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Secretly Canadian

{{short description|American independent record label}}

{{Multiple issues|

{{primarysources|date=April 2024}}

{{Paid contributions|date=May 2024}}

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{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Use American English|date=October 2023}}

{{Infobox record label

| name = Secretly Canadian

| image = Secretly Canadian logo.png

| founded = {{start date|1996}}

| founder = Chris Swanson
Ben Swanson
Eric Weddle
Jonathan Cargill

| distributor = Secretly Distribution

| genre = Various

| country = United States

| location = Bloomington, Indiana

| website = {{URL|secretlycanadian.com}}

}}

Secretly Canadian is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana,{{Cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1055669/secretly-canadian-artists-cover-each-other-on-cd|title=Secretly Canadian Artists Cover Each Other On CD|newspaper=Billboard|access-date=2016-10-30}} part of the Secretly Group.{{Cite web|url=http://secretlygroup.com/|title=Secretly Group|website=secretlygroup.com|access-date=2019-11-08}} The Secretly Group includes record labels Dead Oceans and Jagjaguwar as well as a music publisher known as Secretly Publishing, representing artists, writers, film makers, producers, and comedians.{{Cite web|url=https://www.secretlypublishing.com/|title=Secretly Publishing {{!}}|access-date=2019-11-08}}

History

Secretly Canadian was founded in 1996 by Chris and Ben Swanson, Eric Weddle, and Jonathan Cargill while they attended Indiana University.{{Cite web|url=https://secretlycanadian.com/info/|title=Info|website=Secretly Canadian|access-date=2019-11-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.shineinsurance.com/secretly-canadian/|title=Scratch Entrepreneur #23 - Secretly Canadian|last=by|date=2018-03-27|website=Shine Insurance Agency|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-08}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9gsEAAAAMBAJ&q=billboard+bloomington+indiana+college+town+seattle&pg=RA1-PA88|title=Billboard|last=|first=|date=1996-05-04|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|language=en}} Before Secretly Canadian was founded, Chris Swanson and Eric Weddle met in 1995 in Indiana University's campus radio station, WIUX.[https://secretlycanadian.com/info/]Secretly Canadian Info{{Cite web|url=https://wiux.org/read/secretly-canadian-a-local-success-story/|title=Secretly Canadian: A Local Success Story|website=WIUX|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-08}} Then Chris met Jonathan Cargill through a job at the Collins Living-Learning Center cafeteria on campus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.idsnews.com/article/2007/04/not-so-secretlycanadian|title=Not so Secretly Canadian|website=Indiana Daily Student|access-date=2019-11-08}} Soon after, Chris' younger brother Ben Swanson moved to Bloomington to earn his undergraduate degree{{Cite web|url=https://blog.seagate.com/consumers/an-interview-with-ben-swanson-partnerar-secretly-canadian/|title=An Interview with Ben Swanson, Partner/A&R Secretly Canadian|last=admin|date=2012-08-13|website=Seagate Blog|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-08}} from the Jacobs School of Music in musicology.{{Cite web|url=https://www.popdisciple.com/interviews/chris-swanson|title=Chris Swanson Interview {{!}} Co-Founder of Secretly Group & Music Supervisor of Wild Wild Country|website=Pop Disciple {{!}} Film Music & Music Supervision Interviews {{!}} Music in Media News|date=27 April 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nuvo.net/music/long-term-relationships-and-independent-rock/article_73a7498b-a69b-595b-b33e-8bc5f7ad83c8.html|title=Long-term relationships and independent rock|last=Locke|first=Greg|website=NUVO|date=4 June 2008 |language=en|access-date=2019-11-08}}

