# Fearless Records **Fearless Records** is an American independent rock record label founded in 1994 in [Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-california), built on a punk-rock foundation and now a division of Concord[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/) • [2](https://musicbrainz.org/label/925ff8a4-ce58-4893-884d-0f6f0e446bea) • [3](https://music.apple.com/us/curator/fearless-records/1355933862). The label developed a global following by nurturing punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, and alternative rock acts, and it created the Punk Goes cover-compilation brand[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/) • [4](https://www.metal-archives.com/labels/Fearless_Records/46964). | Key fact | Detail | |---|---| | Founded | 1994, Southern California[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/) • [3](https://music.apple.com/us/curator/fearless-records/1355933862) | | Ownership | A division of Concord[2](https://musicbrainz.org/label/925ff8a4-ce58-4893-884d-0f6f0e446bea) | | Genres | Alternative rock, punk rock, pop rock, metalcore, post-hardcore[4](https://www.metal-archives.com/labels/Fearless_Records/46964) | | Early roster | At the Drive-In, Bigwig, The Aquabats, Sugarcult[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/) | | Punk Goes series | Over 3 million albums and 20 million singles sold in the U.S.[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/) | | Breakthrough hit | Plain White T's worldwide hit "Hey There Delilah"[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/) | | Current flagship artists | Pierce the Veil, I Prevail, The Pretty Reckless, STARSET[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/) | ## Early years and punk foundation Fearless started in 1994 as a punk-rock label. In its early days it became known for launching the careers of punk rock acts such as [At the Drive-In](https://www.edgepedia.org/at-the-drive-in), Bigwig, The Aquabats, and Sugarcult[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). The label's earliest commercial success came with the multi-platinum-selling [Plain White T's](https://www.edgepedia.org/plain-white-ts), who scored a worldwide hit with "Hey There Delilah"[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). The label also released compilation albums in the punk tradition; the *Punk Bites* series appears in its discography on [MusicBrainz](https://www.edgepedia.org/musicbrainz)[2](https://musicbrainz.org/label/925ff8a4-ce58-4893-884d-0f6f0e446bea). ## The Punk Goes brand Fearless created the Punk Goes series, an alternative compilation brand on which bands from its scene perform cover songs. The series has sold over 3 million albums and 20 million singles in the United States[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). One installment, *Punk Goes Christmas*, received a 10th-anniversary vinyl reissue for [Record Store Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/record-store-day)'s Black Friday promotion in November 2023, timed to the height of pop-punk's 2000s run[5](https://www.axios.com/2023/11/24/black-friday-record-store-day-new-vinyl-2023). ## Growth into rock and metal As the label grew, its roster broadened well beyond punk. An OC Weekly profile noted that Fearless began as a punk-rock label but that the tag hardly fit it anymore, and the profile pointed to Fueled By Ramen, the Florida pop-punk indie later owned by [Atlantic Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/atlantic-records), as a comparable model[6](https://www.ocweekly.com/know-fearless-records-6414410/). The Metal Archives classifies the label under alternative rock, punk rock, pop rock, metalcore, and post-hardcore[4](https://www.metal-archives.com/labels/Fearless_Records/46964). Several later signings became major acts. Fearless shepherded metal band [August Burns Red](https://www.edgepedia.org/august-burns-red) to two GRAMMY nominations[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). [Motionless in White](https://www.edgepedia.org/motionless-in-white) released their debut full-length *Creatures* under the label's wing after catching its attention just before their 2009 EP[7](https://www.altpress.com/best-fearless-records-bands-underoath-idkhow). [Pierce the Veil](https://www.edgepedia.org/pierce-the-veil) joined the label around their 2012 album *Collide with the Sky*, which yielded the platinum-selling single "King for a Day" featuring Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens[8](https://www.altpress.com/fan-poll-best-fearless-records-bands). Chase Atlantic, an Australian trio, signed with Fearless for their 2020 third record *Beauty in Death* after drifting between labels[7](https://www.altpress.com/best-fearless-records-bands-underoath-idkhow). ## Current roster and commercial standing Concord describes Fearless as one of the world's leading independent rock labels[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). Its current artist list runs from metalcore and post-hardcore bands such as August Burns Red, Beartooth, Wage War, Movements, Ice Nine Kills, and The Plot in You to rock acts including [I Prevail](https://www.edgepedia.org/i-prevail), The Pretty Reckless, STARSET, Plain White T's, and [Young the Giant](https://www.edgepedia.org/young-the-giant), alongside newer signings such as BLOODYWOOD, Taylor Acorn, and chokecherry[9](https://fearlessrecords.com/artists/). The label's commercial highlights include: - Pierce the Veil, an RIAA-certified Platinum artist[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). - I Prevail, two-time GRAMMY-nominated and Platinum-selling, who earned the label's first rock radio No. 1 in 2020 with "Hurricane"[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). - [The Pretty Reckless](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-pretty-reckless), with multiple No. 1 rock radio hits and the distinction of being the first female-fronted act to boast 7 chart-topping singles[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). - STARSET, with 4 billion cumulative worldwide streams and a platinum single, "My Demons"[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). - [Chase Atlantic](https://www.edgepedia.org/chase-atlantic), with over 1 billion global streams and a sold-out North American tour[1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). In an Alternative Press fan poll marking the label's 30th anniversary, readers ranked Pierce the Veil first, Starset second, and Movements fifth among Fearless bands of all time[8](https://www.altpress.com/fan-poll-best-fearless-records-bands). ## Ownership and recent activity MusicBrainz lists Fearless Records as a division of Concord, the independent music company whose label roster page hosts Fearless[2](https://musicbrainz.org/label/925ff8a4-ce58-4893-884d-0f6f0e446bea) • [1](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/). The label marked its 30th anniversary with a dedicated anniversary mission and Spotify playlist[10](https://fearlessrecords.com/mission/). Recent releases and signings promoted on the label's site include Wage War's album *Landfall*, Starset's single "T R A N S F U S 1 0 N", albums and singles from Archers, The Pretty Reckless, From First To Last, Taylor Acorn, and RinRin, and signing announcements for BLOODYWOOD and Trevor Daniel[11](https://fearlessrecords.com/) • [10](https://fearlessrecords.com/mission/). ## References 1. [Fearless Records, Concord](https://concord.com/labels/fearless-records/) 2. [Fearless Records, MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/label/925ff8a4-ce58-4893-884d-0f6f0e446bea) 3. [Fearless Records, Apple Music curator page](https://music.apple.com/us/curator/fearless-records/1355933862) 4. [Fearless Records, Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives](https://www.metal-archives.com/labels/Fearless_Records/46964) 5. [RSD Black Friday: Nas, Joni Mitchell and more vinyl releases, Axios (2023)](https://www.axios.com/2023/11/24/black-friday-record-store-day-new-vinyl-2023) 6. [Know Fearless Records, OC Weekly](https://www.ocweekly.com/know-fearless-records-6414410/) 7. [20 greatest Fearless Records bands, from Underoath to iDKHOW, Alternative Press](https://www.altpress.com/best-fearless-records-bands-underoath-idkhow) 8. [Fan poll: 5 best Fearless Records bands of all time, Alternative Press](https://www.altpress.com/fan-poll-best-fearless-records-bands) 9. [Current Artists, Fearless Records](https://fearlessrecords.com/artists/) 10. [Missions Archive, Fearless Records](https://fearlessrecords.com/mission/) 11. [Fearless Records official site](https://fearlessrecords.com/) --- *Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music institutions and events › Record labels and the music industry › Record labels › Record labels by genre › Punk and hardcore record labels* *Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026* *Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.* License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license