Benten Label

Benten Label
Founded1994; 32 years ago (1994)
FounderAudrey Kimura
Distributors
Genre
Country of originJapan
LocationTokyo
Official websitehttps://bentenlabel.com/

Benten Label is an independent record label based in Japan. Founded by Audrey Kimura (who would go on to co-found Japan Nite) in 1994, it focuses on female bands of various genres and music that is "fun, energetic, and exciting".

History

While working for a bank in Tokyo, Audrey (Shisaka) Kimura was helping Hiroshi Asada with his job at the Tom's Cabin music promotion office. At Asada's suggestion, Kimura formed her own record label in April 1994 with the goal of specializing in female artists. She named it Benten Label after the only female deity of the Seven Lucky Gods, and goddess of the arts, Benten, whom she called an inspiration. Kimura later opined that "female bands are more free" and are "less uptight about musical categories."

Benten Label started with licensing works by American band Lunachicks as well as The Flamenco A Go Go. Regarding the marketing utilized by the label, No Depression wrote: "The outrageously funny and downright raunchy nature of some of Benten's promotional material sinks any image of meek Asian women." In 1997, Kimura formed a sister label to Benten, with distribution from Nippon Crown and Fuji Pacific Music, called Sister Records.

In 2005, the label started releasing records in America, with distribution handled by Austin-based label Australian Cattle God, under the name Benten Tokyo. TsuShiMaMiRe's Pregnant Fantasy was the first album to be released through this arrangement, with Red Bacteria Vacuum's Roller Coaster, Amppez's The Irony of a Fruit and Petty Booka's Dancing with Petty Booka following afterwards.

Roster

The label sponsors the Wild Wacky Party punk rock concert series.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Michel, Patrick St (2015-03-24). "SXSW's Japan Nite celebrates 20 lively years". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2026-04-17. Before this, Asada met Audrey Kimura, with whom he would go on to co-found Japan Nite. ... Kimura also launched her own imprint, Benten Label, and went to Austin with rock band Lolita No. 18.(subscription required)
  2. ↑ Graves, Karen E., Benten Lable Sampler: The Greatest Girls Bands... | AllMusic, retrieved 2026-04-17
  3. ↑ Driscoll, Catherine (2002). Girls: Feminine Adolescence in Popular Culture and Cultural Theory. Columbia University Press. p. 296. ISBN 9780231504720.
  4. 1 2 #FUKUOKA. "サウス・バイ・サウスウエスト（SXSW）ジャパンナイトの仕掛け人が語る、2018年の楽しみ方&見どころ - HASH#FUKUOKA". #FUKUOKA 福岡のクリエイティブなニュース (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2018-03-10. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
  5. 1 2 "Petty Booka - Country & Far Eastern". No Depression: Roots Music and Culture Journalism. 1999-03-01. Retrieved 2026-08-30.
  6. ↑ McClure, Steve (1998). Nippon Pop: Sounds From the Land of the Rising Sun. Tuttle Publishing. p. 77. ISBN 9780804821070.
  7. ↑ "Sister Records + Benten Label". www.sister.co.jp. Archived from the original on 1999-11-16. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
  8. ↑ Beets, Greg (2007-10-19). "Australian Cattle God". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2026-05-28. Serving as U.S. subdistributor for Japanese all-girl act label Benten Tokyo – home of SXSW favorites Petty Booka and Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re – also contributes to ACG's global scope.
  9. ↑ "BENTEN Label -USrelease2005-press". Sister Records + Benten Label. Archived from the original on 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  10. ↑ "Australian Cattle God News". Australian Cattle God. Archived from the original on 2006-12-06. Retrieved 2026-05-28.