Lava Records is an American based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated through Universal Republic Records.

Company history[link]

Lava Records was established in 1995 as a joint venture between Atlantic Records and Jason Flom, who began his career with Atlantic Records. One of the most accomplished A&R people in the music industry, in his early career Flom was responsible for signing such artists as Zebra, Twisted Sister, Skid Row, White Lion, and Tori Amos, as well as helping launch the careers of Stone Temple Pilots and Collective Soul. Since Lava's inception, among the artists the label has brought to prominence are Authority Zero, Antigone Rising, Kid Rock, Matchbox Twenty, Porcupine Tree, Skillet, Smile Empty Soul, Sugar Ray, The Corrs, Uncle Kracker, Vanessa Williams, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Simple Plan.

In August 2005, Flom resigned as chairman and chief executive of Atlantic Records, ending a 26 year career within the company. Flom was named chairman and CEO of Virgin Records U.S., following the departure of Matt Serletic that same month. In October 2005, Warner Music Group combined Lava Records with its Atlantic Records Group. Warner originally planned the move following Flom's resignation.[1]

In early 2009, Flom reclaimed the Lava Records imprint from Warner and revived the label under the Universal umbrella. Flom described the rebirth as: "A new start with the same philosophy: find great artists in the rock and pop genre, develop them, work with good partners, and make the biggest records in the business."^[1] Lava operates as joint venture with Universal Republic, who provide promotion, marketing, sales and distribution services. Flom said that he wanted to work with co-presidents Avery and Monte Lipman because "[they] are among the best in the business at breaking new artists".^[1]

Lava has signed artists including Jessie J, Kaile Goh, and Black Veil Brides

Label roster[link]

Current artists[link]

• 30 MILES
• Jessie J
• Black Veil Brides
• Kaile Goh
• Alysha Brillinger^[2]

Past artists[link]

• Authority Zero
• Bif Naked
• The Boondock Saints
• CIV
• Course of Nature
• Cold
• The Corrs
• The Cult
• Egypt Central
• Willa Ford
• Grade 8
• Hot Action Cop
• Little-T And One Track Mike
• Matchbox 20
• Edwin McCain
• Nonpoint
• Needtobreathe
• Outspoken
• Franky Perez
• Porcupine Tree
• Reach 454
• Smile Empty Soul
• Jill Sobule
• Sugar Ray
• Unwritten Law
• Vanessa Williams
• Antigone Rising
• Basement Jaxx
• Blue Man Group
• Joe Brooks
• John Butler Trio
• Cherie
• The Click Five
• Embrace
• Kid Rock
• Toby Lightman
• O.A.R.
• Simple Plan
• Skillet
• Skindred
• Throwing Gravity
• Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• Uncle Kracker
• Vaux
• Brittney White

References[link]

Jason Flom is an American music industry executive. He has served as the Chairman and CEO of music labels including Atlantic Records, Virgin Records, and the Capitol Music Group. In 1995, he founded Lava Records. He is also a philanthropist who has supported and championed various political and social causes.

A 2003 feature in The New Yorker called Flom "one of the most successful record men of the past 20 years," known for his "specialty [in] delivering 'monsters'."^[1]

Flom is the son of the late legendary corporate attorney Joseph Flom.^[2]

Atlantic Records & Lava Records[link]

As a teenager, Flom played guitar in rock bands in New York.^[3] He began his career at Atlantic Records as a field merchandiser, and moved into the A&R department under Atlantic founder Ahmet Ertegun. After signing rock artists including Twisted Sister, Skid Row, White Lion, Stone Temple Pilots and Tori Amos, Flom soon became Atlantic's head of A&R, where he was mentored by Doug Morris.

Flom's leadership in A&R included breaking new artists such as Jewel, Hootie & the Blowfish and Collective Soul. In 1995 he founded his own label, Lava Records, in partnership with Atlantic Records.

At Lava, Flom discovered and championed artists who went on to sell in excess of 100 million records around the world in the label's first nine years of existence.^[4] Lava artists have included Matchbox 20, Kid Rock, The Corrs, Uncle Kracker, Simple Plan, The Blue Man Group, Edwin McCain, Sugar Ray and Trans Siberian Orchestra.

In 2003 Flom signed the then 14-year-old Hayley Williams and her hugely successful pop-rock band Paramore to Atlantic Records.^[5]

In 2005 Flom sold Lava Records to Atlantic, and was appointed Chairman and CEO of the Atlantic Records Group. In his first year, five newly released albums entered Top 5 of The Billboard Hot 200.^[4]

Virgin Records & Capitol Music Group[link]

Flom departed Atlantic in 2005 after the Warner Music Group became a publicly traded company with newly installed management. Thereafter, Flom became Chairman and CEO of Virgin Records in 2005. Following the merger of Virgin Records and its sister label, Capitol Records in 2007, Flom was appointed as the Chairman and CEO at the top of the newly formed Capitol Music Group.

While leading the Capitol Music Group, Flom worked with artists including Lenny Kravitz, Coldplay and the Rolling Stones. He also personally signed international pop star Katy Perry, and oversaw the recording of her debut album One of the Boys which sold more than 5 million albums and singles worldwide.

During Flom's 2-1/2 year tenure, the company broke 11 artists to gold, platinum and multi-platinum status, including the aforementioned Katy Perry, Lily Allen, 30 Seconds to Mars, Corrine Bailey Rae, Saving Abel, Dem Franchize Boyz, KT Tunstall, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, A Fine Frenzy, J Holiday, and Bubba Sparxx.

Today[link]

In early 2009, Flom reclaimed the Lava Records imprint, forming a partnership with Universal Republic for promotion, marketing, sales and distribution services. Flom has since signed artists including Jessie J, Black Veil Brides, and CJ Holland.

Jessie J has become an international superstar.^[6] Her debut singles "Do It Like a Dude" and "Price Tag" featuring B.o.B have both become international smash hits, "Price Tag" reaching number one in the UK and 17 other countries.^[7] Her debut album Who You Are has sold over two million copies worldwide and received Platinum certification in multiple countries.^[8]

Black Veil Brides' first major label release (through Lava) Set the World on Fire debuted on the Billboard Top 20 and sold over 100,000 copies. Since its debut, the band has graced numerous magazine covers, sold out a number of shows on their tour, and gained hundreds of thousands of fans.

Songwriter CJ Holland signed to Lava Records in early 2011. Holland began recording his debut album shortly afterward under Flom and Lava's Senior Director of A&R, Harinder Rana. His reception within the industry has been enthusiastic, particularly among leading artists and publishers.^{[citation needed]}

Philanthropy[link]

Flom serves as a board member for various charitable organizations. These include The Innocence Project, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, The Legal Action Center and The Drug Policy Alliance. In addition, Flom has supported various medical research organizations including The T.J. Martell Foundation and City of Hope. He was honored by the UJA Federation as their first "Music Visionary of the Year" in 2000, was awarded 1999's "Torch of Liberty" by the American Civil Liberties Union and was the honoree at the 2009 Innocence Project Gala.

In honor of his late father, Flom inaugurated the Joseph Flom Special Counsel position in May 2011 through a $1 million donation to The Innocence Project. The position will significantly increase the capacity of The Innocence Project to address the causes of wrongful conviction.^[9]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Interview, HitQuarters Jun 2011