That Spotify and other streaming services pay artists badly is hardly news anymore. Many groups and labels direct you towards Bandcamp, which offers a vastly better payday, as well as giving them control of their music and a connection to their fanbase.
So, what is Bandcamp? It’s a platform for downloading music, including hi-res files, as well as a way of selling physical music and merchandise. Once purchased music can be streamed through the Android or iOS app as well as downloaded. The company says: “Bandcamp’s mission is to help spread the healing power of music by building a community where artists thrive through the direct support of their fans, and where fans gather to explore the amazing musical universe that their direct support helps create.”
And it’s that community connection that helps artists who often don’t have access to support from labels or PR companies to create newsletters, announce presales and release information through the platform. Artist accounts are free, and you can sell, albeit in a limited way, for just a 10% share of the sale price back to Bandcamp. For $10 per month, you get access to the suite of management tools, analytics, and control over access to your material. Comparing that to a typical $0.004 per stream from Spotify means for the artist it’s a clear win.
For the listener, it’s also a win. If they actually get paid, then artists continue recording and releasing music. The last decade has conspired against independent artists in many ways, from George Osborne’s imposition of VAT on digital services in 2014 to the pandemic. The range of music available is huge and it includes big names as well as emerging artists, as we’ll see in a little while.
Are there any downsides? For the artist not really, although Bandcamp’s acquisition by Epic Games, which is backed by Sony, in 2022 led to a few concerns, nothing negative has happened so far. If as a fan you see paying for music as a problem, then I’m not sure we have much to talk about.
What can you buy on Bandcamp? They have an Americana tag for artists to use (look under the country section) and you can find many albums reviewed by AUK. Several Bandcamp releases scored 9 out of 10 in our reviews. Emily Dongray reviewed Sierra Ferrell’s ‘Long Time Coming’. Bandcamp’s current number 1 Americana Album, Jason Isbell’s ‘Weathervanes’ got the same score, as did ‘Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing’ which Joe Graham reviewed in May.
Another advantage of Bandcamp is the discovery element of the platform which means that albums have a longer shelf life than other ways to sell. By using special offers and bundles an artist can reactivate sales of older material alongside a new release. The Bandcamp top 10 americana albums at present includes Margo Cilker’s ‘Pohorylle’ which is gaining listens on the back of the presale for her new album due in September. The success of Isbell’s latest album has pushed ‘Reunions’ which Helen 
Jones reviewed 3 years ago back into the charts. Of the most widely read reviews at AUK in recent months many are available on Bandcamp, including the excellent Pink Stones, and the Milk Carton Kids, both praised by Martin Johnson.
If all this sounds like an advert for Bandcamp then guilty as charged. It’s the platform that makes most sense for artists, labels, and fans. For an artist’s view of the situation Alec Bowman-Clarke’s eloquent piece for AUK back in 2020 sums it up better than I ever could. Corduroy Punk, the label owned by his partner Josienne Clarke is a great example of how Bandcamp can work for the independent musician.
You can also find work from AUK writers on Bandcamp, including albums from John Jenkins and Cam Fraser’s Borrowed Books project.
A few of my recent Bandcamp purchases…
An album that continues to grow on me is William Wallace’s ‘Lighthouse Keeper’
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3008773590 size=medium bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=3131707917]
The aforementioned Josienne Clarke’s 2022 album ‘Now and Then’ includes this great version of a Sharon Van Etten song.
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=300169142 size=medium bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=3202954880]
The title track from Matt Owens’ latest album. I’ve loved seeing him live with The Delusional Vanity Project at some local gigs in Bath recently and you should as well…
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2168042001 size=medium bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=4168315685]
Great article, Tim. Long overdue. I’ve been a Bandcamp devotee for quite a number of years now. Most of my purchases originate from here whether it’s CD or Digital downloads (all at CD quality). The ability to buy individual tracks is a welcome bonus too.
Thanks Alan. Sadly the general music consuming public has got so used to music being free at the point of use either from illegal downloading some years back or Spotify etc now, that the need for music to have an economic function for artists to enable them to continue has got lost. Fortunately there are the likes of AUK readers who recognise that investing in artists work, both live, and on record/CD/download is key to getting more new music.
I can add little but agreement. Bandcamp is my first port of call for music and the discovery of back catalogues is so often a feeling of joy. It’s far more civilised than the behemoths that dominate the music selling and streaming market.
On a similar subject, could I mention nugs.net? Recommended for streaming and downloading concerts, at a cost not bootlegs. I’m not sure about its ownership.
Thanks Jeremy. Nugs.net is owned by Brad Serling, who started it as a Grateful Dead site in the early 90s. He’s a consultant for the Dead, and others on their own live show distribution sites. I assume that the artists do OK out of nugs.net as there are some big hitters there.
Beer For The Horses was by far my favorite album of 22. Now I need to find William Wallace on CD. (maybe download it) . I own about 7000 albums and 2000 singles vinyl, and about 3000 CD’s. I did used to DJ (mainly weddings where my specialty was knowing what the parents wanted, top 100 is easy)
I use AUK for the vast majority of my new purchases (about 2-3 CDs a week)
BandCamp probably sees around 20-25 of my yearly purchases but independent artist sites see the most.
Been into more obscure stuff (I’m from Northeast Ohio) since early Fairport Convention and try to constantly stay up with new stuff. Music really does keep me alive. NONE of my friends or my wife like my music. AUK is more responsive to quality new performers than anything here in USA. BandCamp genre suggestions have always been a good place to get ideas and find new music. One of the other sources I use is the list of bands that play shows along with bands I like. Looking thru Facebook and Instagram photos can be very fertile ground for new acts.
AUK is responsible for my favorite album of all time ‘Ashdown’ by Chance Meyer and The bloody 98’s (a perfect piece of Americana that will never be passed, despite the fact that they really were never in it to sell music).
Recognizing BandCamp for it’s ability to further search efforts for music is highly commendable.
Thank You AUK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
I’m sure Matt will be delighted to know his album has had an impact in the USA. Without Bandcamp how would you have heard an album from Bath…
Our review of William Wallace’s album is here , it’s a goodie https://americana-uk.com/william-wallace-lighthouse-keeper