As stalwarts Sub Pop and Rough Trade celebrate big anniversaries, insiders speak candidly about the challenges they face. Can streaming ever ensure their survival?<\/p>\n
In the late 1980s, the fledgling Seattle record label Sub Pop was a mess. It struggled to pay the phone bill; staff would race to cash their wage cheques before they bounced; and the management couldn\u2019t even cover studio time that had been booked for their artists. \u201cWe were a big train wreck,\u201d laughs Megan Jasper<\/a>, who was then the label\u2019s receptionist. \u201cBut the funnest train wreck you\u2019d ever want to be on.\u201d One of the label\u2019s mottos became: \u201cGoing out of business since 1988.\u201d<\/p>\n Then Nirvana released their debut album on Sub Pop and their success saved the company in the 1990s. Now, as the company celebrates its 40th anniversary, Jasper is the chief executive. \u201cIs it rewarding and is the label still working? Yes,\u201d she says. \u201cBut it\u2019s never been easy \u2013 there have always been challenges and now there are more of them. Plus, it\u2019s harder than ever for\u00a0artists.\u201d<\/p>\n
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