Saddle Creek

United States • OmahaFounded 1993

Saddle Creek is an American independent label founded in 1993 in Omaha, Nebraska by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst, with staff in Omaha, Los Angeles, Asheville, and New York. It operates as a 50/50 split profit sharing label with its artists. Saddle Creek built its reputation on the Omaha indie scene of the early 2000s with Bright Eyes, Cursive, and The Faint, and continues to sign new artists across indie rock and folk.

Contact & HQ

Headquarters

Omaha, NE, USA (staff in Los Angeles, Asheville, and New York)

info@saddle-creek.com

Ownership & Distribution

Label Type

Independent Label

Parent Company

Independently owned

Distribution

Redeye Distribution (US)

Additional Details

Genres

Indie RockIndie FolkEmoPost-PunkAlternative

Signing Process

Saddle Creek runs its own A&R. Unsolicited demos are not accepted. The label is highly selective and signs artists through A&R scouting and referrals. Saddle Creek operates as a 50/50 split profit sharing label with its artists, which is a distinctive and artist-friendly deal structure.

Demo Policy

No unsolicited demos. Submit through representation or build a strong independent profile first.

Notable Artists

Bright Eyes
Cursive
The Faint
Big Thief (early)
Hop Along
Tomberlin

Saddle Creek is an American independent label founded in 1993 in Omaha, Nebraska by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst, with staff in Omaha, Los Angeles, Asheville, and New York. It operates as a 50/50 split profit sharing label with its artists, which is unusual in the industry. Saddle Creek employs 5 people and has an annual revenue of $6.2 million. It is distributed by Redeye Distribution in the US.

Saddle Creek built its reputation on the Omaha indie scene of the early 2000s. Its foundational releases from Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst), Cursive, and The Faint established the label as a defining force in early 2000s indie rock and emo. Bright Eyes' Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground and I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning became defining documents of the era. The label has since expanded its roster to include Big Thief (early work), Hop Along, Tomberlin, and other artists across indie rock, indie folk, and post-punk. The label's 50/50 profit sharing model reflects its commitment to artist-friendly deal structures.

How Saddle Creek Operates

Saddle Creek runs dedicated A&R from its distributed staff across Omaha, Los Angeles, Asheville, and New York. The label operates as a 50/50 split profit sharing label with its artists, meaning profits are divided equally between label and artist after costs are recouped. This is a distinctive and artist-friendly deal structure. Saddle Creek is distributed by Redeye Distribution in the US. The label's strength is its long history in indie rock and its commitment to artist-friendly deal terms.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you make indie rock, indie folk, or emo, Saddle Creek is a respected independent label with a 50/50 profit sharing model and a 30-year history. Its track record with Bright Eyes, Cursive, and Big Thief shows it can identify and develop artists who define indie rock movements. The 50/50 split is one of the most artist-friendly deal structures in the independent label world.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

Highly selective: Saddle Creek signs very few artists each year.
No unsolicited demos: Saddle Creek does not accept cold submissions.
Small team: A 5-person operation means limited marketing bandwidth.
Indie aesthetic: The label has a distinct indie rock and folk aesthetic. Music outside that aesthetic will not fit.