We The Band Signs to Brandon Silverstein’s Avex Music Group
Justin Bieber’s backing band We The Band has landed at Avex Music Group, marking the first artist signing for the company under CEO Brandon Silverstein. The group consists of Harv (bass), Tay James (DJ), Julian Michael (guitar), Devin “Stixx” Taylor (drums) and O’Neil Palmer (keys).
The band members have deep ties to Bieber’s musical journey. James has worked with the pop superstar since 2009, while Harv joined in 2010 and went on to co-create “Peaches,” one of Bieber’s biggest recent hits. Harv’s existing relationship with Silverstein through S10 Publishing helped facilitate the broader deal.
“This has been a dream of ours for many years now,” We The Band said in a statement. “To create our own music that represents who we are as musicians with the support of a global powerhouse like Avex is incredibly exciting for all of us.”
Brandon Silverstein Takes Helm of Entertainment Giant
Silverstein’s leadership of Avex Music Group represents the culmination of a partnership that began in 2020. Originally launching S10 Publishing as a joint venture with Avex, the relationship deepened when the Japanese entertainment company acquired his publishing catalog and increased its management stake in March.
Avex Music Group now operates as the U.S. arm of Avex Inc., which generated $1 billion in global revenue during 2024. The company employs 1,500 people across 14 offices worldwide and has built a reputation for developing talent through its Youth Studio training program.
Under Silverstein’s guidance, the combined S10-Avex publishing operation has achieved remarkable success. Recent highlights include securing the top three positions on Mediabase’s year-end radio charts with Tate McRae’s “Greedy” at number one, Doja Cat’s “Agora Hills” at five, and Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby” at 16.
“My mandate is to build Avex Music Group into a dynamic, full-service music company that creates global opportunities for our creative community,” Silverstein said.
We The Band is wrapping up their debut album at Avex Studios in Los Angeles, with plans for multiple guest appearances on the project scheduled for release later this year.