Across dozens of music reviews and bulletins, I’ve sung the praises of Bandcamp, a music streaming and purchase platform made for independent artists and labels. From the “Name Your Price” feature that allows fans to pay what they want or can for music, to paying their artists more per stream and purchase than many other popular platforms, Bandcamp is a great thing.
Greater still have been the Artists’ Days, held on the first Friday of every month, during which the platform waives their cut of any sales, allowing for more funds to make it to the pockets of the artists. Due to the ongoing pandemic and the resulting inability for these bands to tour and make money that way, the movement has been what the music industry needs, and the next one is Friday, June 5th, going on from midnight to 11:59pm. Bandcamp has provided a list of artists who have special offerings for the day on their website.
Going further, the platform has announced a special fundraiser for June 19th (also known as Juneteenth or Emancipation Day), during which all proceeds collected that day will go to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. This will not be a one-time fundraiser, as Ethan Diamond has reported that “this coming Juneteenth and every Juneteenth hereafter, we will be donating 100% of our share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.” Diamond goes on to report that Bandcamp will allocate $30,000 per year to “partner with organizations that fight for racial justice and create opportunities for people of color.” Read the full statement here.
Even if you do not have the funds to spare right now, it is encouraged to spread the word about these fundraisers. If you have favorite artists who feature on Bandcamp, share their pages and that could bring in sales that way. In turn, you are helping independent artists and, in the case of the Juneteenth fundraiser, standing up for racial equality.
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