Smalltown America Records
Smalltown America Records was a United Kingdom independent record label founded in 2001 and closed in 2020.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Smalltown America Records, also known as Smalltown America or STA, was a United Kingdom independent record label established in 2001. It originated as a release platform for Jetplane Landing, the band associated with founder Andrew Ferris, before developing into a broader label operation for independent and alternative artists. The label’s catalogue included albums and other releases by a varied roster of acts, reflecting the role of small independent labels in supporting music that might not have been served by major record companies. The label was associated with staff based in London and Derry. Its stated ambition was to cultivate a productive group of music lovers and build a self-sustaining business through which artists could release the best records they were capable of producing. This positioned Smalltown America around artist development, independent production, and long-term participation in an alternative music community rather than around a single commercial genre or mass-market pop identity. Smalltown America’s roster included Jetplane Landing, And So I Watch You From Afar, Oppenheimer, Fighting With Wire, Fickle Public, LaFaro, More Than Conquerors, This Town Needs Guns, We Versus the Shark, Blacklisters, USA Nails, Alan MX, Axis Of, Burning Alms, Feldberg, Illness, Skibunny, Sullivan & Gold, The Light Sleepers, The Young Playthings, and other acts. The roster connected the label with independent rock, alternative, post-rock, punk, and related scenes, although the label operated across a range of artists rather than presenting itself as a narrowly defined genre imprint. A significant part of the label’s activity was the Public Service Broadcast compilation series. Smalltown America released nine Public Service Broadcast compilation CDs, giving a large number of artists an opportunity to appear in a shared label-curated context. The Public Service project extended beyond physical compilations through the Public Service Blogcast, a weekly audioblog that showcased music by artists connected with the series. Around 150 artists were associated with releases on the compilation series and related showcases, according to the label’s Wikipedia account. Smalltown America remained an independent operation rather than becoming part of a documented major-label group. The label’s closure was announced by Andrew Ferris on 24 November 2020. No later operating activity is established in the supplied reference material, so the brand is treated as defunct. Its historical significance lies in its support of independent artists, its links to music scenes in Britain and Ireland, and its use of compilation and online showcase formats to broaden exposure beyond individual album releases.
History
Smalltown America Records was formed in the United Kingdom in 2001. The label was initially created by Jetplane Landing as a platform for releasing the band’s own music. From that starting point, it expanded into a broader independent label that issued records by a range of other artists. The label’s development reflected a common independent-music model: an artist-led project became an infrastructure for a wider network of musicians, releases, and related media activity. The label was based administratively across London and Derry, linking it with independent music activity in both Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its stated purpose was to cultivate a productive staff of music lovers and establish a self-sustainable business model through which artists could release the strongest records they could produce. This statement placed emphasis on musical commitment, practical independence, and artist support rather than on a narrowly commercial growth strategy. Smalltown America’s catalogue covered a broad range of alternative and independent music. Artists associated with the label included Jetplane Landing, And So I Watch You From Afar, Oppenheimer, Fighting With Wire, Fickle Public, LaFaro, More Than Conquerors, This Town Needs Guns, We Versus the Shark, Blacklisters, USA Nails, Alan MX, Axis Of, Burning Alms, Feldberg, Illness, Skibunny, Sullivan & Gold, The Light Sleepers, and The Young Playthings. The roster connected the label with rock, post-rock, punk, alternative, and adjacent scenes, while also demonstrating that Smalltown America was not limited to a single sound. One of the label’s most distinctive activities was the Public Service Broadcast compilation series. Smalltown America released nine compilation CDs under the Public Service Broadcast name. These collections created a shared platform for many artists and allowed listeners to encounter music beyond the label’s individual album catalogue. Approximately 150 artists were associated with the compilation series and its related exposure activities. The project therefore operated not only as a product line but also as a discovery and community-building mechanism. The Public Service initiative also included the Public Service Blogcast, a weekly audioblog that showcased music connected with the compilation project. This extended the label’s role from conventional record issuing into digital curation and regular online broadcasting. The blogcast provided an additional route for artists to reach listeners and helped connect physical compilation releases with internet-based music discovery. Smalltown America ultimately remained an independent label and no parent company, acquisition, or public listing is identified in the available reference material. On 24 November 2020, founder Andrew Ferris announced the label’s closure. The announcement marked the end of the label as an operating business. The supplied sources do not establish a successor organization, a formal catalogue transfer, or continued label operations after the closure. Smalltown America is therefore best understood historically as an independent UK label whose work combined artist releases, curated compilations, and online showcases.
- 2020
Closure announced
[1]Founder Andrew Ferris announced the closure of Smalltown America Records on 24 November 2020.
- 2001
Label founded
[1]Smalltown America Records was established in the United Kingdom, initially as a release platform associated with Jetplane Landing.
Public Service Broadcast series develops
[1]The label issued nine Public Service Broadcast compilation CDs, featuring music from a large community of artists.
Public Service Blogcast operates
[1]The related Public Service Blogcast presented a weekly online audioblog showcase for participating artists.
Products and positioning
A UK independent record label focused on artist-led releases, alternative music, and community-oriented discovery through albums, compilation CDs, and online showcases.
Recorded music · 2001
Artist album releases
Smalltown America released albums and other recorded-music projects by its independent roster. The catalogue included work associated with Jetplane Landing and artists working across alternative rock, post-rock, punk, and related scenes. These releases formed the core of the label’s artist-led business model.
Music compilations
Public Service Broadcast compilation CDs
The Public Service Broadcast series consisted of nine compilation CDs presenting music by a broad group of artists. The series functioned as both a physical catalogue product and a discovery platform, bringing together approximately 150 artists across the project and its associated showcases.
Online music media
Public Service Blogcast
The Public Service Blogcast was a weekly audioblog connected with the compilation project. It showcased participating artists online and extended Smalltown America’s activities beyond conventional album and CD releases.
Brand decisions
2020
Close the labelOtherBackground
After operating as a UK independent label from 2001, founder Andrew Ferris announced the label’s closure in November 2020.
Action taken
Smalltown America Records ceased operating as a label.
Aftermath
The closure ended the label’s active release and showcase activities; no later operating status is established in the supplied sources.
2001
Expand from an artist platform into an independent labelStrategyBackground
Smalltown America began as a platform for Jetplane Landing releases and subsequently issued records by other artists.
Action taken
The operation developed into a broader independent label with an external roster and curated compilation activity.
Aftermath
The expanded model produced a multi-artist catalogue and supported the Public Service Broadcast compilation and Blogcast projects.
Recent events
- 2020
Smalltown America Records announces closure[1]
Other
Founder Andrew Ferris announced on 24 November 2020 that Smalltown America Records would close, ending the label’s operation after nearly two decades.
Sources2 sources
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