Below are three titles from the last month alone of Bandcamp Daily, the journalistic arm of the independent music hub Bandcamp, which subverts the customs of major streaming giants, genuinely shines a light on independent music, and puts artists first. Or it did.
‘A Trip Through the Many Galaxies of Space Disco’
‘A Deep Dive Into Texas Alt-Country’
‘The Resonant Beauty of Cold Blue Music’
Last month, Songtradr, the music licensing company, announced it was acquiring Bandcamp, which Epic Games had bought less than two years ago. This was news to many, not least staff at the online platform. According to The Guardian, 50% of staff have been laid off, with the remaining half offered roles at Songtradr. Posting on X (formerly known as Twitter), staff members of Bandcamp’s editorial arm, which publishes Bandcamp Daily, shared that they had lost jobs. Decisions were made to cut jobs across the company, but it appears that the customer service and editorial departments were among the hardest hit.
Aside from Bandcamp Daily, Bandcamp has made a name for itself in championing often obscure and independent global artists. Operating with an ‘artist-first revenue share’ culture lets music fans pay artists directly for their songs, merchandise, tickets and more. In contrast to the well-documented and rightly criticised minuscule percentages paid out by streaming powerhouses like Apple Music and Spotify, it fostered an independent music-loving community in the most hostile of environments: the internet.
This is its charm. Bandcamp genuinely feels like a music community or scene. Artists speak directly to fans, receiving fair returns for their music. It looks back to an age when you would walk to a local independent store, like Rough Trade, to pick up an album or even buy a CD from the band themselves after a gig. There is a rare innocence to that type of connection. In the ever-growing commodification of culture, especially in the online space, we need communities like Bandcamp to exist and thrive.
In another blow, the Bandcamp workers union ‘Bandcamp United’ had been battling for recognition at Songtradr, with many signing an online petition supporting their position. However, as reported by CompleteMusicUpdate.com, eight of the employees leading the negotiations for Bandcamp United were included in the layoffs. A response from Songtradr emphasised that it did not have access to union membership information when the decisions were made.
Regardless of the particulars of the acquisition and the toll it will inevitably have on those who work there, Bandcamp is an entity that Songtradr should protect. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bandcamp introduced Bandcamp Fridays, where on the first Friday of each month, it would waive its revenue share for 24 hours, and the artist would receive all royalties. It is a fantastic gesture to independent artists who can no longer make money from selling their music. I know as I am one of them.
Andy McGibbon from The Bonnevilles says:
“The takeover and layoffs at Bandcamp are very worrying on multiple levels. I wonder how a company that has been profitable since 2012, something Spotify cannot claim, has done so whilst being so massively overstaffed that 50% of them go on day one of new management. The reality is the new owners will shutter the building before they recognise the Union. To watch a successful artist-orientated business get hollowed out is heartbreaking. Bandcamp alone stood by artists in an ecosystem that exists to exploit us. It is the only place we can interact with our fans fairly. I really don’t know what the intentions are, but our life raft is inflated, we’re actively looking for the next thing to migrate to. I hope we don’t have to, but the runes don’t look good.”
For now, we will have to wait and see what Songtradr’s plans are for Bandcamp. All we can do in the meantime is continue supporting our local and independent artists. Go to their shows. Buy their merchandise. Go seek them out on Bandcamp.
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