Look how they massacred Bandcamp

Gunned down in its prime like a more useful Sonny Corleone

The internet has one unbreakable rule: all things good must turn to shit. And, my lord, it’s happening again; Bandcamp is readying to poopmorph.

Let’s backtrack.

Bandcamp is an online record store. Artists (typically independent) use it to sell music and merch. It’s a beloved institution that’s a haven for new sounds — much of this supported by the site’s excellent team of writers.

The company, generally, puts artists first. It has paid out over a billion dollars to musicians since it was founded and, on Bandcamp Fridays, waives its commission fees.

Effectively, it’s one of the few reliable revenue streams for independent artists in an increasingly hostile music environment.

Well, that’s what it was. Because Bandcamp was sold off and this week its new owner fired 50% of its staff.

So, what happened?

A lot of shittiness.

Back in 2022, Fortnite creator Epic Games purchased Bandcamp.

It’s hard to know exactly why it did so, but my guess is Epic probably wanted to use Bandcamp’s vast library of music in its games.

Whatever the reason, this purchase didn’t last long.

Epic sold off Bandcamp to pay the bills, probably because the Fortnite creator received a $520m fine for violating children’s privacy. Nice.

Don’t worry, the saga gets worse, because Bandcamp was bought by Songtradr, a music licensing platform.

And the problem is…?

Let’s be honest, so far there aren’t that many issues. Yes, getting rid of half the Bandcamp team is awful, but layoffs are common at tech companies, and it’s not like the site’s actual service has changed.

What’s worrying is what the mass layoff suggests.

In an environment with non-existent streaming revenues and record sales, Bandcamp — along with tours and Patreon — is one of the few ways independent musicians can make money.

Now, if Songtradr planned to nurture and invest in Bandcamp, that’d be a cause for joy.

While the site’s ethos is wonderful, its actual service suffers from underinvestment. There’s a huge opportunity for Bandcamp to become an indie-driven streaming platform, to expand its offering, to grow and evolve.

Instead, the on-site music player doesn’t have a volume slider.

Saying all this, it’s clear that Songtradr isn’t planning on investing in Bandcamp. I mean, why else would you fire all those people? Get rid of all but three of an editorial team that helped bring light to so much new music?

The answer to that rhetorical question is money.

Songtradr’s business model is about providing shit companies with boring music for their dull-ass team-building videos.

All confirming that takes is a quick look at their blog:

And another:

Songtradr is not a company that screams, “MUSIC MEANS EVERYTHING TO US.”

Instead, it’s yelling, “WE USE MUSIC TO MAKE MONEY.”

I’m certain that Songtradr will make a big noise about offering artists on Bandcamp another revenue stream by licensing out their music, but I guarantee that behind the scenes the company will up the commission fee and oversee a poorer service.

It’s that same old story: gutting a once-beloved company and trying to squeeze every penny out of its users.

Wow, now I’m depressed

Yeah, right? It’s seems Bandcamp is another victim of enshittification.

But you know what? Rather than just bitch and moan, I want to map a path forward: I think we should (inter-)nationalise certain websites.

Important places online should be moved into the control of trusts, or similar types of non-profit bodies.

Bandcamp? Soon it’s gonna be BADcamp. I’ll see myself out.

Think of it this way: how would the public feel if a gorgeous, ancient park was bulldozed and turned into a car garage?

Not only would it be a horrendous aesthetic, cultural, and societal loss, but there are laws preventing these things from happening.

Online spaces need the same protection.

For example, it should’ve never been possible for Twitter to be purchased by an egomaniac. What was once an important, life-saving service has been reduced to rubble by the hubris of the hyper wealthy.

Some things shouldn’t have to make money or show constant growth. Their mere existence adds something far more important to humanity than mere economic clout.

We need a new model, even if I have no idea how we get there — because services like Bandcamp can’t keep on dying.

Until we achieve that, please, for god’s sake, put some money towards the parts of the web that are important to you.

Donate to Wikipedia. If that website goes down, I’m not sure what else we have left.