DFTBA Records

The name of the company originates from the initialism "Don't Forget to Be Awesome".{{cite news|last=Boedeker|first=Hal|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/tv/tv-guy/os-fault-in-our-stars-dftba-screening-20140608,0,3377685.post|title='Fault in Our Stars': DFTBA screening|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|date=June 8, 2014|accessdate=August 25, 2014}} The name is generally seen as the motto for the VlogBrothers (consisting of Green, and his brother, John), as well as their fan base, known as Nerdfighteria.{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/16/obama-dftba_n_2696351.html|title=Obama Uses 'Don't Forget To Be Awesome' In Chat, Internet Freaks Out|work=Huffington Post|date=February 16, 2013|accessdate=August 25, 2014}} The original goal of the record label, as Lastufka said in a video is to provide a distribution network for talented artists of YouTube and to make sure their music reaches out to the "largest audience possible."{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OHZFCqtnI8|title=187: Books, DFTBA Records and Holidays|publisher=YouTube|date=November 24, 2008|accessdate=July 21, 2014}}

File:Hank Green.jpg

The offices of DFTBA Records were in Manhattan, Illinois in Lastufka's home,{{cite web|last=Lastufka|first=Alan|title=DFTBA Offices|website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_46as49-s54|accessdate=July 22, 2010}} until early 2013 when they moved to Missoula, Montana where Green lives.{{cite AV media|last=Green|first=Hank|title=Little Infinity Packing at DFTBA|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8GyS00cdHs&list=UUOT2iLov0V7Re7ku_3UBtcQ&index=1|work=Hankschannel|publisher=YouTube|date=February 21, 2013|accessdate=February 24, 2013}} After moving to Missoula, they set up their warehouse in a small building which was formerly a preschool, but soon moved to a larger warehouse. They increased their number of employees from five to ten and started another webseries called The Warehouse,{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Vm9ukTr3o|title="The Warehouse" - Episode 1|publisher=YouTube|work=The Warehouse|date=July 29, 2013|accessdate=July 21, 2014}} hosted by warehouse manager Matthew Gaydos. The channel no longer uploads content as Matthew Gaydos works on other YouTube channels. Distribution of records by DFTBA Records is largely independent. Lastufka handled most of the distribution during his tenure as co-owner.{{cite web|last=Crum|first=Chris|url=http://www.webpronews.com/record-label-launched-for-youtube-stars-2009-09|title=Record Label Launched for YouTube Stars|publisher=Web Pro News|date=September 29, 2009|accessdate=August 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311183205/http://www.webpronews.com/record-label-launched-for-youtube-stars-2009-09|archive-date=March 11, 2014}} On June 18, 2014, he announced his decision to sell his stake in the record label and resigned as president, to pursue other projects.{{cite web|last=Dieker|first=Nicole|url=http://thebillfold.com/2014/07/talking-to-alan-lastufka-about-starting-dftba-records-with-hank-and-john-green-and-whats-next/|title=Talking to Alan Lastufka About Starting DFTBA Records With Hank and John Green and What's Next|publisher=The Billfold|date=July 1, 2014|accessdate=August 25, 2014}}{{cite web|last=Lastufka|first=Alan|url=http://alandistro.tumblr.com/post/89189178241/this-morning-i-sold-my-entire-stake-in-dftba-records|title=This morning I sold my entire stake in DFTBA Records.|publisher=Tumblr|date=June 18, 2014|accessdate=July 21, 2014}} In April 2015, DFTBA Records received a business license in Missoula.{{cite news|url=http://missoulian.com/business/local/city-of-missoula-business-licenses-issued-in-april/article_025449f9-ae87-5a05-ad6f-fef0d3af3b58.html|title=City of Missoula business licenses issued in April 2015|newspaper=Missoulian|date=May 17, 2015|accessdate=July 13, 2015}}