In 1996, Secretly Canadian was founded.[https://secretlycanadian.com/info/]Secretly Canadian Info{{Cite web|url=https://www.idsnews.com/article/2007/04/not-so-secretlycanadian|title=Not so Secretly Canadian|website=Indiana Daily Student|access-date=2019-11-08}} The label's first official release was a re-issue of an album by June Panic from Grand Forks, North Dakota; the Glory Hole CD.{{Cite web|url=http://www.puremusic.com/80june.html|title=June Panic|website=www.puremusic.com|access-date=2019-11-08}} The second release in 1997 was Jason Molina's, under the Songs: Ohia moniker, often referred to as "The Black Album".{{Cite web|url=http://www.vinylmeplease.com/magazine/jason-molina-primer/|title=A Jason Molina Primer|date=2018-04-18|website=Vinyl Me Please|language=en|access-date=2019-11-08}} After the Swanson brothers tracked down Molina's email address and drove hours to Molina's in-store gig at Adult Crash in New York.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2013/03/jason-molina-songs-ohia-magnolia-electric-co-died/|title=Jason Molina of Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. Has Died, Label Confirms|date=2013-03-18|website=Spin|access-date=2019-11-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldflakepaint.co.uk/jason-molina-the-magnolia-electric-co/|title=We're All Supposed To Try {{!}} Jason Molina & The Magnolia Electric Co.|date=2014-08-28|website=GoldFlakePaint|language=en|access-date=2019-11-08}} After signing Molina, the record label became more popular in the indie music scene.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/jason-molina-songs-ohia-magnolia-electric-co-secretly-canadian/Content?oid=15163643|title=Jason Molina's long dark blues|last=Blau|first=Max|website=Chicago Reader|date=2 October 2014 |language=en|access-date=2019-11-08}} Secretly Canadian then signed Marmoset and Swearing At Motorists.{{Cite web|url=https://musicbrainz.org/label/dd6afc9a-6352-4c96-aeb6-9a73e2bf1519|title=Secretly Canadian – MusicBrainz|website=musicbrainz.org|access-date=2019-11-08}} Weddle soon left to form label Family Vineyard – and later followed by Cargill as well.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nuvo.net/music/long-term-relationships-and-independent-rock/article_73a7498b-a69b-595b-b33e-8bc5f7ad83c8.html|title=Long-term relationships and independent rock|last=Locke|first=Greg|website=NUVO|date=4 June 2008 |language=en|access-date=2019-11-08}} After that, Chris Swanson and Darius Van Arman became friends in 1999 and Secretly Canadian joined forces with Van Arman's Jagjaguwar.{{Cite web|url=http://www.musicweek.com/interviews/read/jagjaguwar-the-indie-label-roaring-to-success/069321|title=Jagjaguwar: the indie label roaring to success|website=www.musicweek.com|language=en|access-date=2019-11-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pias.com/blog/we-need-to-believe-what-were-working-on-is-making-the-world-better/|title='We need to believe what we're working on is making the world better'|date=2016-11-09|website=[PIAS]|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-08|archive-date=2019-11-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108214537/https://www.pias.com/blog/we-need-to-believe-what-were-working-on-is-making-the-world-better/|url-status=dead}}

The early 2000s yielded reissues from Swell Maps, Nikki Sudden, and Danielson.{{Cite web|url=https://musicbrainz.org/label/dd6afc9a-6352-4c96-aeb6-9a73e2bf1519|title=Secretly Canadian – MusicBrainz|website=musicbrainz.org|access-date=2019-11-09}} Damien Jurado, the Seattle singer-songwriter, made his way to Secretly Canadian in 2002.{{cn|date=May 2022}} Two years later, Jens Lekman joined the label's roster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/03/01/517911676/jens-lekman-will-see-himself-now|title=Jens Lekman Will See Himself Now|website=NPR.org|language=en|access-date=2019-11-09}}

Anohni also signed to the label in the 2000s.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1144-tracking-anohnis-avant-garde-evolution-on-stage/|title=Tracking Anohni's Avant-Garde Evolution on Stage|website=Pitchfork|date=May 16, 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-11-09}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/24/arts/music/anohni-embracing-a-new-name-and-sound.html|title=Anohni: Embracing a New Name, and Sound|last=Pareles|first=Jon|date=2016-04-21|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-11-09|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} Formerly known as Antony and the Johnsons earlier in her career, the Swanson brothers became enamored with Antony and the Johnsons’ self-titled debut from 2000. Antony and the Johnsons’ first record with Secretly Canadian, I Am a Bird Now, released in 2005, sold 100,000 copies in the first two months.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AhYEAAAAMBAJ&q=i+am+a+bird+now+antony+and+the+johnsons+sales+in+first+month&pg=PA14|title=Billboard|last=|first=|date=2005-09-24|publisher=Nielsen Business Media|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/467-i-am-a-bird-now/|title=Antony and the Johnsons: I Am a Bird Now|website=Pitchfork|language=en|access-date=2019-11-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/16604-antony-hegarty-interview|title=The Quietus {{!}} Features {{!}} A Quietus Interview {{!}} An Intimate Portal: Antony Hegarty Interviewed|website=The Quietus|language=en-us|access-date=2019-11-09}}

