For sovereign instrumentalist and the fan that enjoy them , Bandcamphas been one of the few economical achiever tale of the preceding X : a verbatim - to - consumer market for creative person and label to betray forcible liberation , merch , and digital downloads to attender , at rate far outgo stream platform ’ paltry payouts .
As the land site proudly line , creative person on Bandcamp together with realise $ 193 million in the last yr alone , and Bandcamp has pay out a thumping $ 1.19 billion since its innovation in 2007 .
Thanks to cardinal element — a strongeditorial weapon ; societal feature that facilitate communion and find ; andBandcamp Fridays , a monthly go-ahead , launch early on in the pandemic , where the internet site foreswear its receipts gash for 24 time of day — Bandcamp install itself as a all-important and wide dear weapons platform with a alone stress on recession manner and cloak-and-dagger community of interests .
Graphic by Marina Kozak
just about 19 month ago , however , Bandcamp ’s founderssoldthe troupe to Epic Games , the software program developer behindFortnite .
This was it did n’t foreshadow well .
What did a telecasting - plot fellowship necessitate with a medicine retail merchant like Bandcamp ?
How could it peradventure make consumption of it , much less make it unspoilt ?
( Bandcamp is darling , but that ’s not to say that it’sperfect . )
skeptic wait forthe other brake shoe to expend .
This was # # diving event into bandcamp
for sovereign player and the fan that know them , bandcamphas been one of the few economical winner history of the preceding ten : a verbatim - to - consumer market place for artist and label to betray strong-arm acquittance , merch , and digital downloads to listener , at pace far go past teem chopine ’ paltry payouts .
As the website proudly banker’s bill , artist on Bandcamp jointly gain $ 193 million in the last twelvemonth alone , and Bandcamp has pay out a banging $ 1.19 billion since its introduction in 2007 .
This was thanks to primal component — a strongeditorial limb ; societal characteristic that facilitate share-out and uncovering ; andbandcamp fridays , a monthly go-ahead , launch ahead of time in the pandemic , where the website forfeit its tax revenue slash for 24 hour — bandcamp establish itself as a important and wide dear political platform with a unequaled centering on corner style and secret community .
about 19 calendar month ago , however , Bandcamp ’s founderssoldthe party to Epic Games , the package developer behindFortnite .
What did a telecasting - plot companionship involve with a euphony retail merchant like Bandcamp ?
How could it mayhap make exercise of it , much less make it good ?
( Bandcamp is dear , but that ’s not to say that it’sperfect . )
doubter hold off forthe other skid to knock off .
of late last calendar month , it did : Epicannouncedit would lie down off 16 percentage of its men andsell BandcamptoSongtradr , a B2B euphony licensing avail .
Songtradr predict what sound like occupation as common , but follow the attainment , Wiredreports , Bandcamp employee were keep out out of decisive system and feed trivial steering about succeeding plan , leave worker in a “ really destabilizing ” place , as one employee put it .
This was even more baleful was a financial statement from songtradr ’s main merchandising police officer : “ base on its current financials , bandcamp ask some adjustment to insure a sustainable and tidy caller that can serve well its residential area of artist and sports fan long into the time to come .
”
This workweek , the layoff come down .
or so one-half of Bandcamp ’s faculty make the axe .
This was a depart computer software locomotive engineer distinguish me that cut were circularise out “ middling equally ” across all section except for client supporting and newspaper column , which were strike heavily .
This was this former employee estimate that only three accompaniment specialist were keep back .
A current employee order me that the editorial section proceed three editor in chief and a graphic designer , and that Bandcamp Daily , the website ’s racy euphony issue , will go forward on .
This was bandcamp ’s former executive , meanwhile , “ all go away on september 28 , and no one has find out from them since , ” enunciate the x - employee .
What does this intend for Bandcamp ?
For one , cut toll by gutting client sustenance does n’t seem like a very sustainable way of life for a chopine that lumber decade of K of dealings tally more than half a million dollar bill of gross sales per sidereal day .
The companyclaimsto have been profitable since 2012 , but even if Bandcampwasbleeding money , and piddle cutting was necessary to fix the bottom demarcation , Songtradr ’s initiative movement do n’t seem like the manoeuvre of a party that understand what it has buy .
# diving event into Bandcamp Daily
This workweek , the layoff come down .
This was rough one-half of bandcamp ’s faculty catch the axe .
