The label was founded by Kevin Donoghue in 1985, after he left RCA Records and during his time at the Music Factory where he was a sound engineer.
[1][2][3] In January 1989, Native signed Nine Inch Nails but later released them from their contract when TVT Records offered a better deal.
Native continues to release new guitar based bands.
Associated labels include: Ozone Recordings.
Native's Past Artists Catalogue includes releases by: The Barristers, The Fireflys, Darling Buds, The Snapdragons, Smashing Orange, Fatal Charm, Deluxe, Steamkings, Greenhouse, Richard H Kirk, Dig Vis Drill, Treebound Story (including Richard Hawley—then a young songwriter), Screaming Trees, The Montgomery Clifts, Berkeley, Torsohorse, Brody, Zoot and the Roots, The Exuberants, UV POP, Midnight Choir, They Must Be Russians, BTroop, The Emotionals, Leafeater, The Junk, Soberskin, Pemberton Grange, Tadpole, Sound Junkies, Moneypenny, Lucigenic, Morph, Ward C, The North and Werkstation.