Jason Flom
{{Short description|American music executive}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jason Flom
| image = Jason Flom with Lorde 2013.jpg
| caption = Jason Flom with Lorde, 2013
| birth_place = Manhattan, New York
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = CEO, Lava Music, podcaster, philanthropist
| father = Joseph Flom
| spouse = {{marriage| Khaliah Ali|2023}}
| children =
| website =
| footnotes =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|02|17}}
| networth =
}}
Jason Flom (born February 17, 1961) is an American music industry executive, podcaster and philanthropist. He is the founder of Lava Records, and was previously the chairman of Atlantic Records and Virgin Records/Capitol Music Group. He is also an advocate for those who have allegedly been wrongfully convicted.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/jason-flom-wrongful-conviction-rodney-reed-profile-927737/ | title=A Record Exec's Crusade for Justice | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=7 January 2020 }}
Music industry career
In 1979, while a college freshman at New York University, Flom got a job as a trainee field merchandiser at Atlantic Records hanging record posters in stores.{{cite journal |title=Flom Renews Atlantic Pact as Lava Remains Red-Hot |journal=Business Wire |date=1 June 1999 |page=1 |location=New York, NY}} In 1981, he moved to the sales research team and, in 1983, into Atlantic's A&R department. At 20, Flom departed NYU to work full-time at Atlantic. Bands he signed at the time included Skid Row and Stone Temple Pilots.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/skid-row-pretty-bad-boys-203138/|title=Skid Row: Pretty Bad Boys|last=Wild|first=David|date=1991-09-19|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-02}}
In 1995, Flom launched Lava Records in partnership with Atlantic Records.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/elektra-entertainment-group-history/|title=History of Elektra Entertainment Group – FundingUniverse|website=www.fundinguniverse.com|access-date=2019-04-02}} In 2004, Flom sold Lava Records to Atlantic Records Group, where he was named chairman and CEO of the Atlantic Records Group.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2004/music/markets-festivals/flom-flows-to-atlantic-post-1117902669/|title=Flom flows to Atlantic post|last=Gallo|first=Phil|date=2004-04-01|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-04-02}} Flom was named chairman and CEO of Virgin Records in 2005. In 2007, he led a merger with Capitol Records to create the Capitol Music Group, where he was named chairman and CEO.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/26/business/media/26music.html|title=EMI Merging Record Labels and Ousting Capitol's President|last=Leeds|first=Jeff|date=2007-01-26|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-04-02|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} In 2007 he signed Katy Perry.{{Cite web|url=http://www.papermag.com/katy-perry-2009-cover-1425557962.html|title=Katy Perry on the Cover of PAPER in 2009|date=2009-03-30|website=PAPER|language=en|access-date=2019-04-02|archive-date=3 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403010108/http://www.papermag.com/katy-perry-2009-cover-1425557962.html|url-status=dead}} In 2008, Flom left Capitol Music Group to re-launch his own Lava Records label, this time in partnership with Universal Music Group's Republic Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20121016006943/en/LAVA-Records-Renews-Partnership-Republic-Records|title=LAVA Records Renews Partnership with Republic Records|date=2012-10-16|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en|access-date=2019-04-02}} In 2013, Flom signed Lorde to Lava, which released her debut single, "Royals".{{Cite web|url=https://observer.com/2014/10/from-lorde-to-jessie-j-the-hits-keep-coming-for-a-r-superstar-jason-flom/|title=From Lorde to Jessie J, the Hits Keep Coming for A&R Superstar Jason Flom|date=2014-10-01|website=Observer|language=en|access-date=2019-04-02}}
Flom founded Lava Publishing in 2014, which has published writing from Evan Konrad,{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8499262/evan-konrad-signs-lava-records-long-way-out|title=Evan Konrad Signs to Lava Records, Debuts New Song 'Long Way Out': Exclusive|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2019-04-03}} Maty Noyes,{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicconnection.com/kobalt-jason-flom-deal-lava-music-publishing/|title=Kobalt, Jason Flom Deal for Lava Music Publishing|date=2015-05-22|website=Music Connection Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-03}} and all four members of Greta Van Fleet.