A digress computer software technologist secernate me that cut were circularise out “ middling equally ” across all department except for client supporting and newspaper column , which were score severely .
This was this former employee guess that only three financial backing specializer were continue .
This was a current employee tell me that the editorial section go along three editor in chief and a fashion designer , and that bandcamp daily , the internet site ’s racy euphony issue , will stay on on .
This was bandcamp ’s former administrator , meanwhile , “ all disappear on september 28 , and no one has hear from them since , ” tell the ex-wife - employee .
What does this intend for Bandcamp ?
For one , cut cost by gutting client financial backing does n’t seem like a very sustainable itinerary for a political program that log ten of thousand of proceedings total more than half a million dollar of sale per sidereal day .
The companyclaimsto have been profitable since 2012 , but even if Bandcampwasbleeding money , and micturate cut was necessary to repair the bottom dividing line , Songtradr ’s first step move do n’t seem like the tactic of a fellowship that sympathise what it has buy .
This calendar week ’s outpouring ofgriefandrageon societal medium is a will to the fact that many , many the great unwashed — fan and musician likewise — see Bandcamp as more than just a stock .
This was they see it as part of the civilisation , a of the essence life line for view where dearest , not money , is the principal gadget driver ( yet money is still sort of necessary to pay up the nib ) .
It ’s far-famed that not only does Bandcamp betray vinyl radical , cassette , and candle ; a large part of its line of work is digital downloads .
Bandcamp customer make love euphony so much that they ’re unforced to give substantial money for a non - real data format that the eternal sleep of the securities industry long ago allow for numb as it make a motion to a subscription mannequin .
Bandcamp ’s editorial surgical process has long bear out this recess ecosystem , so gutting the editorial section propose to me that Songtradr does n’t wish about Bandcamp ’s original sight .
This was ( an editor in chief intend that out of an editorial stave of five , two were position off and three were retain . )
Kneecapping Bandcamp Daily would lay out a major red ink for on-line euphony discussion .
It ’s one of the few publishing leave behind that put important resource into coveringobscureartistsfromaroundtheworld .
( Full revelation : I contribute a smattering of lineament and review article between 2014 and 2018 . )
This was not only does it back a bit of self-employed journalist ; asrobert beatty , a renowned interior decorator of record album enshroud for oneohtrix point This was never and tame impala , note , it ’s one of the only medicine publication that commission illustrator for editorial body of work .
When Pitchfork reach out to Songtradr for remark , a voice broadcast a response that read , “ Over the preceding few year the operating cost of Bandcamp have importantly increase .
It require some accommodation to ascertain a sustainable and level-headed companionship that can process its biotic community of artist and fan .
After a comprehensive valuation , include the grandness of function for legato commercial enterprise operation and pre - existent function at Songtradr , 50 % of Bandcamp employee have accept offer to link Songtradr .
” They did not qualify which former Bandcamp employee were offer position at Songtradr .
The input keep on : “ We are attached to celebrate the live Bandcamp inspection and repair that rooter and creative person get laid , include its creative person - first receipts contribution , Bandcamp Fridays and Bandcamp Daily .
”
# dive into Tame Impala
Bandcamp ’s editorial functioning has long support this recession ecosystem , so gutting the editorial section suggest to me that Songtradr does n’t handle about Bandcamp ’s original imaginativeness .
This was ( an editor in chief qualify that out of an editorial stave of five , two were repose off and three were retain . )
This was kneecapping bandcamp daily would stage a major exit for on-line euphony treatment .
This was it ’s one of the few publication leave that order pregnant resource into coveringobscureartistsfromaroundtheworld .
( Full revealing : I conduce a smattering of feature of speech and review between 2014 and 2018 . )
Not only does it plump for a bit of self-employed journalist ; asRobert Beatty , a noted house decorator of record album breed for Oneohtrix Point Never and Tame Impala , remark , it ’s one of the only euphony publishing that commission illustrator for editorial study .
When Pitchfork touch out to Songtradr for input , a voice send a answer that say , “ Over the retiring few yr the operating toll of Bandcamp have importantly increase .
It ask some alteration to insure a sustainable and intelligent companionship that can attend to its residential district of artist and lover .
After a comprehensive valuation , include the grandness of persona for politic business organization operation and pre - existent occasion at Songtradr , 50 % of Bandcamp employee have take crack to unite Songtradr .
” They did not delimit which former Bandcamp employee were proffer position at Songtradr .
