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Sub Pop

Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt. Sub Pop achieved fame
Sub Pop
in the late 1980s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and
Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement.[1] They are often credited with
helping popularize grunge music. The label's roster includes Fleet Foxes, Foals,
Beach House, The Postal Service, Flight of the Conchords, Sleater-Kinney, Blitzen
Trapper, Father John Misty, Shabazz Palaces, METZ, Rolling Blackouts Coastal
Fever, and The Shins. In 1995 the owners of Sub Pop sold a 49% stake of the label
to the Warner Music Group. Parent Warner Music Group
company (1995—present)
Founded 1986
Contents Founder Bruce Pavitt,
Jonathan Poneman
History
Formation Distributor(s) ADA (US)
The "Seattle sound" Outside Music
Post-Pavitt (Canada)
Commercial success Genre Alternative rock ·
Deluxe editions indie pop · punk
Rejection letter rock · heavy metal ·
See also comedy
Notes Country of United States
References origin
External links Location Seattle, Washington
Official www.subpop.com
website
History

Formation
The origins of Sub Pop can be traced back to the early 1980s when Bruce Pavitt started a fanzine called Subterranean Pop that
focused exclusively on American independent record labels. Pavitt undertook the project in order to earn course credit while
attending Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. By the fourth issue, Pavitt had shortened the name to Sub Pop and began
alternating issues with compilation tapes of underground rock bands. The Sub Pop #5 cassette, released in 1982, sold two thousand
copies.[2] In 1983, Pavitt moved toSeattle, Washington and released the ninth and final issue ofSub Pop. While in Seattle, he wrote a
[3][4]
column for local newspaperThe Rocket titled "Sub Pop U.S.A.", a column he ended in 1988.

In 1986, Pavitt released the first Sub Pop LP, the compilation Sub Pop 100, which featured material by artists including Sonic Youth,
Naked Raygun, Wipers, and Scratch Acid. Seattle group Green River chose to record their Dry as a Bone EP for Pavitt's new label in
June 1986; Pavitt couldn't afford to release it until the following year. When finally released, Dry as a Bone was promoted by Sub
Pop as "ultra-loose grunge that destroyed the morals of a generation".[5] Also in 1987, Jonathan Poneman provided $20,000 in
funding for Sub Pop to release the debut Soundgarden single "Hunted Down"/"Nothing to Say" in July 1987, followed by the band's
first EP Screaming Life that October.[6] Poneman soon became a full partner in the label. Pavitt focused on the label's artists and
repertoire aspects, while Poneman dealt with the business and legal issues.[7] Both men decided they wanted the label to focus on
"this primal rock stuff that was coming out," according to Pavitt.[8]
The "Seattle sound"
In early 1988 Pavitt and Poneman quit their jobs to devote their full attention to Sub Pop. Raising $43,000, they incorporated that
April. "Of course that was spent in, like, thirty days", Pavitt recalled. "We almost went bankrupt after a month".[9] That August Sub
Pop released the first single by Mudhoney, a band featuring former members of Green River. Sub Pop released the Mudhoney single
"Touch Me I'm Sick" in an intentionally limited first pressing of 800 copies to create demand. The strategy was later adopted by other
independent labels.[10]

Pavitt and Poneman studied earlier independent labels ranging from Motown to SST Records and decided that virtually every
successful movement in rock music had a regional basis. The pair sought to create a cohesive brand identity for Sub Pop. The label's
ads promoted the label itself more than any particular band. The label also sought to market a "Seattle sound", which was
accomplished with the help of producer Jack Endino, who produced 75 singles, albums, and EPs for Sub Pop between 1987 and
1989. Endino recorded cheaply and quickly; in order to operate this way, he utilized some consistent studio techniques, which gave
the records a similar sound.[11]

In November 1988 Sub Pop released "Love Buzz", the debut single by Aberdeen, Washington band Nirvana, as the first entry in the
Sub Pop Singles Club, a subscription service that would allow subscribers to receive singles by the label on a monthly basis by mail.
At its peak in 1990, the club had two thousand subscribers.[12] The club made Sub Pop a powerful force in the Seattle scene, and
effectively made the label's name synonymous with the music of the Seattle area—much in the same way Motown Records was to
Detroit—and helped to secure the label's cash flow.[13] The original series was discontinued in 1993, followed by Singles Club V.2,
launched in 1998 and discontinued in 2002.[14]

