Air Mail Recordings was started in 1998 by , who at that time worked as a music magazine editor at Japanese publishing company Oricon Co. Ltd. Oricon Co. Ltd. is a well-known company, known as the “Japanese Billboard Magazine”.

He set up Air Mail Recordings in his apartment in Suginami-ku, Tokyo, and started the label for international rock/pop acts. The label's first release was “A Tale Of Gin And Salvation” by US power pop act, The Loveless (former Candy, Electric Angels).

In 2001, the subsidiary Air Mail Archive began, mainly as a label for classic rock/pop album re-issues. Nice Folks was also started as a label for brand-new and previously unissued recordings from veteran rock/pop artists.

In 2002, Air Mail Recordings began to arrange Japan tours for their artists, among them The Rubinoos, 20/20, Shoes, The Records, The Spongetones, The Flashcubes, The Pleasers, Colin Hare (ex. Honeybus), and Craig Nuttycombe (ex. Lambert & Nuttycombe).

Air Mail Recordings remains active in the Japanese music industry with a reputation as “one of the best independent Japanese labels for international acts.