about 2NE1 and their efforts in Japan.

According to HMV, the girls of 2NE1 are scheduled to release a special ?To Anyone? album under AVEX / Rhythm Zone in Japan on December 8th. Something of immediate notice is that there will be a bonus track on the album titled ?FUCK YOU?. No, I?m not kidding, here?s a screen shot on HMV:



There will be 2 editions of the album, a regular edition which will be 2 CD?s consisting of 20 tracks (including (censored) YOU) and will cost 3059 yen (around $37). There will also be a special limited edition which will not only include the 2 CD?s consisting of 20 tracks (including (censored) YOU) but also a special Bonus DVD containing 2NE1?s music videos. This will be priced at 3990 yen (around $48).

HMV declares this as the debut of 2NE1 in Japan and describes the girls as having overwhelming powerful music with charismatic performances that can?t be compared with any other girl groups. HMV also states that most of their fans are females and in Japan, they?re popular with the middle and high school girls along with BIGBANG fans.

Interesting news, especially with the name of the bonus track, I wonder how the reaction to that is going to be. Either way, it?s pretty exciting.

Did YG learn nothing from Taeyang's T-shirt scandal?

[UPDATE] AVEX to release 2NE1 special album in Japan with a bonus (censored) You?



[UPDATE] According to a representative from YG Entertainment Japan, the information posted by HMV Online is not valid and YG is currently investigating the situation on why HMV posted this information.

The representative also stated that HMV will post an apology with an explanation on why they posted the misinformation.

HMV has removed all the information from their website.

Source:
http://www.allkpop.com/2010/10/avex-to-release-2ne1-special-album-in-japan-with-a-bonus-fck-you

http://community.livejournal.com/omonatheydidnt/4725996.html

So, is this what Avex is up to?

There are also some rumors regarding Japanese singer Sifow. She put her music career on hiatus in 2008 because Avex was pressuring her too much? And the release of Ayumi Hamasaki's A BEST in direct competition with Hikki's DISTANCE way back nine years ago. Avex forced Hamasaki to release that one but failed to outsold Hikki's DISTANCE by more than a hundred thousand copies (Distance: 4.46 million; A Best: 4.3 million). She also added that it was VERY early for release.

Korean Courts Get Rid Of Slave Contracts......It is all over, finished ......

Quote ?After the numerous lawsuits against major entertainment companies occurred, the Korean government finally intervened and now the courts have invalidated any contract longer than 7 years and will not allow a company to control their artist?s private lives?..........

http://blog.mtviggy.com/2010/08/13/korean-courts-get-rid-of-slave-contracts/

Avex Japan's whole business model is based on a false premise, and is now due process of law 'Fiat justitia ruat coelum'....

http://lovetohateme.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/a-glimpse-of-sm-entertainments-unfair-contract/

Read and Weep .....!!!!

http://www.allkpop.com/2010/02/lee-soo-man-resigns-from-sm-entertainment-avex-sells-shares

Lee soo man thought he was untouchable, it is now inevitable Avex will be dragged down with SM Entertainment
.....Corrupt to it?s very core ...... ?Avex sold all 15.4% of their shares, with Neowizbugs acquiring the majority of it?.....

http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/keyDevelopments?symbol=041510.KQ

S.M. ENTERTAINMENT Co.,Ltd. announced that Neowiz Internet Corporation has sold 799,203 shares of the Company, equivalent to a 5.13% stake.

After the transaction, Neowiz Internet and its related party's combined stake in the Company has declined to 10.29% from 15.42%. .....and then .........

http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Thomson_M&A/Neowiz_Bugs_Corp_acquires_Neowiz_Internet_Co_Ltd_from_Neowiz_Corp-2149821040

Lee Soo Man is using Neowiz to prop up S.M.E.......it?s outrageous ....

http://markets.ft.com/tearsheets/businessProfile.asp?s=A104200:KOE

Edit.....Busted bang to rights........-34.74%

Little wonder that Matsuura Katsuhito ? "You have no idea how big a hit AVEX has taken. It is hard for me to talk about this because I have to consider the standpoint of Korean agency SM Entertainment, but I will try to make [Tohoshinki] remain for [the group's] Japanese fan club 'bigeast'"........

This is just the tip of the iceberg you ask what wrong with Avex...??????

Quote:

Koda and Ayumi got in the door late. They got bullied a lot. Namie had it pretty smooth from day one but didn't really wrote anything on her own til 1999 or so. It's simple based on how consistent you are. Day after tomorrow did really good during their time. Misono is granted a lot of freedom as an artist due to it.

Ayumi being a product still being super micro managed isn't true at all though. She just found a style she liked and worked with it since 2005 or so. She was granted a lot more artistic freedom after that falling out with the big wigs too.
If you you feel her approach is still drone-like then that's your opinion. Her past year of mediocre works has been completely on her. Max did a good job with her in the beginning anyways I feel. Duty and I am... were super solid.


Avex has a history of manhandling artist, they are tough to impress and they want assured success. If Utada release first love under Avex she'd however be producing for other Avex artists best believe it. Quick commercial success means you can do what you want with those guys.

And also to add, EMI were absolute dicks to Shiina when she got signed in 1998. She had to do 3 successful singles for them to say that her take on music was marketable. She did all in one year though XD

The agreements each foreign entertainment company has with avex is not one-size-fits-all.
avex is a large company, so it is much easier to have them sign with avex and get distributed throughout Asia.
There is nothing wrong with that.
I'm going to say this:
If Utada signed with avex, there is not way she would be the same artist she is today. They would not allow her the same artistic freedom and musicianship that her current label does.

Why is Avex trying to bring 2ne1 when they have an awesome, I mean the BEST female group = DREAM!!!

Music Vides
Perfect Girls

Breakout

My Way Ulala

Ev'rybody Alright!

Performances
Perfect Girls performance

To The Top performance

Breakout performance

Fantastrip performance

Get My Way performance

There is one Avex statement regarding Korean girl group 2NE1 considering to be the female counterpart of Tohoshinki, and Avex like them to sign, since 2NE1's Korean record label, YG Entertainment and the founder/CEO Yang Hyun Suk stated that 2NE1 is confirmed to debut in Japan next year, and Avex maybe their label in Japan.

But as you all see, YG artists is signed to many japanese labels: Universal Music Japan (Big Bang), Nexstar Records and Columbia Music Entertainment (Se7en). If 2NE1 will sign to Avex, all YG products to be distributed in Japan will have them own by Avex in terms of distribution, as well as all over Asia (just like SM Entertainment and Fluxus Entertainment in Korea, in which all artists under the label have them distributed by Avex all over Asia).


Disclaimer: Something K-Pop again? Continue at the K-Pop thread.

2NE1 to sign for Avex in 2011? Looks like somebody's at it again...