About

©℗ 1999 Jive Records / Trans Continental Records

Our story:

Trans Continental Records is back—and we’re ready to make some serious noise on the pop music front, globally, once again!

Originally launched in Orlando, Florida (USA) back in 1992, and now relaunched in 2025 (in Orlando, again) for a brand-new era, Trans Con is a pop-focused record label that is all about discovering and developing the next generation of standout recording artists. We are honored to be distributed worldwide, exclusively, by Cheiron Music Group (CMG), itself one of the greatest pop music names/brands (by way of the iconic Cheiron Studios) throughout all of history, if not THE greatest, and we are thrilled to be CMG's "go-to" Pop label.

Our Pop Legacy

If you grew up on late 1990s and early-2000s Pop, chances are Trans Continental Records had a big hand in your playlist. Founded in 1992 by Lou Pearlman, we helped launch global icons like the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, O-Town, and some others—artists who literally changed the sound of pop music.

But let’s be real—our past is far from perfect. In 2007, after Lou was arrested for running a massive Ponzi scheme (yep, over half a billion dollars, perhaps more), the label shut down. The scheme was mostly tied to the other entities Lou ran under the “Trans Continental” name and umbrella of companies (i.e. Trans Continental Airlines, Trans Continental Talent, etc.), but the fallout hit the label hard. There were also some sordid (and disputed) allegations (though never proven in a court of law) of inappropriate misconduct of a personal nature on the part of Lou himself, as well as a few very well-documented legal battles on the business side of things between Lou and some of the artists with Trans Con at the time, most notably with the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, respectively, throughout much of 1999. Overall, it was simply a tough ending to what had been an incredible run for the record label itself.

Lou passed away in 2016, and while he was behind some legendary music moments, he also left behind a complicated legacy to say the least. We are not here to gloss over or simply ignore that reality, just the opposite in fact, but we are here to move forward with honesty, passion, and a renewed focus on what really matters when it comes to the label itself, both now and in the future, that being its music and artists.

A Fresh Start

Fast forward to January 1, 2025: Trans Continental Records is officially back in business. Under brand-new ownership and leadership, we've picked up where we left off—but with a whole new mindset. We have brought in a team that is mostly new, plus a few familiar (and highly key) faces from our glory days—people who helped build the label’s success the first time around and had absolutely zero involvement in any of the shady stuff, having been victims of it themselves in various ways.

We are currently in the process of rebuilding the Trans Con brand with honesty, transparency, passion, and a whole lot of creativity. No gimmicks, no drama, no scams, no nonsense—just great music with some very talented people behind it.

The Next Era Starts Now

We are here to honor the music that made us iconic, as well as support the voices that will help shape the future of pop music moving forward. Whether you're a big-time fan of Trans Con's glory days, or if you're just discovering us now, YOU are part of the next chapter.

Expect big things. Expect great Pop. And most of all, expect something both real and authentic to the Trans Con music brand.

Welcome back to Trans Continental Records. Let’s make history-altering pop music upon the world's stage—once again!

Lou Pearlman (third in from left) poses with O-Town, a boy band that he created during the first ever season of the hit television show, "Making the Band", which aired nationally in the USA on the ABC television network during the Spring and Summer of 2000. Following the conclusion of the show that season, O-Town was officially formed and subsequently signed to Trans Continental Records, where they then went on to have some solid commercial success in the music industry over the next few years.

Trans Continental Enterprises was comprised of all of Trans Con's entertainment industry companies, such as Trans Continental Records, Trans Continental Talent, and the others, but it also comprised the non-entertainment industry companies involved with the infamous Ponzi scheme, namely Trans Continental Airlines. While a tremendous stain on the entire "Trans Continental" brand, it is important to never forget what occurred and use all of the hard lessons learned to ensure that it never happens again.