CLJ Records

Lore & Background

CLJ Records was founded in 2006 as a German independent label focused on Japanese visual kei bands. It was a subdivision of Colosseum Music Entertainment, based in Nuremberg. The label signed up to 31 bands, though it is likely all contracts expired by 2025, as no updates or news emerged after 2012. Its website expired in 2025, but the label was never officially dissolved.

In cooperation with the Japanese/German tour promotion company Rock Identity, many CLJ artists performed live on tour throughout Europe in the late 2000s. The label also released the compilation album J-Visual[ism] with JaME, dedicated to the 'next superstars' of Japanese rock, featuring bands from its roster.

Among the bands whose music was distributed by CLJ were Alice Nine, the GazettE, Versailles, Plastic Tree, Lynch, and many others. The label's activity ceased around 2012, leaving its catalog as a historical snapshot of the European visual kei scene of that era.

Reader's Guide

CLJ Records played a key role in bringing Japanese visual kei music to European audiences during the late 2000s. As a German label under Colosseum Music Entertainment, it provided a platform for bands that otherwise had limited international distribution. Its partnership with Rock Identity enabled European tours for many of its artists, fostering a cross-cultural exchange. The compilation J-Visual[ism] highlighted emerging acts, reflecting the label's mission to promote 'next superstars.' Though inactive since 2012, CLJ Records remains a notable example of a Western label dedicated exclusively to Japanese visual kei, and its roster includes several influential bands. The label's legacy is preserved in the discographies of its artists and in the memories of fans who attended those European tours.

Did You Know?

• CLJ Records was a subdivision of Colosseum Music Entertainment, based in Nuremberg, Germany.
• The label released the compilation album J-Visual[ism] with JaME, dedicated to the 'next superstars' of Japanese rock.
• CLJ Records had up to 31 bands signed, but all contracts likely expired by 2025.
• The label's official website expired as of 2025, though it was never officially dissolved.