ATO Records

ATO Records (According To Our Records) is an American independent label founded in 2000 by artist Dave Matthews and manager Coran Capshaw in New York City. It is run by label President Jon Salter. ATO is home to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Black Pumas, My Morning Jacket, Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Nick Hakim, Nilufer Yanya, Altin Gun, Brigitte Calls Me Baby, Friko, The Heavy Heavy, Drive-By Truckers, Primus, Allen Stone, Chicano Batman, Amyl and The Sniffers, and many more. ATO employs 15 people across the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, and is distributed by Virgin Music (US) and PIAS Group (Europe).

ATO built its reputation on career artist development. Its signings of Alabama Shakes (whose Brittany Howard became a GRAMMY-winning solo artist), My Morning Jacket, and Drive-By Truckers established the label as a home for roots rock and Americana. The modern roster has expanded to include psychedelic rock (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, whose prolific output and dedicated fanbase make them one of the most successful indie rock acts of the 2020s), soul (Black Pumas, whose debut was nominated for a GRAMMY), and post-punk (Amyl and The Sniffers). ATO is steadfast in its commitment to building career artists, with no rigid timeline but a plan to build the label naturally on the quality of the musicians.

How ATO Operates

ATO runs dedicated A&R under President Jon Salter from its New York headquarters. The label is distributed by Virgin Music in the US and PIAS Group in Europe, giving it global independent distribution. ATO's philosophy is to seek out talented songwriters, musicians, and performers for whom the staff has a genuine passion and belief, and to devote sufficient time and attention to develop each artist and each release. There is no rigid timeline, but there is a plan to build the label naturally on the quality of the musicians.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you make indie rock, alternative, Americana, soul, or psychedelic rock with career potential, ATO Records is one of the most respected independent labels in the US. Its track record of developing career artists (Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard, King Gizzard, Black Pumas) shows it can sustain long-term artist development. Its commitment to building careers rather than chasing trends makes it attractive for artists with long-term vision.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Highly selective: ATO signs very few artists each year.
• No unsolicited demos: ATO does not accept cold submissions.
• Career artist focus: ATO's model favors artists with long-term career potential. Single-driven or trend-chasing projects may be a harder sell.
• Indie deal terms: ATO typically takes master ownership for the deal term.

Related Resources

• Record Label Contracts Explained - What an ATO deal contains
• Independent Labels vs Major Labels - The career artist indie model
• How to Get a Record Deal in 2026 - Building a career artist profile
• Partisan Records - A related indie label
• ATO Records Official Site - Roster and releases