Specific Northwest is plotting a course for the next era of the music industry. By leveraging the comparatively small overhead of contemporary recording and distribution with the pointed expertise of our front office, Specific Northwest reimagines record label structures and processes to give independent artists a true home for their music. With our artist-facing structure and minimal operating expenses, we are able to provide musicians with traditional “label services”—guidance and market research for releases, direct-through-distributor pitching, merch infrastructure, a network of artists, producers, engineers, designers, and more—without requiring a large contract or royalty percentage. SNW signs artists on a release-by-release basis with a standard 85/15 split in the artist’s favor, providing musicians with the freedom and finances they need to create. 

Our goal with Specific Northwest is to systematically cross-out the glaring problems we see in today’s music industry. To that end, we emphasize the community aspect of a record label through get-togethers and group-chats, festival-style shows, and an open approach to label services with weekly meetings (9am every Tuesday!) and a solemn promise to never give anyone the run-around ever again. In this way, SNW functions as a collective in which artists leverage their combined reach and experience to provide value for themselves and each other. No “black-boxes” or “magic sauces,” just artists working together towards the betterment of all with structure and guidance for sustainable growth and success. Welcome home to the Specific Northwest.