In March 2014, several artists signed under DFTBA Records including Alex Day and Tom Milsom, were involved in sexual abuse accusations.{{cite web|last=Butterly|first=Amelia|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/26664725|title=Vlogger admits 'manipulative relationships with women'|publisher=BBC|date=March 20, 2014|accessdate=August 25, 2014}}{{cite news|last=Baker-Whitelaw|first=Gavia|url=http://www.dailydot.com/fandom/tom-milsom-underage-sex-scandal/|title=The Tom Milsom abuse scandal and YouTube's troubling cult of worship|work=The Daily Dot|date=March 14, 2014|accessdate=August 25, 2014}} After that all artists which had been accused of having sexual encounters with their fans or of being perpetrators of sexual abuse were dropped from the label.{{cite magazine|last=Klima|first=Jeff|url=http://newmediarockstars.com/2014/03/alex-day-now-involved-in-sexual-misconduct-allegations-asked-to-be-pulled-from-dftba-records-as-well/|title=Alex Day Now Involved In 'Sexual Misconduct' Allegations, Asked To Be Pulled From DFTBA Records As Well|magazine=New Media Rockstars|date=March 14, 2014|accessdate=August 25, 2014}} Lastufka made a $1000 donation to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.{{cite web|last=Huynh|first=Terence|url=http://techgeek.com.au/2014/03/20/crossing-the-line/|title=Crossing the line: YouTube community in crisis as sexual assault allegations are made public|publisher=TechGeek.au|date=March 20, 2014|accessdate=September 22, 2014}} Both Hank and John Green made public announcements on YouTube and Tumblr regarding the situation.{{cite news |last1=Lindsay |first1=Kathryn |title=YouTube's First Big Scandal Was Cancel Culture Done Right — What Happened? |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/01/9181723/youtube-cancel-culture-2014-reckoning |access-date=25 August 2022 |work=www.refinery29.com |date=27 January 2020 |language=en}}{{cite web|last=Gutelle|first=Sam|url= http://www.tubefilter.com/2014/03/18/sexual-assault-tom-milsom-alex-day-dftba-records-hank-green-vlogbrothers/|title=Vlogbrothers Set Up Task Force, Fund Series To Curb Sexual Abuse|publisher=Tubefilter|date=March 18, 2014|accessdate=August 25, 2014}} Around the same time, a former DFTBA Record-signed artist, Michael Lombardo was sentenced to five years in prison and pleaded guilty on eleven counts of child pornography charges.{{cite web|url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/Michael-Lombardo-sentenced-631259|title="Internet Star" Receives Stiff Prison Sentence|date=2014-02-28|website=The Smoking Gun|language=en|access-date=2017-10-05}} Lombardo's ex-girlfriend, Hayley G. Hoover, who is also signed under DFTBA Records, spoke out against him.{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/trending/news/online-community-reacts-as-youtube-celebrity-jailed-on-child-porn-charges-30103230.html|title=Online community reacts as YouTube celebrity jailed on child porn charges|publisher=Independent.ie|date=March 18, 2014|accessdate=August 25, 2014}}

File:Craig Benzine (7485833168).jpg

DFTBA Records was originally founded as a music record label. However the company primarily sells merchandise, ranging from T-shirts to buttons.{{cite news |last1=ElGenaidi |first1=Deena |title=In 2017, YouTube star Hank Green tracked down a Turkish graffiti artist. Now he's shared his story on TikTok, leading to a huge surge in demand for his work. |url=https://www.insider.com/hank-green-hasan-pehlevan-graffiti-cat-merch-tiktok-2022-3 |access-date=25 August 2022 |work=Insider |date=27 March 2022}}{{cite web|last=Bylin|first=Kyle|url=http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/01/an-interview-with-dftba-records-co-founder-alan-lastufka-on-creating-full-time-musicians-product-mixes.html|title=An Interview With DFTBA Records Co-Founder Alan Lastufka On Running A Digital Music Label|publisher=Hypebot|date=January 11, 2011|accessdate=August 25, 2014}} Artists signed to DFTBA Records are not exclusively musical artists. For example, official The Fault in Our Stars merchandise was sold on the website including a limited-edition box set with an audiobook version of the novel.{{cite web|author=Rosi|url=http://www.leakynews.com/pre-orders-open-for-3000-limited-edition-tfios-audiobooks-narrated-by-john-green/|title=Pre-Orders Open for 3,000 Limited Edition "TFIOS" Audiobooks Narrated by John Green|publisher=Leaky News|date=November 17, 2011|accessdate=August 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826162948/http://www.leakynews.com/pre-orders-open-for-3000-limited-edition-tfios-audiobooks-narrated-by-john-green/|archive-date=August 26, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Schuth|first=Louie|url=http://www.hypable.com/2013/05/16/john-green-the-fault-in-our-stars-audiobook/|title=John Green rereleases limited run of self read 'The Fault in Our Stars' audiobook|publisher=Hypable|date=May 16, 2013|accessdate=August 25, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826135335/http://www.hypable.com/2013/05/16/john-green-the-fault-in-our-stars-audiobook/|archivedate=August 26, 2014}} Additionally, the artists responsible for the designs on merchandise, such as apparel or accessories receive royalties for their contributions.{{cite magazine|last=Distasio|first=Christine|url=http://www.bustle.com/articles/28738-13-fault-in-our-stars-items-from-the-official-store-that-you-need-right-now-okay|title=13 'Fault in Our Stars' Items From the Official Store That You Need Right Now, Okay?|magazine=Bustle|date=June 19, 2014|accessdate=August 25, 2014}}

Artists signed under the label have been successful and there has been unforeseen career growth due to signing with the label, such as Craig Benzine and his band, Driftless Pony Club.{{cite news|last=RedEye|first=Stephanie Lulay|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2009/12/07/im-with-the-bandwidth/|title=I'm with the bandwidth|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=December 7, 2009|access-date=August 25, 2014}} In 2009, Lastufka said "A lot of [our artists] are very nichey." Within two years, the record label had over $1 million in sales including music and merchandise.{{cite web|url=http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2010/12/community-run-music-label-dftba-thrives.html|title=Community-run music label DFTBA thrives|publisher=Blogspot|work=YouTube Official Blog|date=December 3, 2010|accessdate=August 25, 2014}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://store.dftba.com DFTBA Records Official Website]

{{VlogBrothers}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:American companies established in 2008

Category:DFTBA Records creators

Category:Green brothers

Category:Record labels based in Montana

Category:Record labels established in 2008