Epic Records Japan is a Japanese

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

owned by

Sony Music Entertainment Japan , often abbreviated as SMEJ or simply SME, and also known as Sony Music Japan for short (stylized as ''SonyMusic''), is a Japanese music arm for Sony. Founded in 1968 as CBS/Sony, SMEJ is directly owned by Sony Group Corporation and is opera ...

. Its founder was Shigeo Maruyama. Between 1978 and 1988 the label operated as a wholly owned subsidiary: Epic/Sony Inc. () was established in August 1978History.
Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Accessed October 3, 2010 and was folded back into CBS/Sony Group in March 1988. Notable music artists for this company have included

Motoharu Sano , is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician. A graduate of Rikkyo University, Sano is a frontman with a history of performing in several bands which feature music both in Japanese and occasionally, English, playing songs that often have a rock ...

Tetsuya Komuro is a Japanese musician, songwriter and record producer. He is recognized as the most successful producer in Japanese music history and introduced contemporary electronic dance music to the Japanese mainstream. He was also a former owner of the ...

, and Kimiko Itoh. In 2001, it was re-established as .

Games published

During the late 1980s and early 1990s they also published video games for Nintendo consoles. * 1987 - ''Tokoro-san no Mamoru mo Semeru mo'' for Famicom – developed by

HAL Laboratory formerly shortened as HALKEN (derived from its native name), is a Japanese video game developer founded on 21 February 1980. While independent, it has been closely tied with Nintendo throughout its history, and is often referred to as a secon ...

* 1988 - '' Vegas Dream'' for Famicom * 1989 - ''Flying Hero'' for Famicom – developed by

Aicom Aicom was a Japanese video game developer, founded in 1988, possibly by a group that left Jaleco . Despite evidence to support this, the Sammy corporate website lists 1990 as the first year and that it was a subsidiary. It was bought by Sammy I ...

* 1989 - '' Tashiro Masashi no Princess ga Ippai'' for Famicom * 1990 - サッカー・ボーイ ''Soccer Boy'' = ''Soccer Mania'' for Game Boy * 1990 - ''

Solstice A solstice is an event that occurs when the Sun appears to reach its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around June 21 and December 21. In many countr ...

'' for Famicom – developed by

Software Creations (UK) Acclaim Studios Manchester (formerly Software Creations) was a British video game developer based in Manchester, England. The company was established in 1985 by Richard Kay. They were primarily known for their video games based on movie and com ...

* 1991 - ''

RoboCop ''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O'Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, and Miguel Ferre ...

'' for Game Boy * 1991 - ''Hakunetsu Pro Yakyuu Ganba League'' = ''

Extra Innings Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie. Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine regulation innings (in softball and high school baseball games there are typically seven innings; in Little Lea ...

'' for Famicom – developed by StingSting
at gdri * 1991 - ''Jerry Ball'' = ''

Smart Ball Smart or SMART may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Smart'' (Hey! Say! JUMP album), 2014 * Smart (Hotels.com), former mascot of Hotels.com * ''Smart'' (Sleeper album), 1995 debut album by Sleeper * ''SMart'', a children's television ser ...

'' for Super Famicom * 1991 - ''

Dragon's Lair ''Dragon's Lair'' is a video game franchise created by Rick Dyer and Don Bluth. The series is famous for its Western animation-style graphics and complex decades-long history of being ported to many platforms and being remade into television a ...

'' for Famicom – developed by Motivetime * 1991 - ''Dragon's Lair'' for Game Boy – developed by Motivetime * 1991 -

Altered Space ''Altered Space: A 3-D Alien Adventure'' is a 1991 video game produced for the Nintendo Game Boy. Gameplay The player is an astronaut named Humphrey trapped on a spaceship of an alien race known as the Zaks. In addition to avoiding the Zaks, ...

'' for Game Boy * 1991 - ''

Hudson Hawk ''Hudson Hawk'' is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. Bruce Willis stars in the title role and also co-wrote both the story and the theme song. Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, David Caruso, Lorraine To ...

'' for Famicom * 1992 - ''

'' for Game Boy * 1992 - ''Robocop2'' for Game Boy * 1992 - ''

Hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...

'' for Famicom – developed by

Ocean The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...

