These days, record labels have become very fascinating entities. Given that anyone can write, record and mix a record in their room and easily self-release at virtually no cost, the current climate has certainly led many to question their relevance. Undoubtedly, there’s some truth to this, and some labels do little for the advancement of art; however, some labels are not merely a middle man, but rather factories that help artists fully realize their ideas. A good label acts as family for the artist, a support group, and a space where like-minded creators can interact and grow. Below are our thoughts on some of the best influencers of the culture we consume.
Barsuk (Ra Ra Riot, Phantogram, Death Cab for Cutie): In This Busy Monster’s effort to self-release their own music in 1994, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld inadvertently created Barsuk Records. The Seattle-based label has been releasing music from indie giants such as Death Cab for Cutie and Phantogram ever since.
Mute (m83, Depeche Mode, Liars): Started in 1978 with a deep history revolving around the (in)famous Rough Trade, Mute’s always stellar roster has been a model for labels internationally. With early success from Depeche Mode and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, the label was able to create a name for its self that has drawn artists from all over to its unique business model. Now claiming M83, Goldfrapp, and Liars, it’s clear that Mute hasn’t slowed down a bit.
Mom + Pop Music (Neon Indian, Sleigh Bells, Tokyo Police Club): Though Mom + Pop doesn’t have the endearing start-up story that countless other grassroots labels may claim, the New York based company is well-funded and it shows. During the short time it’s been in existence (since 2009), Mom + Pop have released several key albums. Home to Sleigh Bells, Neon Indian and FIDLAR, they continues to do it bigger and bigger with each record.
Glassnote (Givers, Phoenix, Oberhofer, Daughter): Founded in 2007, industry veteran Daniel Glass wanted to create a label with the freedom and ethos of an independent, but the funding and visibility of a major. With the release of Phoenix’s breakout album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Glassnote became an indie mainstay, and with Mumford and Son’s record, it became an international sensation in both the mainstream and indie scenes.
Merge (Arcade fire, Neutral Milk Hotel, Lambchop, M. Ward): The North Carolina 7” and cassette label originally created to release music from the band Superchunk enjoyed a small cult following in the early nineties, and in 1992, they signed a distribution deal with Touch and Go Records for the collection of Superchunk singles. This partnership proved fruitful, as commercial success with Neutral Milk Hotel and Lambchop releases brought the small label into the game. In 2004, Arcade Fire’s Funeral hit the billboard charts, and the label soon became one of the industry names to watch. With each subsequent release, Merge grows more and more formidable.
iamsound (Lord Huron, Charli XCX, IO Echo, Florence and the Machine): Once known solely as the label that released witch-house pioneers SALEM’s debut EP, iamsound has now become an LA staple. With some of the most innovative acts in the game, it’s now home to UK goth-popper, Charli XCX, folk genius Lord Huron, and eastern influenced experimentalists, IO Echo. Just recently, the label teamed up with the MOCA in LA for a month long event called PLAY that became a multi-sensory musical experience to celebrate the release of IO Echo’s debut.
Drag City (Bill Callahan, Joanna Newsom, Ty Segall): Home to one of the largest collections of experimental releases and industry outliers, this chicago based label has been releasing incredible records since 1990. With albums from Joanna Newsom, Sun Araw, Pavement, Sic Alps, and Stereolab, the company’s lack of normalcy is made up for by its breadth of style. In addition to an incredible roster, the label recently released a handful of comedy albums from the likes of Fred Armisten and Neil Hamburger.
Touch and Go (!!!, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV On The Radio): Out of the ashes of a handmade fanzine, Touch and Go Records rose to become a tastemaker in America’s underground 80s rock scene. Moving to Chicago to release the majority of its catalog, the label reached critical acclaim with breakout records from Jesus Lizard, Butthole Surfers and Big Black. With the dawn of the the 21st century, the label tested its relative success with the signing of TV On The Radio and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Benefitting from the handshake style, 50-50 split deal, the label (despite going through multiple management changes) remains an indie heavyweight known for its curative integrity.
Ghostly International (Gold Panda, Matthew Dear, Tycho): When label founder and owner Sam Valenti met Matthew Dear at a University of Michigan party in Ann Arbor, they discussed their mutual love for underground electronic music and mused about a release on his then non-existent label. At that party, Ghostly International was born and has since been releasing some incredibly influential dance and electronic music. The label’s subtitle, “Of Art and Artifice,” just about sums it up.
DFA (LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, YACHT): The brainchild of LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy and good friend, Tim Goldsworthy, DFA is a staunchly DIY label that has released a series of indie cult classics. With each release, from packaging to web design, the artist owned and operated mentality is self-evident.
Frenchkiss (The Drums, Passion Pit, The Antlers, Young Man): Created with the sole purpose of releasing Les Savy Fav’s sophmore effort, Frenchkiss soon became much more. Their impressive roster has grown to include some of the most formidable artists in almost every sub-genre from The Drums and Passion Pit to The Dodos and Freelance Whales. Perhaps more endearing is the label’s recent formation of their own label group, a boutique distribution company that gives micro-labels a platform to release records worldwide.
True Panther (Girls, King Krule, Glasser): “Putting money into something, praying it would sell enough to put out something else” is how label co-owner, Dean Bein, described True Panther’s business model. This straight-forward ethos is reflected in all True Panther releases. Boasting a more than fantastic roster including overly sincere Girls, UK wunkerkind King Krule, and Memphis’ Magic Kids, True Panther remains one of the few labels left that you can tell is psyched on everything they put out.
