The music platform will be waiving its share of sales again on June 5, prompting many musicians to pass along the proceeds.
Bandcamp has used its growing prominence as a music streaming and sales platform for several fundraisers over the past few years, including blowout sales days in which the company donated its share of proceeds to the Transgender Law Center and to the ACLU. More recently, Bandcamp has begun waiving its cut of digital music and physical merch sales on periodic Fridays to help out artists who’ve taken a hit during the pandemic. Selling music on Bandcamp is already a better deal for artists than major streaming services, and on May 1, the revenue-share promotion drove a record $7.1 million in sales in 24 hours.
Bandcamp will also not take its usual cut on June 5 and July 3. On June 19, the company will also donate 100 percent of its profits to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, in honor of the Juneteenth holiday.
While the no-revenue-share days are designed to help out artists, the exploding nationwide movement against racist police brutality has prompted many of those artists to announce that they’ll be passing on their Bandcamp take this Friday to organizations involved in the struggle for equality and justice.
Here are the Madison-based artists involved that we’ve been able to gather info on so far, many of them donating to the very organizations leading the protests in Madison. Others are raising money for other worthy causes not necessarily directly linked to the protests. If you see something missing, email us and we’ll be updating the post until late Friday afternoon. We’ve also included links to the organizations benefiting, in case you’d like to donate directly.
Oh, and these aren’t Bandcamp things, but on June 11, Madison bands will be selling rare merch at Mother Fool’s to raise money for the Free the 350 Bail Fund, and through June 8, Disq is donating all proceeds from its web store to Minneapolis police-abolition group Reclaim the Block, a good excuse to snap up the band’s recent breakout release Collector. Cool! On with the list:
Klack and Null Device: All proceeds to Urban Triage and possibly other organizations depending on sales
The Hussy: All proceeds to Free the 350 Bail Fund
Youngblood Brass Band: Proceeds from digital and physical music sales to Freedom Inc.
Seasaw: All proceeds to The Bail Project
Noxroy: All proceeds from sales of the 2012 album Cotelydon Observatory to Freedom Inc., Urban Triage, and NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Casket Gown: All proceeds to Freedom Inc.
Tropopause: All proceeds to Southern Poverty Law Center and Black Visions Collective
Variable Shadows (Madison musician Tarek Sabbar’s label): Proceeds minus postage from physical sales (cassettes, including pre-order) to Freedom Inc., all proceeds from Tarek Sabbar digital sales to Freedom Inc.
Telechrome: All proceeds to Freedom Inc.
Asumaya + Bell & Circuit: A benefit compilation to be released Friday via Dagoretti Records will include an Asumaya song remixed by Bell & Circuit, all proceeds to Detroit Justice Center
Caustic and daddybear: All proceeds to GSAFE and Urban Triage
Nnirror: All proceeds to Freedom Inc.
Amarrass Records: Proceeds to directly benefit folk musicians based in rural India
The German Art Students: All proceeds to the new Rest Area Relief EP to be donated to local service workers via the Madison Virtual Tip Jar
Ghostar: All proceeds to Freedom Inc.
The Mascot Theory: All profits to Boys and Girls Club of Dane County
Burnidette: All proceeds to Free the 350 Bail Fund
Madison Relief Compilation Vol. 1: All proceeds to Dane County Community Defense
Tubal Cain: All profits to Free the 350 Bail Fund
High Plains: All proceeds to Urban Triage
Norris Court: All proceeds to Urban Triage
Damsel Trash: All proceeds from the new track “What’s Inside Your Butthole” to Freedom Inc.
Ilana Bryne: New track on No Justice No Peace, a compilation from Naive, all proceeds to an ActBlue fundraiser for multiple bail funds and social-justice organizations
Swamp Thing: All proceeds to Madison365
Addison Christmas: All proceeds to Free the 350 Bail Fund
The Central: All proceeds from new album Dentist to Black Lives Matter, Reclaim the Block, and Black Visions Collective
Margerat Dryer: All proceeds to Freedom Inc.
Woke Up Crying: Pay-what-you-can/free through June, band asks fans to donate directly to Free the 350 Bail Fund
Black Cat: All proceeds to Free the 350 Bail Fund
Ossuary: Through June 12, all profits from a new shirt and CD bundle for the Supreme Degradation EP to Freedom Inc. and Black Leaders Organizing for Communities
