Which label did Ian MacKaye co-found in Washington, D.C., in 1980?

Ian MacKaye co-founded Dischord Records in Washington, D.C., in 1980.

MacKaye started the label with Jeff Nelson, his bandmate in the Teen Idles. Their first release was the Teen Idles’ Minor Disturbance EP, issued in 1980. Dischord was created to document local bands and make records affordable, rather than to operate primarily as a conventional commercial label.

The label became central to Washington, D.C.’s hardcore punk scene. It released influential records by bands including Minor Threat, Government Issue, Dag Nasty, Embrace and Fugazi. MacKaye’s commitment to independent production, direct distribution and accessible prices became closely associated with the city’s DIY punk culture.

Alternative Tentacles, SST and Touch and Go were also important independent punk labels, but they were founded elsewhere and by different people. Dischord is especially linked with Washington, D.C., and with MacKaye’s bands. The label remains active and continues to document music from the region.