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The chairman, president, and founder, in 1975, of Trans Continental Airlines, Pearlman founded Orlando, Florida based Trans Continental Records after supplying a charter for the New Kids on the Block in 1991 and discovering that they reached over $1,000,000,000 in record, tour, and merchandise sales. Pearlman played guitar when he was younger: "I just always wanted to be in the music business and the aviation business too. When I was in a band in the late '70s, we called it Flyer."
After asking Smokey Robinson and Art Garfunkel for advice on grooming and harmony, his first boy band was the Backstreet Boys, who sold 65 million units worldwide after a two year $1,000,000 investment, followed by *NSYNC who sold 56 million units worldwide. "The idea was to create our own bootcamp, a finishing school with PR training, choreography, vocal lessons." Subsequent groups include LFO and O-Town (from Making the Band , named after Motown). Also on Trans Continental Records are Marshall Dyllon, a country boyband co-produced by Kenny Rogers, a Latino group C-Note, a 15 year old solo Latino artist Lugo, ex-Backstreet Boy Phoenix Stone, the hard rock Brizz, the girl group Innosense, Kenny Rogers, The Monkees, and KC & The Sunshine Band.
Trans Continental Studios have been used by Britney Spears, Dr. Dre and Eminem. His Fashion Rock LLC hosts talent search events and workshops. He is also the author of Bands, Brands, and Billions with Wes Smith.
The Backstreet Boys sued Pearlman because they felt their contract, under which Pearlman collected as both manager and producer, and by *NSYNC, who wished to be able to change record labels. According to Pearlman Johnny Wright had been hired to manage both bands but as Wright was unable to receive financial backing Pearlman put up the funds. Both suits have been settled with Pearlman still receiving a cut of both groups profits, "and that will be forever," according to Pearlman.