In 2018, Flom co-wrote a children's book titled Lulu Is a Rhinoceros with his daughter Allison Flom - a book which follows a bulldog named Lulu who identifies as a rhino.{{Cite web|last=Pesce|first=Nicole Lyn|title=How this father-daughter duo wrote Lulu is a Rhinoceros, an adorable children's book about accepting yourself|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-this-father-daughter-duo-wrote-lulu-is-a-rhinoceros-an-adorable-childrens-book-about-accepting-yourself-2018-09-05|access-date=2020-11-01|website=MarketWatch|language=en-US}}
Notable A&R/production acts
Philanthropy
In 1993, he joined the board of Families Against Mandatory Minimums and soon after became a founding board member of the Innocence Project.{{Cite web|url=https://mashable.com/2016/10/04/wrongful-conviction-jason-flom/|title=Meet the millionaire music executive helping the wrongfully convicted|last=Petronzio|first=Matt|website=Mashable|date=4 October 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-04-02}} As part of his work with the Innocence Project, Flom launched the podcast Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom in 2016. The podcast features interviews with men and women who have spent time in prison for crimes they claim they did not commit and other activists, advocates and experts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrongfulconvictionpodcast.com/about/|title=Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom {{!}} Lava for Good Podcasts|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.innocenceproject.org/board-member-jason-flom-premiers-podcast-series-wrongful-convictions/|title=Board Member Jason Flom Premieres Podcast on Wrongful Convictions|date=2016-07-19|website=Innocence Project|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-02}} Notable guests on the podcast include Kim Kardashian,{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2018/09/05/kim-kardashian-working-free-convicted-felon-serving-life-prison/1198305002/|title=Kim Kardashian returns to the White House to make the case for another convict's release|last=Barchenger|first=Cydney Henderson and Stacey|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-02}} John Grisham,{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/for-a-convicted-double-murderer-long-on-famous-supporters-basic-detective-work-could-be-key/2019/04/21/e910d1ca-5b05-11e9-842d-7d3ed7eb3957_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422003229/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/for-a-convicted-double-murderer-long-on-famous-supporters-basic-detective-work-could-be-key/2019/04/21/e910d1ca-5b05-11e9-842d-7d3ed7eb3957_story.html|archive-date=2019-04-22|title=For a convicted double murderer long on famous supporters, basic detective work could be key - The Washington Post|newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2019-04-22|access-date=2019-12-02}} Meek Mill,{{Cite web|url=https://www.vibe.com/2018/08/meek-mill-joins-jason-floms-wrongful-conviction-podcast-to-dissect-criminal-justice|title=Meek Mill Talks Criminal Justice System On 'Wrongful Conviction' Podcast|date=2018-08-15|website=Vibe|language=en|access-date=2019-12-02}} Amanda Knox, Raymond Santana,{{Cite web|url=http://nymag.com/vindicated/2016/11/a-music-mogul-lends-his-mic-to-the-wrongfully-convicted.html|title=How a Music Mogul Became a Powerful Voice for the Wrongfully Convicted|last=Gell|first=Aaron|website=The Vindicated|date=21 November 2016 |language=en-us|access-date=2019-12-02}} Brendan Dassey,{{Cite web|url=https://abc7news.com/5594927/|title=Kim Kardashian West speaks out in favor of 'Making a Murderer' subject Brendan Dassey|date=2019-10-05|website=ABC7 San Francisco|language=en|access-date=2019-12-02}} and Rodney Reed,{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2019/11/13/rodney-reed-texas-wrongful-conviction-podcast-jason-flom/|title='Wrongful Conviction' Podcast Visits Rodney Reed on Death Row as He Awaits a Stay of Execution|website=Fortune|language=en|access-date=2019-12-02}} among others. The podcast reached #7 on the iTunes charts within its first 2 weeks of release, and has since been downloaded over 10 million times.{{Cite web|url=http://nymag.com/vindicated/2016/11/a-music-mogul-lends-his-mic-to-the-wrongfully-convicted.html|title=How a Music Mogul Became a Powerful Voice for the Wrongfully Convicted|last=Gell|first=Aaron|website=The Vindicated|date=21 November 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-04-02}}
In 2018, Flom and Jeff Kempler founded Lava for Good. Its podcast series are hosted by human rights and justice experts, activists, attorneys, journalists, as well as formerly incarcerated persons. The Lava for Good lineup includes Wrongful Conviction,{{Cite web |last=America |first=JOCE STERMAN and ALEX BRAUER {{!}} Spotlight on |date=2022-05-02 |title=Exec who launched stars like Katy Perry and Kid Rock is now helping free the innocent |url=https://wpde.com/news/spotlight-on-america/exec-who-launched-stars-like-katy-perry-and-kid-rock-is-now-helping-free-the-innocent-wrongful-convictions-podcast-jasom-flom-maggie-freleng |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=WPDE |language=en}} Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng,{{Cite web |last=Peukert |first=Amanda |date=2022-05-02 |title=Maggie Freleng's New Podcast Aims to Exonerate |url=https://www.spin.com/2022/05/maggie-freleng-wrongful-conviction/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=SPIN |language=en-US}} Righteous Convictions with Jason Flom, Bone Valley,{{Cite web |last=Quah |first=Nicholas |date=2022-12-13 |title=The Best True-Crime Podcasts of 2022 |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-true-crime-podcasts-2022.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}} The War on Drugs,{{Cite web |last=Ho |first=Rodney |title=Atlanta comic, actor Clayton English digs into history and fallacies of 'The War on Drugs' in new podcast |url=https://www.ajc.com/life/radiotvtalk-blog/atlanta-comic-actor-clayton-english-digs-into-history-and-fallacies-of-the-war-on-drugs-in-new-podcast/GYDHEMV42ZH7ZBGQ2UANFTN3ZE/ |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=Georgia Entertainment Scene Blog (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) |language=English}} False Confessions,{{Cite web |title=Podcast Featuring Making a Murderer Lawyers Asks: Why Would an Innocent Person Confess to a Crime? |url=https://people.com/crime/wrongful-conviction-podcast-making-a-murderer-lawyers/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}} as well as Junk Science.{{Cite web |date=2020-08-04 |title=NEW: Wrongful Conviction: Junk Science |url=https://podcastbusinessjournal.com/new-wrongful-conviction-junk-science/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Podcast Business Journal |language=en-US}}
