In a time when many editorial publications, like VICE and Pitchfork, are reducing editorial resources, Bandcamp continues to support Bandcamp Daily. Cement Magazine chatted with Aly Gillani, European Label Rep, to learn more about what else the platform is doing to support artists. Aly’s role involves expanding and managing the growing network of labels and artists using Bandcamp to connect with their fans. With this, he shared some insight into Bandcamp’s editorial and other initiatives. Below is a summary of what was discussed.
Nearly ten years in the making
Launched in 2016, Bandcamp Daily covers the breadth of music – with no prioritisation for specific genres or artists. This ethos for storytelling has put Bandcamp ahead of the gender balance trend. Examples of their commitment to diverse reporting includes Women in Spanish Indie Rock, Amazon D’Afrique, and the Boston Hip Hop Scene. That said, at its core, Bandcamp is an online record store and music community where passionate fans discover, connect with, and directly support the artists they love.
Lending support across the platform
Along with their expansive editorial, Bandcamp is able to amplify niche genres, like dungeon synth, and extratone. They’ve found success in exploring the far reaches of music. There’s truly an audience for everything. A contributing factor for this is due to Bandcamp’s vinyl audience – which tends to be experimental by nature. Of course, genres with audiences engaged in vinyl, like drum and bass, and jungle do well on Bandcamp.
To underscore what’s stated above, Bandcamp’s total ecommerce sales (vinyl, cassette tapes, CD’s, t-shirts, and more) make up 50% of their total revenue. You read that right, cassettes are still alive and well. This puts Bandcamp in a unique position to give insightful recommendations to all artists who wish to do more with physical music sales. When working with Bandcamp, an artist gets support through Bandcamp Friday, messaging, as well as fulfilment and shipping.
Why representation matters
With this, many artists are able to do more on their own. However, that doesn’t mean the role of a label is no longer necessary. When working with a platform, like Bandcamp, having such support allows for increased potential for audience growth and engagement. With the tools provided, a label’s responsibilities can shift – especially if an artist wishes to take on more themselves. There’s no longer a standard approach to releasing singles and albums.
