# Dan Pelson

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**Dan Pelson** (born 1966) is an American media and experiential-entertainment executive best known for co-founding a string of early internet ventures, including *[Word Magazine](/source/Word_Magazine)*, Concrete Media, [Bolt.com](/source/Bolt.com) and the social-music network uPlayMe, and for later leading the immersive-retail complex [AREA15](/source/AREA15) in [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas) as its [chief operating officer](/source/Chief_operating_officer).[1][2][3]

## Early life and education

Pelson was born in 1966 in [Ann Arbor, Michigan](/source/Ann_Arbor,_Michigan).[4] He earned a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) in [political science](/source/Political_science) and [economics](/source/Economics) from [Colgate University](/source/Colgate_University) and a [Master of Business Administration](/source/Master_of_Business_Administration) in international marketing from [New York University Stern School of Business](/source/New_York_University_Stern_School_of_Business).[5]

## Career

Pelson began his career in 1988 at [Sun Microsystems](/source/Sun_Microsystems), holding marketing, sales and product-development roles focused on media-industry clients.[5][6] In June 1995, Pelson joined writer Carey Earle and designer Tom Livaccari to launch *[Word Magazine](/source/Word_Magazine)*, one of the web's first ad-supported multimedia [webzines](/source/Webzine).[1][7] Seeing commercial potential in the nascent Internet, he and partners spun the editorial startup into Concrete Media in 1996.[1]

Under Concrete's umbrella, Pelson and illustrator Jane Mount launched [Bolt.com](/source/Bolt.com) in September 1996, an early social-network community for teens that by 1999 hosted three million registered users and 50,000 user-run clubs.[8][9] Pelson served as chairman and chief executive of both Concrete Media and Bolt during the first dot-com boom.[10]

In 2006, Pelson re-entered the music sector, co-founding uPlayMe, a desktop application that matched listeners in real time; *[Wired](/source/Wired_(magazine))* dubbed it an effort to make "music social again" without costly label licences.[11] In the same year, [Warner Music Group](/source/Warner_Music_Group) appointed him senior vice-president for global consumer marketing, where he built direct-to-fan businesses across the label group; he left in mid-2008 to return as uPlayMe's chief executive.[12] He is also a co-founder of SunPress Vinyl, a record pressing plant.[13]

From 2009 to 2016, Pelson worked for [Sony Music Entertainment](/source/Sony_Music_Entertainment) and [Sony Corporation of America](/source/Sony_Corporation_of_America). At [Sony Music](/source/Sony_Music), he oversaw the Direct to Consumer global operations[14] and was the CEO of MyPlay, Sony's music video platform from 2008 to 2013.[15] He also served as an executive producer of *[The X Factor Digital Experience](/source/The_X_Factor_Digital_Experience)*.[16]

In March 2019, Pelson became [chief operating officer](/source/Chief_operating_officer) of [AREA15](/source/AREA15), a 200,000 sq ft immersive retail and entertainment district west of the [Las Vegas Strip](/source/Las_Vegas_Strip).[2][17] Pelson oversaw operations, leasing and events as AREA15 welcomed nearly four million visitors in its first three years.[2] He resigned in November 2024 amid a restructuring that sought a Las Vegas-based COO; the company cited Pelson's preference to remain in New York with his family.[18][19]

Since 2020, Pelson has been a director and, from 2023, nominating-committee chair, of Urban Art (formerly Urban Arts Partnership), a New York nonprofit delivering technology-and-arts programmes in under-resourced public schools.[20][21] He has also served on the board of [Teach For America](/source/Teach_For_America).[5]

## Personal life

Pelson is based in [New York City](/source/New_York_City). He is married to Jenny Kwong and has three children.[22]

## References

1. ["The New Old Media"](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/1997/03/the-new-old-media.html). *[New York Magazine](/source/New_York_(magazine))*. 24 March 1997. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["XLIST Council Spotlight: Dan Pelson"](https://www.xp.land/latest/xp-land-xlist-jury-member-spotlight-dan-pelson/). *XP Land*. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["Social networking widgets could reshape music biz"](https://www.reuters.com/article/technology/social-networking-widgets-could-reshape-music-biz-idUSN28490165/). *[Reuters](/source/Reuters)*. 29 December 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["On a roll: Dan Pelson"](http://adage.com/article/sound-vision-music/a-roll-dan-pelson/54259/). *Ad Age*. 16 July 2001. Retrieved 25 July 2018.