Mindful that garnering the attention of the American mainstream music press was difficult for all but the largest indie label, Pavitt
and Ponemen took inspiration from alternative bands like Sonic Youth, Butthole Surfers, and Dinosaur Jr. and sought to publicize the
label via the British music press. In March 1989, Pavitt and Poneman flew Melody Maker journalist Everett True to Seattle to write
an article on the local music scene. As Pavitt had anticipated, the British press became enamoured with Sub Pop and the grunge
sound. Pavitt said, "I really felt that the Brits and the Europeans wanted to see something that was unruly and that was more of an
[15]
American archetype -- something that was really primal and really drew from the roots of rock & roll, which was very American."
Poneman explained the label's success: "It could have happened anywhere, but there was a lucky set of coincidences. Charles
[13]
Peterson was here to document the scene, Jack Endino was here to record the scene. Bruce and I were here to exploit the scene."

When Nirvana moved to Geffen Records, Sub Pop received royalties from sales of Bleach that kept the label going for years
afterwards.[13] A stipulation was also implemented where selected future Nirvana studio LPs were required to carry the Sub Pop logo
alongside Geffen's. After the mainstream successof Nirvana, many successful grunge bands had left Sub Pop for major record labels.
Soon afterwards, a joint venture was formed with Warner Bros. Records (which had distributed Geffen since that label was founded
in 1980; after 10 years under Warner, Geffen was sold to MCA Music Entertainment Group), thereby ending Sub Pop's status as an
entirely independent label.

Post-Pavitt
Poneman and Pavitt had a disagreement about the direction the label should take, with Poneman wanting the label to become larger
and make more money.[13] In 1996, unable to take the new corporate culture following the Warner partnership, Bruce Pavitt left the
label and was able to spend more time with his family.[16] The split between Pavitt and Poneman was not amicable, and they did not
speak for seven years.[16]

The label opened offices worldwide and began major investment in new artists, but without achieving great commercial success,
prompting a scaling down and a return to Seattle.[13]

In 2006, Sub Pop Records became the first Green-e certified record label. Through work with the Green-e program and the
Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Sub Pop "greened" their label by purchasing enough renewable energy certificates to offset
100 percent of the electricity they use in their office, showing their commitment to putting renewable energy in the mainstream as a
way consumers can take action to do something aboutglobal warming.[17]
In early 2007, Sub Pop started a sister label by the name of Hardly Art.[18][19] This label is also partially owned by Warner Music. In
.[20]
August 2008, Sub Pop relaunched the singles club for one year to celebrate its twentieth anniversary

In 2009, they signed their second hip-hop group - Seattle-based Shabazz Palaces, the first being The Evil Tambourines in 1999.[21]
Ishmael Butler, one half of Shabazz Palaces and former member of jazz rap groupDigable Planets became A&R for Sub Pop.[22]

Commercial success
Domestically Sub Pop has released two albums that have been certified as platinum, for sales of over 1 million units, by the
Recording Industry Association of America: Bleach by Nirvana and Give Up by The Postal Service.[23] Internationally, Flight of the
Conchords self-titled album has been certified 2XPlatinum in New Zealand.

Six albums released by the label have been certified gold for sales of 500,000 copies: Oh, Inverted World, Chutes Too Narrow and
Wincing the Night Away, all by The Shins, Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes, The Head and the Heart by The Head and the Heart, and
Everything All the Time by Band of Horses.[23]

One single issued by the label has also been certified gold:"Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service.[23]

Deluxe editions
Starting in 2008, Sub Pop has released Deluxe Editions of their top-selling albums, which features the remastered album as well as
some live tracks. Some of the Deluxe Editions are known to contain some demos. The albums with Deluxe Editions are Nirvana's
Bleach, Mudhoney's Superfuzz Bigmuff, Sebadoh's Bakesale, Jason Loewenstein'sCodes, The Postal Service's Give Up, and Red Red
Meat's Bunny Gets Paid.

