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Hopeless and Fat Wreck Chords are today announcing a joint effort that unites two of punk’s most influential independent labels. In a full-circle moment more than three decades in the making, the alliance reflects both labels' artist-first ethos and deep roots in the punk community.

As part of the partnership, Hopeless is acquiring the Fat Wreck Chords catalog, but just as important is what’s being left behind. In a move guided by Fat Mike and Erin’s long held artist-first philosophy, all unrecouped balances for currently signed FAT artists will be zeroed out. No strings, no fine print, just a clean slate for every signed band that’s helped shape the label. At FAT’s request, Hopeless will adopt a no-new-signings policy for Fat Wreck Chords, ensuring all focus and resources stay on its existing roster. Fat Mike and Erin will retain the name, Fat Wreck Chords logo and trademark, continuing to represent the label through festivals and pop-up shops.

The partnership is the result of a long-standing connection between Fat Wreck Chords and Hopeless. In 1992, a young music video director named Louis Posen cold-called Fat Mike to direct a video for NOFX’s "Bob." The two became friends, and when Louis began to lose his eyesight and shifted careers from film to music, Fat Mike and Erin welcomed him into the Fat Wreck Chords office, helping him learn the ropes of running an independent label. Hopeless was born the following year. Without Fat Wreck Chords, there would be no Hopeless.

 

This is the natural result of three decades of friendship, trust, and a shared belief in putting artists and community first. Fat Wreck Chords and Hopeless didn’t come together to grow bigger, they did it to keep punk exactly where it belongs: in the hands of the people who built it.

FAT went on to define California punk and left a massive mark on the genre through releases from bands like NOFX, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, Face To Face, Good Riddance, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Swingin’ Utters, Dance Hall Crashers, Descendents, Against Me!, Rise Against, and international acts like Hi-Standard, Propagandhi, The Flatliners, Snuff, and Frenzal Rhomb. Hopeless became a home for new-era alt-punk giants like Avenged Sevenfold, All Time Low, Neck Deep, The Wonder Years, Sum 41, Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard, The Used, and rising voices including Scene Queen, TX2, Destroy Boys, Melrose Ave, and NOAHFINNCE.

To mark the collaboration, the labels are releasing new music from three cornerstone bands: Lighten Up, the first new album in five years from Bad Cop Bad Cop; A to H, the first in a three-part archival series from NOFX featuring unreleased, rare, and demo recordings; and a 20th anniversary edition of Strung Out’s Exile in Oblivion, with a brand-new single, “Glass Houses,” written and recorded in the spirit of the original album.

The news also kicks off a larger celebration for Fat Wreck Chords’ 35th anniversary this fall, with upcoming events including live shows, film screenings, special releases, and more. Last year, Hopeless celebrated their 30th anniversary with special exhibits at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Punk Rock Museum (which Fat Mike founded).

Both Fat Wreck Chords and Hopeless (and in turn, Fat Mike, Erin Kelly-Burkett, and Louis Posen) have worked in parallel to shape what punk was about for the last three plus decades. Now, they are officially doing it together.

Louis Posen said “The opportunity to lead the history, catalog, and roster of Fat Wreck Chords into the future, alongside Mike and Erin, is the honor and privilege of my 30-year career. We are incredibly grateful that Mike and Erin have entrusted the Hopeless team to care for their 35 years of passion and hard work.

 

I vividly recall purchasing NOFX's The Longest Line vinyl from Aron's Records, Hollywood, in 1992. Just a year later, I found myself directing a music video for NOFX, and then directing a video for Lagwagon. I remember sitting at West Beach Studios with Mike, listening to Propagandhi record ‘How to Clean Everything.’ Now, 30 years later, I am humbled to carry forward that incredible legacy. 

 

I don’t know when it will fully sink in, but we are deeply committed to honoring and continuing the remarkable history of Fat Wreck Chords.”

 

Fat Mike added “After talking to so many different labels to partner with over the past 3 years, Erin and I realized that Hopeless was the only choice. We’ve been friends with Louis for over 30 years and he is someone who always seems to doing things for the greater good. I completely trust his ethics and acumen with the legacy of Fat Wreck Chords.”

 

And Erin Kelly-Burkett concluded “While this is one of the biggest decisions I’ve ever made, it is also one of the most exciting. FAT has been my baby for 35 years. To me, it’s more than a label; it’s a community, a home, and a legacy built from the ground up. Louis understands that, and I can't think of anyone better than Hopeless to carry FAT forward. As a true fan, Louis knows firsthand what FAT is all about, and will build on the foundation Mike and I laid with care and respect. These bands are my family, and I know they’re in good hands with the Hopeless family.”