1. ["Dan Pelson"](https://people.stern.nyu.edu/hassael/B702348/dpelson.htm). *NYU Stern School of Business*. 2002. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. Moss, Wes (2008). [*Make More, Worry Less: Secrets from 18 Extraordinary People Who Created a Bigger Income and a Better Life*](https://books.google.com/books?id=kyIWqvf_1uUC&dq=dan+pelson&pg=PA87). FT Press. p. 87. ISBN 9780132703949.

1. ["Word"](https://deadword.com/). *Deadword.com*. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["IQ Interactive Special Report: Q &A with Bolt.com's Dan Pelson"](https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/iq-interactive-special-report-iq-q-boltcoms-dan-pelson-50414/). *[Adweek](/source/Adweek)*. 1 February 2000. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. Pasiuk, Laurie (2006). [*Vault Guide to the Top Internet Industry Employers*](https://archive.org/details/vaultguidetotopi00vaul). Vault Inc. p. [45](https://archive.org/details/vaultguidetotopi00vaul/page/45). ISBN 9781581313840. dan pelson bolt.

1. ["Dan Pelson: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg"](https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=432183&privcapId=28560200). *www.bloomberg.com*. Retrieved 8 May 2018.

1. ["Former Label Exec Sees Future Outside Music Distribution"](https://www.wired.com/2008/09/major-label-see/). *[Wired](/source/Wired_(magazine))*. 4 September 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["Industry Moves: Pelson Leaves Warner Music; Back at uPlayMe Again"](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/industry-moves-pelson-leaves-warner-music-back-at-uplayme-again/). *[CBS News](/source/CBS_News)*. 29 July 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. Rodriguez, Rene. ["It's not all about digital music: An old vinyl record factory gets new life"](http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article127395329.html). *Miami Herald*. Retrieved 8 May 2018.

1. ["The Hot Seat: Dan Pelson, Executive VP, Sony Music Entertainment - Lars Brandle"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180509221121/http://larsbrandle.com/the-hot-seat-dan-pelson-executive-vp-sony-music-entertainment). *Lars Brandle*. 13 March 2012. Archived from [the original](http://larsbrandle.com/the-hot-seat-dan-pelson-executive-vp-sony-music-entertainment) on 9 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.

1. ["Dan Pelson's schedule for Music Biz 2016"](https://musicbiz2016.sched.com/speaker/dan382). *Music Biz*. Retrieved 8 May 2018.

1. ["The X Factor USA - The Webby Awards"](https://www.webbyawards.com/winners/2012/interactive-advertising/individual/branded-content/the-x-factor-usa/). *www.webbyawards.com*. Retrieved 8 May 2018.

1. ["The comeback of the brick-and-mortar store"](https://www.retaildive.com/news/the-comeback-of-the-brick-and-mortar-store/570290/). *Retail Dive*. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["Las Vegas tourist attraction announces layoffs"](https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/las-vegas-tourist-attraction-announces-layoffs-3216930/). *[Las Vegas Review-Journal](/source/Las_Vegas_Review-Journal)*. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["AREA15 confirms layoffs, COO search"](https://www.fox5vegas.com/2024/11/22/area15-confirms-layoffs-replacing-coo/). *KVVU-TV*. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["Dan Pelson – Board of Directors"](https://urbanarts.org/team/dan-pelson/). *Urban Arts*. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["The Urban Arts Yearbook 2024"](https://urbanarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/THE-URBAN-ARTS-YEARBOOK-2024-3-1.pdf). *Urban Arts*. 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

1. ["Las Vegas tourist attraction announces layoffs"](https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/las-vegas-tourist-attraction-announces-layoffs-3216930/). *[Las Vegas Review-Journal](/source/Las_Vegas_Review-Journal)*. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

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