Warp (Flying Lotus, Grizzly Bear, Boards of Canada): 1989 British upstart Warp pioneered the electronic music scene in the UK, making waves with its first release, Track with No Name. From there, it was all downhill — the label’s second release, Nightmares on Wax, sold 30,000 copies. This trend continued, and its fifth release (the single “LFO”) sold 130,000 copies. Yet, to the boys at Warp, money never seemed to be an object: they managed to release a genre-defining bleep-techno favorite from Sweet Exorcist that utilized samples from Speilberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In the mid 2000s, Warp grew to sign music outside the previously strict electronic realm. Now, the roster includes indie favorites, Grizzly Bear, Kwes, and Born Ruffians.
Jagjaguwar (Bon Iver, Small Black, Black Mountain): With an absolute power-house roster, Jagjaguwar has come a long way since its Charlottesville, Virginia roots. At first, the label was just a way to release music from The Curious Digit without the lack of credibility self-released records often fall prey to. Label creator Darius Van Arman, however, found the business exciting and continued releasing one-off albums. Then, in 1999 Secretly Canadian’s Chris Swanson met Van Arman and a partnership was formed. The two labels soon began to share offices and some staff, while curatorial decisions remained solely at each company’s discretion. Since then, Jagjagwuar has released Bon Iver’s grammy winning, self-titled sophomore effort and countless other critically acclaimed records from Small Black, Women, Sharon Van Etten, Gayngs and Dinosaur Jr.
Fat Possum (Youth Lagoon, Tennis, The Walkmen, Spiritualized, Yuck): The only Southern label that made the list, Fat Possum was original created to release music from blues artists based in Oxford, Mississippi (the label’s home). Recently, the company has expanded to include releases from the likes of Youth Lagoon, The Walkmen and Odd Future members’ Mellow Hype. With a personal approach to every artist on the label, its easy to see why they’re able to snag so many emerging talents.
Sub Pop Records (Beach House, Fleet Foxes, Washed Out): Seattle mainstay Sub Pop has been releasing some of the most progressive music in America since the mid-80s. Following the commercial success of The Postal Service’s Give Up, though, Sub Pop was able to grow as a label and release some more innovative, but less popular, albums from seattle favorites. In recent years, Sub Pop has given us genre-defining records from Beach House, Fleet Foxes, Shabazz Palaces and Washed Out.
Captured Tracks (Beach Fossils, Craft Spells, DIIV): One of the smallest labels on this list has made a name for itself by remaining idealistic in an industry that runs on hype. In a recent post on founder, Mike Sniper’s, tumblr, he explained in detail the label’s unique demo policy. Essentially, if your band has released any serious recordings, the label isn’t interested in signing. You see, Captured Tracks is about helping an artist realize their potential and acts more like a family in this respect. Artists who were nothing before they signed to Captured Tracks are now touring the globe and putting out world-class records. Even when they could easily be signed to a larger label following critically acclaimed debuts, they stay with Captured Tracks. Beach Fossils, Wild Nothing, Mac DeMarco and Craft Spells are obvious examples of the label’s cohesive aesthetic and integrity.
XL (Sigur Ros, Adele, Bobby Womack, the XX): Originally another off-shoot of Beggars Banquet, the dance and rave centric label became a UK mainstay, releasing game-changers in techno and drum and bass. When Richard Russel took over in the mid-nineties, the label expanded its scope and signed Badly Drawn Boy who won the coveted Mercury Prize in 2000. Now releasing music from some of the biggest names in the industry (not only indie), namely M.I.A., Radiohead, and Adele, it’s comforting that XL still takes pains to invest in promising up and comers like Jai Paul and Willis Earl Beal.
Domino (Dirty Projectors, Twin Sister, Real Estate): What started out as a UK outlet for already signed US bands working with Sub Pop and Drag City in 1993, quickly began to offer so much more. Soon recognized as a label with impeccable curation, the small London-based company released chart topping albums and singles from Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys. Today, Domino releases music from industry heavyweights like Animal Collective and Dirty Projectors, more experimental artists like Owen Pallett and Four Tet and up and coming cult classics like Cass McCombs and Twin Sister. Easily one of the broadest rosters in the game, Domino continues to consistently deliver quality records.
4AD (Twin Shadow, St. Vincent, Atlas Sound): Born into the loving Beggars Banquet family, 4AD was destined for greatness. With the help of British graphic designer, Vaughn Oliver, the label created one of the most distinguishable visual identities to go along with hallmark releases from Cocteau Twins, The Pixies and Modern English. After a merger with Beggars Banquet, the label acquired The National, marking a new era for 4AD. Today, the label continues to sign the best of the best in the game: Atlas Sound, Ariel Pink, Twin Shadow and St. Vincent, along with recent signees Purity Ring and Grimes who are busy making a name for themselves.
- ATO Records
- Family Records
- Neon Gold
- Vagrant (Active Child, PJ Harvey, Reptar)
- Transparent (Therapies Son, Purity Ring, Disclosure, Blood Diamonds)
- Small Plates REcords (Gracie, TV Girl, Hands)
- Secretly Canadian
- tri-angle (Balam Acab, AlunaGeorge, Holy Other)
- terrible (CANT, Blood Orange, Chairlift, Twin Shadow)
- Dead Oceans
- Underwater peoples (Real Estate, Tennis, ICE CHOIR, Big Troubles, Mountain Man)
- Hit City USA (PAPA, Superhumanoids, Princeton)
- R&S (James Blake, Teengirl Fantasy, Airhead, Aphex Twin)
- greco-roman (Disclosure, BAIO, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs)
- absent fever (Dreams, Gracie, Galapogos, Kynan)
- White Iris (NO, Best Coast, Teams, Oberhofer)
- Kanine (Braids, Surfer Blood, Eternal Summers)