Rejection letter
Sub Pop is famous for its blunt form letter to aspiring artists informing them that they would not be taken on by the label. The letter
opens with "Dear Loser".[24]

See also
List of artists who have worked with Sub Pop
List of record labels

Notes
1. Robert Weinstein (23 April 2001)."An Interview with Bruce Pavitt"(http://www.tripzine.com/listing.php?id=pavitt). trip.
Tripzine. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
2. Azerrad, p. 413
3. Azerrad, p. 414
4. Sub Pop USA - The original articles by Bruce Pavitt(https://web.archive.org/web/20070208195505/http://ogami.subp
op.com/history/subpopUSA/)from the Sub Pop website
5. Azerrad, p. 420
6. Azerrad, p. 422
7. Azerrad, p. 423
8. Azerrad, p. 423-24
9. Azerrad, p. 425
10. Azerrad, p. 426-27
11. Azerrad, p. 436
12. Azerrad, p. 439
13. Jelbert, Steve (2008) "Labelled With Love",The Times, August 2, 2008
14. "Singles Club V.2 is Dead 2002" (https://web.archive.org/web/20061209142012/http://subpop.com/scripts/main/mega
_singles_club.php). Sub Pop Records. Archived fromthe original (http://www.subpop.com/scripts/main/mega_singles
_club.php) on 2006-12-09. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
15. Azerrad, p. 441
16. Sub Pop Oral History: "Going Out of Business Since 1988!"(http://www.blender.com/guide/61317/subpoporalhistory
goingoutofbusinesssince1988.html)Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20101227215307/http://www .blender.com/
guide/61317/subpoporalhistorygoingoutofbusinesssince1988.html)2010-12-27 at the Wayback Machine from
Blender.com
17. "Green-e certification (press release)"(https://web.archive.org/web/20071015101021/http://resource-solutions.org/w
here/pressreleases/2006/SUBPOP-BEF-JOINTRELEASE.7.31.06.htm) . Bonneville Environmental Foundation. July
31, 2006. Archived fromthe original (http://www.resource-solutions.org/where/pressreleases/2006/SUBPOP-BEF-JO
INTRELEASE.7.31.06.htm)on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
18. Justin Sheppard (9 March 2007)."Sub Pop founder starts new label, Hardly Art"(http://www.prefixmag.com/news/ne
w-label-hardly-art/9654/). Prefix. Prefix. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
19. Todd Martens (9 March 2007)."Sub Pop Launches Hardly Art Imprint"(https://archive.is/20120721232930/http://ww
w.billboardbulletin.com/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i4d77772ac31465dc58263663e3ef91ae) . Billboard.biz.
Billboard. Archived fromthe original (http://www.billboardbulletin.com/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i4d77772ac3
1465dc58263663e3ef91ae)on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
20. "Sub Pop Singles Club 3.0"(http://www.subpop.com/releases/sub_pop/misc/sub_pop_singles_club_3_0). Sub Pop
Records. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
21. Sub Pop Records. "The Evil Tambourines" (http://www.subpop.com/artists/the_evil_tambourines). Sub Pop Records.
22. "Sub Pop Signs Shabazz Palaces' Ishmael Butler to A&R eam
T (Exclusive)" (http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/ne
ws/record-labels/5646101/sub-pop-signs-shabazz-palaces-ishmael-butler-to-ar-team)
. Billboard.
23. "Gold & Platinum - RIAA: Sub Pop label"(https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=&ti=&la
b=sub+pop&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_
section). RIAA. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
24. "Dear Loser" (http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/09/dear-loser.html). Letters of Note. September 1, 2011.

References
Azerrad, Michael. Our Band Could Be Your Life. Little, Brown and Company, 2001. ISBN 0-316-78753-1
Furek, Maxim. "The Death Proclamation of Generation X: A Self-Fulfilling Prophesy of Goth, Grunge and Heroin, i-
Universe, 2008. ISBN 978-0-595-46319-0

External links
Official Sub Pop site
BrucePavitt.com
Youtube Channel

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