American music industry executive Jason Flom is the CEO of Lava Records and Lava Music Publishing. Flom previously served as Chairman and CEO at Atlantic Records, Virgin Records and Capitol Music Group and is personally responsible for launching acts such as Kid Rock, Katy Perry, and Lorde. The New Yorker described him as “one of the most successful record men of the past 20 years…known for his specialty in delivering ‘monsters.’”
Flom began his career at Atlantic Records as a Trainee Field Merchandiser when he was 18 years old. He rose through the ranks and was named Chairman and CEO in 2003. Artists who he discovered and developed during his time there included Kid Rock, Matchbox 20, The Corrs, Hayley Williams, Skid Row, Tori Amos, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Jewel, and Stone Temple Pilots. Flom became Chairman and CEO of Virgin Records in 2006 where he discovered and signed Katy Perry. In 2008, he was appointed Chairman and CEO of Capitol Music Group, where he oversaw the careers of such artists as Coldplay, Lenny Kravitz, and 30 Seconds to Mars.
In 1995, he founded Lava Records as a joint venture with Atlantic Records, which turned out to be one of the most successful startups in music business history. In 2009, Flom reclaimed Lava Records, forming a partnership with Republic Records and signing Lorde and Jessie J. In 2015, Flom created Lava Music Publishing.
Jason Flom is a leading philanthropist who has long championed various political and social causes. He has demonstrated his commitment to social justice as a founding board member of the Innocence Project and a board member of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, The Legal Action Center, The Drug Policy Alliance, The Anti-Recidivism Coalition, NYU Prison Education Program, Proclaim Justice and VetPaw. Jason Flom is known as a leading civilian expert on clemency and is personally responsible for dozens of clemencies including 17 that were granted by President Clinton, all of whom were nonviolent drug offenders serving between 15 and 85-year mandatory sentences. He founded the Life After Exoneration Program and the Innocence Network Conference to provide support and social services for exonerees. In 2007 Flom co-founded the Freedom Fund at the Bronx Defenders. In 2011, he donated $1 million to the Innocence Project to establish a senior litigation position in honor of his late father Joseph Flom.
Flom is the host of the hit podcast Wrongful Conviction, now in its fourth season, which features interviews with men and women who have spent decades in prison for crimes they did not commit. Within two weeks of its release, the podcast shot to #7 on the iTunes charts and raised over $1 million to benefit the Innocence Project.