Bandcamp

Independent musicians are well versed in the difficulties surrounding music distribution in general. Not only are there expenses involved, but it can be challenging to gain exposure.

There are so many platforms to consider, let alone the different pricing and packages. Among the many digital distribution platforms out there, Bandcamp is rated one of the most popular, and for good reason too. Within the last month alone, Bandcamp has facilitated payments worth more than $15 million, proving its success and reliability. In this article, we will explore the ins and outs of Bandcamp, so that you can figure out if the platform is for you.

Bandcamp

Bandcamp is a digital platform that supports music distribution by providing artists with the opportunity to open an online store. Not only can artists sell their music on Bandcamp, but musicians can promote and merchandise their brand as well. Artists or bands can sell both digital downloads and physical copies of their music on Bandcamp. The organization was established in 2007 and has expanded significantly since its conception. Today, the platform is loved by fans and artists alike with over 3000 labels globally.

Bandcamp: Packages, Services and Pricing

Bandcamp provides free music distribution as part of a basic plan. The platform takes 15% commission from the sales made on the site, however, this drops to 10% when a musician’s sales are above $5000. The platform additionally offers:

• Bandcamp Pro ($10 per month)
• Bandcamp for Labels ($20 per month for 15 artists and $50 per month for unlimited artists)

The key difference between Bandcamp’s basic plan and Bandcamp Pro, is that Bandcamp Pro offers the following features:

• Batch uploads (upload an entire album at once)
• Targeted messaging (use the platform to communicate with fans)
• Detailed stats (on locations of buyers and how they found your music)
• Links to Google Analytics
• Controlled Streaming (Options that control whether songs from albums can be streamed or if they must be purchased with the album only)

One advantage to Bandcamp, on the whole, is the platform’s allowance for individual pricing. In other words, the musician is free to price their tracks themselves, as opposed to having prices dictated to them. Bandcamp also allows musicians to give away tracks or albums for free. This works via an old-school donation system that has been scientifically proven effective in promoting new releases.

Bandcamp is a great choice of music distribution for independent artists to advertise and sell their music. Musicians remain completely in control over all decisions concerning music sales. However, the platform takes between 10 and 15 percent of revenue from all sales made through the platform. If you’re willing to put in the effort, Bandcamp could be the platform for you.

Bandcamp Reviews and Ratings

Bandcamp receives a 3.5 star rating from Trustpilot, with 50 percent of users rating the app as excellent. User reviews are primarily positive, with two comments standing out from the crowd:

“This website seems to be more oriented towards and filled with indie artists. Electronic/rap seems to garnish more attention on Soundcloud. Cool that you can set your own pricing, which a site like SoundCloud doesn't allow for. So it does have its pros.” – Brandon M.

“A dream compared to Soundcloud. Simple and hassle-free to set up and start making money from your music.” – Neil M.