* 1992 - ''

'' for Game Boy – developed by

* 1992 - ''

'' for Super Famicom – developed by

Ukiyotei was a Japanese video game developer based in Yodogawa-ku. The company was founded on 15 March 1991 by Kenshi Naruse, who served as its representative director. The company is believed to have shut down in 2002 and most of the staff including ...

* 1992 - ''Ganba League '93'' for Famicom – developed by Sting * 1993 - = '' Utopia: The Creation of a Nation'' for Super Famicom * 1993 - ''Solstice II'' = ''

Equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...

'' for Super Famicom – developed by

Software Creations Acclaim Studios Manchester (formerly Software Creations) was a British video game developer based in Manchester, England. The company was established in 1985 by Richard Kay. They were primarily known for their video games based on movie and co ...

* 1993 - ''Ganba League '94'' * 1994 - ''Karura Ou'' = ''

Skyblazer ''Skyblazer'' is a platform video game published by Sony Imagesoft, released in early 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It involves Sky, the Skyblazer hero (Garuda in the Japanese version) searching for Ashura, the Lord of War, w ...

'' for Super Famicom – developed by

Record labels

Active

* Epic Records Japan

Inactive

* Antinos * Dohb Discs * So What? Records * Kowalski * mf Records (joint venture with

) * Mint Age

Current artists

* 2PM * 7!! * Abingdon Boys School * Akeboshi, Yoshio * Angela Aki *

Aqua Timez was a Japanese rock band signed to Epic Records. Overview Futoshi and OKP-Star met on with9.com in 2000 and attempted to start a band together. Unable to agree on the band's future, the two disbanded. In 2003, the current band members gathered ...

Kousuke Atari is a Japanese pop singer. He is a self-trained musician, and performs in the shimauta (island-song) style of his hometown. Discography Albums * 999.04.04Atari (アタリ) (Indies) * 000.07.30Kurudando (くるだんど) (Indies) * 002.06 ...

* Aura *

Brian the Sun Brian the Sun is a Japanese rock band from Osaka. History The band was formed in 2007 in Osaka by Ryota Mori and Haruki Hakuyama. The name was inspired by the Arctic Monkeys song Brianstorm. The band's songs have been used for numerous Ani ...

* Cinemusica * The Condors * Daisuke * Deen * Dreams Come True *

Dustz Dustz (currently stylized as DUSTZ) is a Japanese rock band fronted by French-Japanese actor Ray Fujita. Formed by Fujita and two of his classmates from the ''Lycée franco-japonais de Tokyo'', the group has gained national renown by performing t ...

* Hajime, Chitose * Got7 *

Halcali , were a Japanese J-pop duo consisting of Halca and Yucali from Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. Its name is a portmanteau of and . Their debut album, ''Halcali Bacon'', reached #5 on the Oricon charts, making it the first album by a female hip-hop artist ...

* Haneyuri *

Ikimono-gakari The romanization of the group's name does not have the hyphen according to Sony's websites for their albums. is a Japanese pop rock duo from Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan consisting of Yoshiki Mizuno and Kiyoe Yoshioka. The group started in Februa ...

* Yuki *

Sawa Sawa may refer to: Places * Sawa, Nepal, a village development committee * Sawa, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, a village * Saveh, sometimes transliterated Sāwa, Iran, a city * Sawa Lake, Iraq People * Sawa (Hrycuniak) (born Michał Hrycunia ...

* LGMonkees ( No Doubt Tracks/Epic) * LMYK * Lizabet *

Yui Makino is a Japanese actress, Voice acting in Japan, voice actress, singer, and pianist. She is best known for her work in the anime ''Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle'' where she voices Sakura (Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle), Sakura and some of the theme ...

Nao Matsushita is a Japanese actress and singer. History Nao was born in Ikoma, Nara on 8 February 1985 and grew up in Kawanishi, Hyōgo. Winning Japan's Elite Model Look started her modeling career in earnest. She attended the Tokyo College of Music. D ...

Yuya Matsushita is a Japanese pop and R&B singer and actor under Japanese Dream Records. His debut single " foolish foolish" was released on November 26, 2008. He had his first breakthrough as Sebastian Michaelis in the ''Black Butler'' musical and since then, ...

Yukie Nakama is a Japanese actress, singer and former idol. History Biography She was born in Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan, into a fisherman's family, the youngest of five siblings. At the start of her career she was a gravure idol and singer (her debut single ...

