Epitaph

Epitaph Records is an American independent record label owned by Brett Gurewitz, best known as the guitarist of Bad Religion. Closely associated with punk and its offshoots, the label became widely identified with the genre through a roster that has included influential 1990s-era punk bands such as The Offspring, NOFX, and Rancid, alongside a broader range of punk and punk-adjacent artists including Pennywise, Descendents, Refused, The Bouncing Souls, Alkaline Trio, Thursday, and New Found Glory. Its catalog has also extended into related rock and alternative spaces, reflecting a label identity rooted in punk while accommodating stylistic variety.

The label’s structure includes a prominent imprint, Hellcat Records, described as a large portion of the record label and owned by Tim Armstrong of Rancid. Epitaph is also connected to several sister labels, including ANTI-, Burning Heart Records, Hellcat Records, and Heart & Skull Records, which have signed other types of bands. This network of affiliated labels has supported releases across punk, alternative, and other genres while keeping Epitaph’s name closely tied to punk’s independent infrastructure.

Epitaph is commonly associated with Hollywood, California, and has been described as a punk label based there. In more recent years, the label has continued to work with newer artists across rock and alternative-leaning styles, including Magnolia Park, Split Chain, Roe Kapara, Madi Diaz, Sleep Theory, Nevertel, Bad Suns, and nascar aloe, indicating an ongoing interest in contemporary guitar-driven music and adjacent scenes.