ATO Records Vinyl, CDs & Cassettes

ATO Records was founded in 2000 by Dave Matthews and manager Coran Capshaw, and the name, According to Our Records, tells you something about the attitude. This was never meant to be a machine. It was built by people who came up through the touring world, who understood how artists actually develop, and who had the patience and resources to let that happen without the pressure of a major label quarterly report bearing down on everything.

The roster reflects that origin pretty clearly. My Morning Jacket has been here since 2004, and the catalog of records they've made under this roof is as good an argument for the label's approach as anything. Drive-By Truckers. Alabama Shakes, whose debut landed like a lightning bolt. Brittany Howard's solo work after that. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, one of the most genuinely prolific and unpredictable bands working today. Black Pumas. Primus. Rodrigo y Gabriela. The early David Gray releases that first put the label on the map.

What these artists share isn't a genre, it's a work ethic and a certain commitment to doing things on their own terms. ATO has always attracted that kind of artist, and the label has held up its end by actually building careers rather than chasing moments.

For anyone who's spent time in the Relix universe, a significant portion of the bands you care about have called ATO home at some point. This is a good collection to spend time in.