Station 1 is an experiment in a new kind of record company model - one that emphasizes patronage over profits. We’re not interested in creating “rock stars.” We are interested in building music careers.

Station 1 Records is the non-profit record label of the Des Moines Social Club with the support of Drake University.

As music hub cities like NYC, LA, and Nashville are becoming increasingly expensive for artists to survive, Station 1 Records is stepping in to encourage artists to make their homes elsewhere – namely Des Moines, IA. We manage, promote and distribute emerging artists that have decided to make Des Moines and Central Iowa their home. Station 1 is built around the rapidly changing and expanding list of artists’ needs providing education, recording funds, distribution, PR, marketing, promotion, tour support, and the positive artist-label relationship necessary to succeed in the modern music ecosystem.

We are committed to ethical and transparent business practices by making our contracts artist friendly, offering accounting transparency, and providing music industry education to our artists. All the while, we do our best to support and build upon the creative industries of our home city.

Our first acts include: Dylan Sires & the Neighbors, Field Division, and MAIDS