LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – Los Angeles-based music executive Jason Bentley, renowned for his career as a radio host, DJ, A&R director, and music supervisor, has taken on a pivotal role at independent record label Thrive Music. Thrive Music founder Ricardo Vinas announced Bentley’s appointment as President of Licensing and Soundtracks, heading a newly established division dedicated to sync services.
In this capacity, Bentley will drive business development within the sync space, exploring opportunities in feature films, TV, advertising, and video games. Building on Thrive’s history of releasing film soundtracks, including cult classics like Gaspar Noe’s Irreversible, Darren Aronofsky’s PI, and Christopher Nolan’s Memento, Bentley aims to collaborate with Thrive’s distribution partners at Virgin Music Group (VMG) to acquire soundtrack properties. His goal is to enhance these projects, leveraging Thrive’s marketing expertise.
Bentley stated, “Thrive is on the frontlines of dance music culture, and I’m thrilled to join Ricardo and the Thrive team as they continue to build a global force in dance music. The vision and passion in the building are unrivaled, and I’m looking forward to a successful 2024 and beyond.”
Thrive Music Founder Ricardo Vinas expressed excitement about Bentley’s addition to the team, “Jason has had his finger on the pulse of so much impactful music and notable projects, all the years I’ve known him. I am excited to have his expertise and good taste come to Thrive, bringing a new dimension to the company as we build a slate of distinctive music-driven film and TV projects.”
“Jason has a vast legacy in music and uniquely understands the power of discovery and how music can have an incredible impact and connection with fans when used in film and TV,” adds Jacqueline Saturn, President of North America and EVP of Global Artist Relations at VMG. “We are all super excited for him to join Ricardo and our incredible partners at Thrive and look forward to all the opportunities he will bring to their incredible roster of artists.”
Bentley’s background includes a decade-long tenure as the music director of NPR affiliate KCRW radio, hosting the acclaimed daily music program “Morning Becomes Eclectic” for eleven years, and currently hosting and producing the weekly dance music mix show “Metropolis.” In the record business, he has served as an A&R executive for Island and Maverick Records, working with artists like Madonna and Depeche Mode. Bentley’s influence extends to his work as a music supervisor for films, including notable projects like The Matrix and Tron Legacy.
Lastly, he has been a featured DJ at major festivals, including Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, HARD, and Lightning in a Bottle, and he has anchored the official Coachella festival live stream for six years. Bentley brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Thrive Music’s new chapter in the world of sync services.
