We’re more grateful than ever to have real people hosting their own music, especially given the given the recent news about Bandcamp. In case you need another reason to self-host, here ya go, sluggers:
Bandcamp, Oakland-based music industry darling, gutted by 50% layoff
“Bandcamp was purchased by Epic Games — maker of Fortnite and Gears of War — in early 2022. In September 2023, Epic announced its plan to sell Bandcamp to Songtradr, a Santa Monica company that specializes in music licenses.”
Songtradr (Songtraitor?) has been around since 2014. In 2019, it became the largest music licensing platform in the world.
Naturally, laying off half of Bandcamp’s workforce has artists worried about the horrific changes to come with the platform. Peruse the interweb, and you’ll see many worried musicians afraid of what is to come.
In light of the news that we’d like to share this term with you all: Enshittification - A seemingly inevitable consequence arising from the combination of the ease of changing how a platform allocates value, combined with the nature of a “two sided market,” where a platform sits between buyers and sellers, holding each hostage to the other, taking off an ever-larger share of the value that passes between them.”
MORE BREAKING NEWS—
That groovy hit “This will need to be deleted later” has been deleted. I’m sorry Dave…we’re gonna need this single.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTIVE PRODUCERS:
Lavish, Tjunta, harvhat, Boolysteed, Wiirdo, HeyCitizen, Phifer & for anyone we missed - we'll get back next time, loves!
TRACK LIST:
Dane Ray Coleman – It's Not Fair That You Exist
Mayday Mayday – Higher (ft. Sir Brian With an I)