Still rocking after all these years

There are probably many music listeners who are into artists and their music, but not quite aware of the record labels behind the success of their albums. Whether you’ve heard of 4AD or not, if you were growing up in the 80s and 90s, or loved indie and alternative music, this UK-based label was one of the first who started it all, alongside names like Mute, Warp, Sub Pop, Flying Nun, Creation and Rough Trade.

4AD was founded in 1980 by music producer Ivo Watts-Russell in London as a small imprint under the umbrella of iconic record label Beggars Banquet. The label gained prominence in the 80s for being home to a number of alternative rock, post-punk, gothic rock, shoegaze and dream pop artists that went on to become some of the most influential figures in music…