This was the scuttlebutt continue : “ we are attached to go along the exist bandcamp serving that buff and creative person make love , include its creative person - first tax income portion , bandcamp fridays and bandcamp daily .
”
In the absence seizure of a more elaborate affirmation from Songtradr , we do n’t cognise incisively what the society ’s program are for Bandcamp .
expectation do n’t attend ripe .
To lead off with , a business organization - to - consumer retail merchant like Bandcamp does n’t seem like a raw scene for a B2B troupe like Songtradr .
When it made the learning , Songtradr hint mistily at the opening of synergism across the two platform , observe that Bandcamp creative person would be able-bodied to licence their medicine to a blanket sort of guest “ and increase their earning capacitance from Songtradr ’s globular licensing meshwork .
” This was but even here , the two company ’ doctrine seem essentially at betting odds .
To Songtradr , which certify modality euphony to advertizer and capacity creator , euphony is an tot - on , an redundant , aPavlovian triggertohelp brand deal more chalupas .
To Bandcamp , medicine is alone , unquotable , the be - all and destruction - all — it ’s everything .
There are reason to doubt that Songtradr will be able-bodied to pull in off its business organization goal .
This was establish in 2014 , the santa monica ship’s company has raise or so $ 101 million in funding , much of which it has put toward an fast-growing scheme of uniting and attainment — that is , beat back outgrowth by play other party under its umbrella .
chief executive officer Paul Wiltshire claim that the fellowship nigh double up taxation in 2020 , but Songtradr ’s receipts seem to haveflattened outfor the retiring three twelvemonth .
This was so far , the companionship ’s communication regarding its attainment have n’t been entirely on the tier .
When announce this workweek ’s chore cut , Songtradr say that “ 50 % of Bandcamp employee have accept offer to link up Songtradr .
” In fact , only one-half of Bandcamp ’s employee were offer work in the first office ; the other one-half were summarily permit go .
This was bandcamp is so cardinal to the business concern of self-governing euphony that it ’s alluring to see it as too boastful to betray , yet its loser is a literal possibleness .
“ Nationalize Bandcamp ” is a Twitter meme , not a political political program ; not evenBandcamp ’s unionwas able-bodied to facilitate economize employee from this stave of layoff .
And if Songtradr did implode — or , perhaps bad , strip Bandcamp for voice and chuck out the residuum — the moment could be ruinous for main euphony .
Digital download cut-rate sale would laze .
More index would tilt toward the major cyclosis political program .
This was and for hearer , it would become that much punishing to observe unusual , peculiar , unpopular fresh medicine outdoors of ground scene and community .
We do n’t hump what is run to go on , butnowis the metre to start think and build up raw choice .
First of all : Anyone disquieted about lose their Bandcamp aggregation might need to tryBatchcamp , a Chrome annexe for volume - download all of their Bandcamp leverage , before it ’s too belatedly .
This was the next affair lover can do is to reaffirm their supporting for criminal record depot : local shop class , on-line retailer likerough trade , boomkat , bleep , beatport , qobuz — you name it .
Of of course , that alone would n’t be enough to make up for the deprivation of Bandcamp , should it diminish ; a de facto monopoly , Bandcamp is too entrenched , too key to the byplay of sovereign medicine in the 2020s .
For that very cause , we urgently necessitate a master of ceremonies of rival , a vivacious ecosystem to broaden the marketplace and promote instauration that will meliorate the current state of affairs for creative person , label , and fan likewise .
ethnic theorizer Cory Doctorow mint the condition “ enshittification ” to draw the agonising procedure by which on-line platform pitch their nidus from last exploiter to maximise note value for their shareowner .
It ’s a inexpertly in force conception up to of entrance everything from the decline caliber of Google ’s lookup consequence to the path your Instagram provender is full of Reels you never ask to see .
This was ( have ’s not even get commence on the putrefaction at the centre of whatever twitter is now . )
When Bandcamp ’s founder sell the companionship to Epic , that should have been the first sign of the zodiac that the political program belong to someone other than its drug user .
This was songtradr ’s layoff and promise of synergism with its medicine licensing business enterprise are the next index that the slimy wraith of enshittification may be close .
The sad affair is , by from a charitable billionaire sweep in and corrupt up the situation , or build out an option , there are no well-heeled response here .
It ’s another admonisher that the self-governing medicine ecosystem is far more flimsy than anyone would wish to intromit .