Secretly Canadian then signed The War on Drugs, the Philadelphia-based band whose third record,{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14803-future-weather-ep/|title=The War on Drugs: Future Weather EP|website=Pitchfork|language=en|access-date=2019-11-09}} Lost in the Dream, struck as both a critical and commercial success in 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2015/06/the-war-on-drugs-sign-to-atlantic-records/|title=The War on Drugs sign to Atlantic Records|date=2015-06-12|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-09}} Secretly Canadian also began a partnership with Chimera Records in the form of Yoko Ono's reissues beginning in 2016,{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/67988-yoko-ono-announces-reissue-project/|title=Yoko Ono Announces Reissue Project|website=Pitchfork|date=September 6, 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-11-09}} and the debut release from William Eggleston, in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://observer.com/2017/09/william-eggleston-music-album-release-secretly-canadian/|title=William Eggleston, Godfather of Color Photography, to Release First Music Album|date=2017-09-01|website=Observer|language=en|access-date=2019-11-09}} Secretly Canadian's roster also includes Cherry Glazerr, Whitney, Alex Cameron, Joey Dosik, Stella Donnelly, Faye Webster, and serpentwithfeet, among many others.

In 2007, the addition of Dead Oceans to Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar's partnership led to the formation of Secretly Group.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/secretly-group-restructures-a-adds-new-hires/|title=Secretly Group restructures A&R and publishing teams; adds new hires|date=2018-12-06|website=Music Business Worldwide|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-09}} In 2015, Secretly Group began a partnership with The Numero Group as well.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/1568082/numero-group-joins-secretly-canadian-jagjaguwar-dead-oceans|title=Numero Group Joins Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Dead Oceans in Newly Formed 'Secretly Label Group' (Exclusive)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2019-11-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.factmag.com/2013/06/24/numero-dead-oceans-jagjaguwar-and-secretly-canadian-come-together-as-secretly-label-group/|title=Numero, Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar and Secretly Canadian come together as Secretly Label Group|date=2013-06-24|website=FACT Magazine: Transmissions from the underground|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-09}}

In 2018, Secretly Canadian was listed as #8 on Paste Magazine's top 10 record labels of 2018. Jagjaguwar was listed as #4 and Dead Oceans was listed as #7.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2019/01/the-10-best-record-labels-of-2018.html|title=The 10 Best Record Labels of 2018|date=2018-12-31|website=pastemagazine.com|language=en|access-date=2019-11-11}}

Artists

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Notable awards and honors

A2IM LIBERA AWARDS (US)

  • 2015, Secretly Canadian, Label of the Year (finalist){{Cite web |last=Houghton |first=Bruce |date=May 5, 2015 |title=A2IM Names Libera Indie Music Award Nominees |url=https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2015/05/a2im-names-libera-indie-music-award-nominees.html |website=Hypebot}}
  • 2014, Secretly Canadian, Label of the Year (finalist){{Cite web |last=Houghton |first=Bruce |date=June 11, 2014 |title=A2IM Names Libera 2014 Independent Music Nominees |url=https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2014/06/a2im-names-indie-libra-awards-nominees.html |website=Hypebot}}

AIM INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS (UK)

  • 2014, Secretly Group – Independent Label of the Year (nominated)

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commonscatinline}}

  • {{Official|http://www.secretlycanadian.com }}
  • [http://www.scdistribution.com/ SC Distribution]

{{Authority control}}

Category:Record labels established in 1996

Category:American independent record labels

Category:Indie rock record labels

Category:Bloomington, Indiana