NEW YORK, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Universal
Music Group) - In a move which underscores their shared commitment to expanding the marketplace for new music, Universal Republic Records and pioneering music executive Jason Flom today announced a new partnership that will have Universal Republic providing promotion, marketing, sales and distribution services for Lava Records. The announcement was made today by Monte Lipman, President & CEO of Universal Republic and Mr. Flom.
This strategic partnership will further bolster Universal Republic's strength in the marketplace and increase its investment in the artists and repertoire area.
"Our partnership with Lava is testament to the commitment we have for discovering and nurturing new artists and their music," stated Mr. Lipman. "And the chance to work with Jason is a wonderful opportunity because he shares our passion for this process. His fierce competitiveness and remarkable achievements in launching Lava define creative leadership at its very best. Over the last decade, Jason has been responsible for successfully developing a diverse roster of artists, and I know he will continue the creative process that originally made Lava such a powerhouse. More importantly, I'm just glad I don't have to compete against him anymore."
"I'm delighted to be moving into the next phase of my career and doing it alongside Doug Morris (Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Group), Mel Lewinter (Chairman, Universal Motown Republic Group), Monte and Avery Lipman (Co-President, Universal Republic) and the entire Universal Republic team," added Mr. Flom. "What attracted me most to Universal Republic was Monte's approach to the creative process, and the energy and passion of his team. Despite the challenges of the music business today, our partnership with Monte and his team will assure the strongest possible future for our artists."
With nearly three decades in the music industry, Mr. Flom most recently served as Chairman & CEO of Capitol Music Group, where he worked with such legendary artists as Lenny Kravitz and the Rolling Stones, as well as being responsible for such break-through artists as Katy Perry, KT Tunstall, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, 30 Seconds to Mars and Saving Abel.
Mr. Flom began his career in 1979 as a field merchandiser, hanging posters in record shops. He moved on to a post as an A&R representative, signing artists including Twisted Sister, White Lion, Skid Row and Tori Amos, among others. In the early '90's, Mr. Flom headed the A&R department at Atlantic, overseeing a team that enjoyed incredible success in breaking new artists, including Jewel, Hootie & the Blowfish, Stone Temple Pilots and Collective Soul. He later founded Lava Records, where he discovered, signed and developed artists who went on to sell in excess of 100 million records around the world during the eight years of the label's existence. Lava artists included such chart-toppers as Kid Rock, The Corrs, matchbox twenty, Uncle Kracker, Simple Plan, Edwin McCain, Sugar Ray and Trans Siberian Orchestra.
Prior to joining Capitol Records, Mr. Flom served as Atlantic Records Group Chairman & CEO.
Mr. Flom is equally known for contributing his time and energy to various charitable organizations. He serves as a board member for Drug Policy Alliance (a division of George Soros' Open Society Institute), the Innocence Project, Families Against Mandatory Minimums (F.A.M.M.), and the Legal Action Center, whose work is at the forefront of the fight to end discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS and/or histories of addiction. He has also served on the board of Manhattan's New School.
In addition, Mr. Flom has been active in raising awareness and funds for various medical research organizations including The T.J. Martell Foundation, which honored him with its Humanitarian Award in 2005 and City of Hope, which presented Mr. Flom with the Ambassador Award in 2008. Mr. Flom was also named the UJA Federation's first "Music Visionary of the Year" and was awarded the "Torch of Liberty" by the American Civil Liberties Union.
About Universal Republic Records
Universal Republic Records is a division of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global music publishing operation.
Universal Music Group's record labels include Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino, Universal Records South, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalog is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the US) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the US.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division; and Helter Skelter, its live music agency.
Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.
