Alaska Airlines passengers will now be greeted with chill Sub Pop tunes
![caption: Alaska Airlines planes parked at gates with Mount Rainier in the background at sunrise, on March 1, 2021, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle.](https://kuow-prod.imgix.net/store/4f612ce71459a81635c2e29b019516a9.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&fit=clip&crop=faces&auto=format&w=924&h=634)
Move over Muzak. Sub Pop Records has expanded into the background music space. When Seattle-area passengers now board Alaska Airlines planes, they'll be greeted with a playlist curated by the local record company.
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"Boarding music doesn’t exist in isolation — it's a core component of the premium experience we provide to our guests," said David Scotland, Alaska's inflight product and experience director, in a statement. "The music, the lighting, and the care shown by our amazing crew members all work together to create a great first impression for our guests when they board."
Boarding music plays in the background as passengers arrive on the plane, find their seats, put away baggage, and prepare to take off. That music will now be a selection of Sub Pop tunes for flights that depart from Sea-Tac Airport or Paine Field in Everett.
"The airport and boarding process can be stressful; settling into your seat and hearing thoughtfully curated playlist can start to put your mind at ease as you prepare for your flight," Scotland said.
With that in mind, passengers should not expect any of Sub Pop's classic Mudhoney, Supersuckers, or Sunny Day Real Estate on this playlist. Not even Hot Hot Heat. Alaska's boarding playlist presents the smoother, poppier side of Sub Pop. You can expect songs by The Postal Service, Father John Misty, and Yuno. See the full playlist below.
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"I had to think about the people who would be at the airport – about what kind of music could make their eyes light up and make them want to learn more," Nick Duncan, Sub Pop’s A&R manager who curated the boarding playlist.
"Finding things that fit in with the inflight environment while also representing our ethos and roster of artists; that required some threading of the needle.”
According to the airline, the idea behind the playlist is to avoid profanity or anything that sounds like elevator music.
This is not the first time Alaska has showcased Sub Pop. It has featured Sub Pop tunes as inflight entertainment since 2016. Alaska also dedicated an airplane to Sub Pop for the record company's 30th anniversary in 2018.
Featuring Sub Pop is yet another instance where Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is featuring Northwest companies and products. In late 2023, the airline brought in Stumptown Coffee from Portland, which developed a special brew intended to be sipped in a pressurized environment at 30,000 feet in the air.