Protest Records is a subversive, online record label that creates

mp3 MP3 (formally MPEG-1 Audio Layer III or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III) is a coding format for digital audio developed largely by the Fraunhofer Society in Germany, with support from other digital scientists in the United States and elsewhere. Orig ...

compilation albums, which are released for free download. The label was founded by

Thurston Moore Thurston Joseph Moore (born July 25, 1958) is an American musician best known as a member of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label. M ...

and

Kim Gordon Kim Althea Gordon (born April 28, 1953) is an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the bassist, guitarist, and vocalist of alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Born in Rochester, New York, she was raised in Los Angeles, Califor ...

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of th ...

with

Stephan Said Stephan Othman Said ( ar, ستيفن سعيد) (born May 30, 1968), aka Stephan Smith, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, writer, and global activist. He hosts ''borderless'', a docuseries about people at the front lines of change, pro ...

. The original intent of the label was to actually produce vinyl LPs, which would have been secretly placed in records stores; the goal was to confuse record store clerks because the records would not have been in their computer system. This plan was rejected when the label owners realized it would be cost prohibitive. The label intended to release at least ten "volumes" or compilation albums but to date has released only eight. The label is now defunct in that it does not receive any new submissions and does not intend to release new material in the immediate future, but pledges to continues to host the previously released albums online. Some well-known artists who have been released on Protest Records include Beastie Boys (vol. 1),

Cat Power Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer- songwriter, musician and model. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as ...

(vol. 1),

(vol. 2),

DJ Spooky Paul Dennis Miller (born September 6, 1970), known professionally as DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid, is an American electronic and experimental hip hop musician whose work is often called by critics " illbient" or "trip hop". He is a turntabl ...

(vol 3.),

Saul Williams Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, poet, writer, and actor. He is known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop, and for his lead roles in the 1998 independent film '' Slam ...

(vol 3.),

Mudhoney Mudhoney is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988, following the demise of Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan Peters. ...

(vol. 4),

Chumbawamba Chumbawamba () were a British rock band formed in 1982 and disbanded in 2012. They are best known for their 1997 single " Tubthumping", which was nominated for Best British Single at the 1998 Brit Awards. Other singles include "Amnesia", " En ...

(vol. 5), and

Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of the Beat Genera ...

(vol. 7). The motto of the label is: "use 'em for yrself. give 'em to friends. just don't sell 'em".

References

External links

Official website
Sonic Youth American record labels Companies based in Massachusetts {{US-record-label-stub