* Nangi * Naoto *

NiziU NiziU ( ja, ニジュー; ko, 니쥬), stylized as NIZIU, is a Japanese girl group formed by JYP Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The group is composed of nine members: Mako, Rio, Maya, Riku, Ayaka, Mayuka, Rima, Miihi, and ...

No3b was a subunit from idol group AKB48's original Team A, produced by Yasushi Akimoto. The group is commonly referred as no3b, a stylized version of the group's name, which is a ''wasei-eigo'' term for sleeveless clothes. History The trio deb ...

* Nodame Orchestra *

Nothing's Carved in Stone Nothing's Carved in Stone is a Japanese rock band formed in January 2009. After Ellegarden decided to go into hiatus in 2008, the group's guitarist Shinichi Ubukata created Nothing's Carved in Stone as his solo project. Their debut album ''Paral ...

* Pengin *

(Epic/mf) * Shigi * Solita * Stance Punks (Epic/Kowalski/Dynamord) *

Stray Kids Stray Kids (; often abbreviated as SKZ) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2017 reality show of the same name. The group is composed of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin ...

* Sugaru, Matsutani (Epic/Informel) *

Masaki Suda , known professionally as , is a Japanese actor and singer. He won the Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. His debut song is "Mita Koto mo Nai Keshiki". Personal life Suda is a close junior to S ...

Masayuki Suzuki Masayuki Suzuki (鈴木雅之, ''Suzuki Masayuki'', born September 22, 1956, in Ōta, Tokyo) is a Japanese singer best known as a former member of group Rats & Star (previously called ''Chanels''), and for performing the opening themes for the ...

* Takachiya *

Yutaka Take (born March 15, 1969 in Kyoto, Kyoto) is a Japanese jockey. A legend in Japan, Yutaka Take made his riding debut in 1987 and currently holds seven all-time records in his native country. Take has won at least one Grade 1 races for 23 straight ...

Theatre Brook Theatre Brook (シアター・ブルック ''Shiatā Burukku'') is a Japanese funk rock band that made its debut in 1986. The band's current line-up are: Taiji Sato (vocals & electric guitar), Takashi Nakajo (bass), Takashi Numazawa (drums), an ...

T.M.Revolution is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, voice artist, radio personality, and businessman. He performs under the stage name T.M.Revolution (TMR), which stands for , stemming from the famous '80s pop electronic band TM ...

* Uranino *

Hikaru Utada , who is also known by the mononym Utada, is a Japanese-American pop singer, songwriter and producer. By 2010, Utada had become one of the most influential, and best-selling, musical artists in Japan. Born in the United States to Japanese parent ...

Anne Watanabe is a Japanese fashion model, actress, and singer. She is the daughter of film actor Ken Watanabe and his first wife Yumiko. In her modeling work, she is known by the mononym Anne.Kuhn, Anthony"For Japanese Women, The Past Is The Latest Fad"/ref> ...

Misato Watanabe is a Japanese pop singer. Discography Albums * ''Eyes'' (2 October 1985) * ''Lovin' you'' (2 July 1986) * ''Breath'' (15 July 1987) * ''Ribbon'' (28 May 1988) * ''Flower bed'' (1 July 1989) * ''Tokyo'' (7 July 1990) * ''Lucky (Misato Watanabe ...

* Yacht

Former artists

ViViD Vivid may refer to: Music * Vivid (band), a Japanese rock band * "Vivid" (song), by Electronic, 1999 *"ViViD", a 2016 song by Loona from '' HeeJin'' Albums * ''Vivid'' (Vivian Green album), 2015 * ''Vivid'' (Crystal Kay album), 2012 * ''Vivi ...

Crystal Kay is a Japanese singer, songwriter, actress and radio host. After releasing her first single, "Eternal Memories" (1999), Crystal Kay gained fame for her third studio album, '' Almost Seventeen'' (2002), which debuted at number 2 on the Japanese ...

References

External links

Official website

Epic/Sony
at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Epic Sony Records Sony Sony Music Entertainment Japan Epic Records Mass media companies based in Tokyo Software companies based in Tokyo Video game companies of Japan Japanese record labels Record labels established in 1978 Record labels disestablished in 1988 Record labels established in 2001 Re-established companies