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Some big record labels just seem like clearing houses for big-named artists, no matter what they sound like. But lots of smaller record companies have carved out interesting niches. As a result, it's possible to be a fan of a particular label, knowing that the folks who run the company (and sign the artists) have tastes similar to yours.

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Here's an alphabetical crash course on labels we like.

Anti-/Epitaph: These sister labels specialize in avant-pop and punk, respectively.

Arts & Crafts: Canadian home of some of the buzziest artists around, many of them also members of the critically lauded Broken Social Scene collective.

Bloodshot: The Chicago label that brought us early solo material by Ryan Adams and Neko Case has built a reputation for its ragged take on country music.

Blue Note: The venerable home to jazz has been re-invigorated since Norah Jones' breakout album. Look for albums by husky singer Cassandra Wilson and spry pianist Jason Moran, then keep on digging.

Definitive Jux: New York-based home of innovative underground hip-hop.

DFA: Dance-oriented and adventurous home of co-founder James Murphy's LCD Soundsystem. DFA recently entered the re-issue market with the remastered and expanded edition of "Gyrate," the 1980 debut from stellar Athens pioneers Pylon.

Fat Possum: Mississippi label has added adventurous rockers to its roster of hard-core blues artists.

Matador: Arguably the most important indie rock label of the last 15 years. Home to Pavement, Cat Power, Belle & Sebastian, Interpol, Yo La Tengo and early Liz Phair.

Merge: North Carolina indie with a great track record (and one of the world's hottest young bands, Arcade Fire).

Nonesuch: The thinking man's record label, Nonesuch straddles the line between pop and classical, and still cares about gorgeous album packaging. Artists include David Byrne, Emmylou Harris, Brad Mehldau, Youssou N'Dour, Steve Reich, Dawn Upshaw and Wilco.

Rhymesayers: Minneapolis-based hip-hop label is home to some of the best underground rap acts, including Atmosphere.

Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar: Affiliated Bloomington, Ind.-based labels with stables of critically acclaimed artists that include Antony and the Johnsons, Okkervil River and Swedish pop troubadour Jens Lekman.

Sub Pop: Venerable Seattle indie released Nirvana's debut "Bleach" and continues to break exciting new bands.