Starting this month, enjoy boarding music from Sub Pop Records on all Alaska Airlines flights departing from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Seattle Paine Field International Airport.  

Boarding music is one of the first things our guests experience when they step onto our aircraft. It’s their soundtrack as they stow their bags and take their seats. But it’s more than just music to us. Airline boarding music is meant to convey a vibe.

Crafting a mood can be challenging. What elicits nostalgia from one guest might send another guest digging for their earplugs, and what might sound fresh to a brand-new flier could irritate a crew member who has heard the tracks a dozen times.

To David Scotland, inflight product & experience director at Alaska Airlines, those considerations fold up into the broader question of how to provide an integrated guest experience.

  “Boarding music doesn’t exist in isolation—it’s a core component of the premium experience we provide to our guests. 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, said Scotland. “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.”

Our latest playlist is inspired by summertime and West Coast vibes: it’s upbeat, catchy, and uniquely memorable, without being intrusive.

A hometown power duo

While boarding music was new territory for us and Sup Pop, our two iconic Seattle brands are long-time partners and have worked together for years.

Back in 2016, we introduced Sub Pop as one of our very first complimentary music offerings on our inflight entertainment. Then, in 2018, we celebrated Sub Pop Records’ 30th anniversary in style by launching a commemorative aircraft dedicated to them.

“Music is powerful and can transport you to another place. Any time I hear a Sub Pop song, it reminds me of the time, early on in our partnership, where they dropped off a dozen CDs for me to listen to. I drove home, popped in a Beach House disc and fell in love immediately,” said David Scotland, inflight product & experience director at Alaska Airlines. “I hope our guests can experience something similar with our Sup Pop playlist.”

The team behind the melodies

While the selection of boarding music is a tried-and-true process for our in-flight entertainment team, this was Sub Pop’s first time producing music for the airline industry.

For Nick Duncan, Sub Pop’s artists and repertoire (A&R) manager, the process was at once alien and oddly familiar.

Before his ten-year tenure at Sub Pop, Duncan honed his skills in radio, where curation was always a key part of his job. In radio, he had to know his audience inside and out. When pitching projects, he built relationships, figuring out who would be most receptive to each project and how to reach listeners most effectively.

It’s the same thing here,” said Duncan, referring to Alaska’s playlist. “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.  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.”

Sub Pop helped us thoughtfully craft the playlist, steering clear of songs with profanity or those that sounded too much like elevator music. Rather than relying solely on top hits, Nick and his team focused on showcasing a diverse range of talent, shining a light on hidden gems and emerging artists.

 “I want to help people find more art they can connect with, to make their eyes light up a little bit and find out what they’re listening to. That lightbulb moment is my favorite part of my job,” said Duncan.

On all of our other flights beyond the Seattle area, guests can enjoy curated playlists carefully selected by our team.