[1] In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, University of Virginia student Darius Van Arman, later Jagjaguwar's founder, was a music director at UVA's WTJU radio station, a clerk at the Plan 9 Records store, art director at Charlottesville's C-Ville Weekly, an overnight supervisor for an adult-care facility, and booking shows at The Tokyo Rose.

[2][3] During this time, Adam Busch (who also would put music out on Jagjaguwar as Manishevitz), was part of a band called The Curious Digit.

[11] In 1999, Van Arman and Chris Swanson, who was part owner of the record label Secretly Canadian, became friends and soon partners.

[16] Much of Black Sheep Boy was written at Van Arman's house in Bloomington when Will Sheff stayed with him for some months.

[19][20] Following Black Mountain's debut, Jagjaguwar signed more artists to the label including Wilderness, The Besnard Lakes, and Sunset Rubdown.