2021 saw Lava for Good honored with a Webby Award win in the Crime & Justice category for Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions.{{Cite web |title=NEW Webby Gallery + Index |url=http://winners.webbyawards.com/2021/podcasts/limited-series-specials/crime-justice/169401/wrongful-conviction-false-confessions |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=NEW Webby Gallery + Index |language=en}} In 2022, Lava for Good won a Silver Anthem Award for Human & Civil Rights - Best Strategy.{{Cite web |title=Entry |url=https://www.anthemawards.com/winners/list/entry/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=Anthem Awards |language=en}} Wrongful Conviction and Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng were honored with Silver{{Cite web |title=Signal Award Winner |url=https://www.signalaward.com/winners/details/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Signal Awards |language=en}} and Bronze/Listener's Choice Awards, respectively, at the first inaugural Signal Awards announced in January 2023.
Flom also sits on the board of directors of the Legal Action Center, which uses legal and policy strategies to fight discrimination, build health equity, and restore opportunity for people with criminal records, substance use disorders, and HIV or AIDS.{{Cite web |title=Legal Action Center {{!}} Jason Flom |url=https://www.lac.org/about/our-team/jason-flom |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=Legal Action Center |language=en}}
In 1999, Flom received the Torch of Liberty award from the American Civil Liberties Union.{{Cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA98 |title=Update |magazine=Billboard |date=1999-07-17 |page=98}} He was named Music Visionary of the Year in 2000 by the UJA Federation.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2000/scene/vpage/bizzers-flow-to-lava-prez-1117782499/|title=Bizzers flow to Lava prez|date=2000-06-12|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-04-02}} In 2004, the Correctional Association of New York honored him with its social justice award and in 2005 Flom received the T.J. Martell Foundation Humanitarian Award. In 2008, Flom was honored as Partner in Pursuit of Justice by the Bronx Defenders and was awarded with City of Hope's Ambassador Award.{{Cite web |title=Members |url=https://www.unitedjusticecoalition.com/advisors |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=United Justice Coalition |language=en-US}} He received the Innocence Project's Award for Freedom and Justice in 2009{{Cite web |title=From Music Exec to Criminal Justice Reformer |url=https://prisonsandjustice.georgetown.edu/jasonflom/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=Prisons and Justice Initiative |language=en-US}} and the Spirit of Life award by Russell Simmons' Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation in 2014.{{Cite web |last=Bacardi |first=Francesca |date=2014-07-28 |title=Russell Simmons Celebrates 15th Anniversary of Art for Life Benefit |url=https://variety.com/2014/scene/vpage/russell-simmons-celebrates-15th-anniversary-of-art-for-life-benefit-1201270074/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} Flom was honored by the Innocence Project of New Orleans in 2017.{{Cite web |last=Strachan |first=Sue |title=Innocence Project New Orleans honors five at 16th Anniversary Gala |url=https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/society/article_b616a2e4-ee37-504b-be91-bd0c009aa9c8.html |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=NOLA.com |date=21 June 2017 |language=en}} At the 2022 Clio Awards, Flom was presented a Clio Music Impact Award for his work in criminal justice reform.{{Cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=2022-05-12 |title=Clio Music Awards Honor Jason Flom, Mary J. Blige, Sandy Hook/'Teenage Dream' Spot and More in Nashville Ceremony |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/clio-awards-jason-flom-nashville-1235265643/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} In 2023, he was honored at the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work towards criminal justice reform.{{Cite web |author=Brian Bohannon-freelancer|agency=Associated Press |date=2023-11-05 |title=2023 Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards |url=https://www.clintonherald.com/news/national_news/2023-muhammad-ali-humanitarian-awards/image_e6334cb8-b1ef-50c6-92a7-d19fe569eb4f.html |access-date=2023-11-14 |website=Clinton Herald |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.lavarecords.com Lava Records Official Website]
- [http://nymag.com/vindicated/2016/11/a-music-mogul-lends-his-mic-to-the-wrongfully-convicted.html Article, New York Magazine Nov 2016]
- [https://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/music-mogul-fighting-man-convicted-murder-prison-52888242 Interview, 20/20 Feb 2018]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjIAAo5cdgk&t=1235s Interview, Vice News March 2018]
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Category:American music industry executives
Category:Wrongful conviction advocacy