Direct-to-fan platform Bandcamp has revealed that artists and labels have been paid out $154 million by way of its Bandcamp Friday initiative for the reason that program’s launch in March 2020.
The corporate launched Bandcamp Fridays on the top of the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdowns impacted the earnings of indie artists from excursions and reveals. The newest determine represents a $31 million enhance from the $123 million Bandcamp reported in Might 2024.
This 12 months alone, Bandcamp Fridays noticed payouts of $19 million from followers on to artists and labels, topping the prior 12 months’s whole.
Bandcamp sometimes takes 15% of digital gross sales and 10% of bodily items. On Bandcamp Fridays, it Bandcamp waives its income share to let musicians and labels hold the complete buy value when followers purchase music or merch. The corporate mentioned December’s occasion generated greater than $3.8 million in 24 hours, the best single-day whole of the 12 months.
Bandcamp added that artists obtain a median of 82% of gross sales on common days by the platform’s artist-first enterprise mannequin, contributing to over $1.5 billion that Bandcamp has paid out to artists and labels thus far, the platform mentioned on Thursday (December 18).
As of writing, Bandcamp’s web site says the platform has seen followers pay artists $1.64 billion, with 77,031 data offered by way of Bandcamp yesterday alone.
Dan Melnick, Normal Supervisor at Bandcamp, mentioned: “5 years on, Bandcamp Fridays proceed to point out simply how highly effective direct fan help might be.”
“2025 was one other good 12 months for artists and labels, capped by our strongest Friday of the 12 months, and we’re extremely excited to deliver much more alternatives to the neighborhood in 2026, increasing to eight subsequent 12 months.”
“2025 was one other good 12 months for artists and labels, capped by our strongest Friday of the 12 months, and we’re extremely excited to deliver much more alternatives to the neighborhood in 2026, increasing to eight subsequent 12 months.”
Dan Melnick, Bandcamp
The platform plans to run eight Bandcamp Fridays in 2026: February 6, March 6, Might 1, August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6 and December 4.
In September, Bandcamp launched a brand new subscription service that provides customers entry to month-to-month file choices, listening events, suggestions and unique artist content material. The ‘Bandcamp Golf equipment’ characteristic launched with a USD $13-a-month subscription charge and presents a “subscribe-to-own” music discovery expertise.
Melnick mentioned on the time: “As an alternative of algorithms, followers get human-curated picks from a few of the greatest DJs and journalists of their respective areas, unique interviews with artists, and neighborhood listening events.”
Based in 2008, Bandcamp launched as a direct-to-consumer different to file labels for artists. It has since expanded its companies to incorporate options similar to ticketed live-streaming and vinyl urgent.
Artists like Peter Gabriel and Bjork have positioned their catalogs on the platform.
In 2022, Fortnite developer Epic Video games acquired Bandcamp and offered it to music licensing platform Songtradr in 2023.
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