Speedstar Records

Speedstar Records is a Japanese music label established in October 1992 as part of Victor Entertainment, the Japanese entertainment and recorded-music company. The label was founded by Takeshi Takagaki, a Victor Entertainment executive associated with the discovery of the rock band Southern All Stars. Its creation gave Victor a distinct imprint through which to develop and market artists while retaining the distribution and corporate infrastructure of its parent company. The label’s principal business is the release and promotion of recorded music. Its activities include artist signings, album and single releases, catalog management, physical and digital distribution, and promotional support for live and other artist activities. Speedstar has been associated with Japanese rock and pop-oriented acts, and its identity has been shaped by a roster that includes established performers as well as newer artists. Publicly available reference material provides only a selected artist list rather than a complete historical roster, so the label is best understood as a broad Victor-affiliated artist imprint rather than a narrowly defined genre label. A related imprint, Taishita Label, operates under the Speedstar umbrella. Taishita is reserved for Southern All Stars and for other work by members of that group. This arrangement separates the group’s dedicated label identity from Speedstar’s wider roster while keeping both within the same broader label structure. Speedstar has also used anniversary and showcase events to present its artists and reinforce the label’s identity. Examples include Live Speedstar Express: 15-sai no Hatsu-taiken Hatsu-taiken in 2007, a twentieth-anniversary live event held over three days in 2013, and Live the Speedstar in 2023. These events demonstrate the label’s role as more than a catalog name: it also functions as a platform for artist presentation and live-oriented promotion. Takeshi Takagaki is identified as the founder. Akira Ono became head of the label in 2010, marking a leadership transition in its management. The available reference material does not provide a complete account of later organizational changes, ownership details beyond Victor Entertainment’s subsidiary relationship, financial performance, headquarters, or a standalone corporate website. Speedstar Records remains identified as a Victor Entertainment label focused on the Japanese music market.

Speedstar Records was founded in October 1992 within Victor Entertainment. Its founder, Takeshi Takagaki, had discovered the rock band Southern All Stars for Victor Entertainment, and the new label was established as a dedicated platform for artist development and music releases. From its beginning, Speedstar functioned as a label brand rather than as an independent corporation, benefiting from Victor Entertainment’s wider recorded-music infrastructure. The label’s activities center on the production, marketing, and distribution of recorded music. Its catalog and artist work cover Japanese popular music, including rock and pop-oriented releases. Reference material identifies a selected group of Speedstar artists but does not present a complete roster or a comprehensive account of every release. Consequently, the label’s historical importance is most clearly described through its role within Victor Entertainment and through the artists and events publicly associated with it. Speedstar also provides the umbrella for Taishita Label, a separate imprint dedicated exclusively to Southern All Stars and to other work by members of the band. The arrangement gives Southern All Stars a specialized label identity while connecting that activity to Speedstar and Victor Entertainment. It is an important structural feature of the brand because the band was closely connected to the label’s origins through Takagaki’s discovery of the group. In 2010, Akira Ono became head of Speedstar Records. The available sources identify this management change but do not provide a complete chronology of subsequent executives or detailed information about the label’s internal organization. Speedstar’s public identity has also been reinforced through live events. Live Speedstar Express: 15-sai no Hatsu-taiken Hatsu-taiken took place at Shibuya-AX on November 8, 2007. For the label’s twentieth anniversary, Speedstar Records held a live event at Zepp DiverCity from January 18 through January 20, 2013. A later label-branded event, Live the Speedstar, was held at Makuhari Messe on March 18, 2023. These events show how Speedstar has used concerts and showcases to connect its recorded catalog with live performance and to present its roster under a common label identity. The available reference material does not establish a separate headquarters, independent listing, financial history, or standalone ownership structure beyond the label’s status as a Victor Entertainment subsidiary. Speedstar Records is therefore best characterized as an active Japanese record-label brand operating within the Victor Entertainment group.

• 2023

  Live the Speedstar presented

  [1]Speedstar Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label organized Live the Speedstar at Makuhari Messe on March 18.

• 2013

  Twentieth-anniversary live event

  [1]Speedstar Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Speedstar Records celebrated its twentieth anniversary with a live event at Zepp DiverCity held from January 18 to January 20.

• 2010

  Akira Ono became label head

  [1]Speedstar Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Akira Ono assumed leadership of Speedstar Records.

• 2007

  Live Speedstar Express presented

  [1]Speedstar Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label held Live Speedstar Express: 15-sai no Hatsu-taiken Hatsu-taiken at Shibuya-AX on November 8.

• 1992

  Speedstar Records founded

  [1]Speedstar Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Speedstar Records was established in October as a Victor Entertainment label founded by Takeshi Takagaki.

A Victor Entertainment-affiliated Japanese record label with a broad artist roster, a strong connection to Japanese rock and pop, and a dedicated Southern All Stars imprint operating within its umbrella.

• Recorded music · 1992

  Speedstar Records music catalog

  The label’s principal offering is its catalog of Japanese music recordings, including albums, singles, and related physical and digital releases by artists signed to or associated with Speedstar Records. The catalog is oriented toward Japanese popular music and includes rock and pop-related work. Releases are issued and promoted within the broader infrastructure of Victor Entertainment.

• Imprint

  Taishita Label

  Taishita Label is a separate imprint operating under the Speedstar umbrella. It is dedicated exclusively to Southern All Stars and to other musical work by members of the group. The imprint provides a focused identity for the band and its related projects while remaining connected to Speedstar Records and Victor Entertainment.

• 2023Live the Speedstar

  Japan

  A label-branded live event held at Makuhari Messe on March 18.

  Source
• 2013Speedstar Records 20th Anniversary Live

  Japan

  A three-day anniversary event held at Zepp DiverCity from January 18 to January 20 to mark two decades of Speedstar Records.

  Source
• 2007Live Speedstar Express: 15-sai no Hatsu-taiken Hatsu-taiken

  Japan

  A Speedstar-branded live event held at Shibuya-AX on November 8, presenting the label through a concert format.

  Source

1. 1Speedstar Recordsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Speedstar Records at Victor Entertainmentjvcmusic.co.jp
3. 3Speedstar Records discographydiscogs.com