As previously announced, Bandcamp has been an amazing resource for bands and solo artists, labels, and fans during the pandemic. By waiving fees for bands one Friday, every month, for 2020 since the coronavirus (COIVISD-19) pandemic began. The relief dates have paid out over $75 million dollars to bands while taking no fees, encouraging fans to spend more on the platform, as bands seek relief. 800,000 fans have bought music on Bandcamp Fridays in 2020. Bandcamp has now announced additional Friday events for 2021. February 5th, was the first this year. Today is the next, with another Bandcamp Friday planned for May 7th. The additional relief days do not include artist subscription payments or vinyl pressing campaign pledges. For more information on Bandcamp’s revenue share, please see its Fair Trade Music Policy. However, this is an amazing gift to bands and a great day for fans to load up and support bands if you can.
On the first Friday of every month since March, we’ve waived our revenue share to help support the many artists who have seen their livelihoods disrupted by the pandemic. Over the course of these nine days, fans paid artists and labels $40 million dollars, helping cover rents, mortgages, groceries, medications, and much more. If you’re among the nearly 800,000 fans who participated, thank you.
Although vaccines are starting to roll out, it will likely be several months before live performance revenue starts to return. So we’re going to continue doing Bandcamp Fridays in 2021, on February 5th, March 5th, April 2nd, and May 7th. As always, isitbandcampfriday.com has the details.
If you’ve started to feel guilty about buying music on any day other than Bandcamp Friday, here’s something to keep in mind: on Bandcamp Fridays, an average of 93% of your money reaches the artist/label (after payment processor fees). When you make a purchase on any other day of the month (as 2.5 million of you have since March, buying an additional $145 million worth of music and merch) an average of 82% reaches the artist/label. Every day is a good day to directly support artists on Bandcamp!
https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/bandcamp-fridays-2021
All from midnight to midnight Pacific time. For time zone demystification, check out: http://isitbandcampfriday.com/
https://www.npr.org/2020/04/28/847300964/bandcamp-will-again-waive-fees-to-support-artists