Physical all the way for me. Tried spotify before and at the time it was missing a number of bands I was looking for + if your not lucky enough to live somewhere were phone data is cheap you need your own stuff and you can't always rely on having an internet connection either. I prefer a physical product as well I can't bring myself to pay the same price for a download as the actual physical release itself costs.

Any concerns about bandcamp after laying off half their staff today?

Sorry to be so self-centred, but do I need to be downloading all my digital collection there??

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/16/23919551/bandcamp-layoffs-epic-songtradr

The concern started when they were taken over a few weeks ago. I download anything I buy from them when I buy it as a matter of routine but, if I hadn't already, I'd be doing it now. It's heartbreaking to see the probable demise of what was the best digital music service we'll ever see.

I don't think it's self-centred at all. I downloaded my small collection earlier.

Frustratingly - you cannot batch download your files.

I don't know a lot about Bandcamp's business model and their attitude toward artists so forgive me it the answer to this is obvious;

Cork hardcore legends, Ten Point Rule, remastered their EP with a view to giving over a €1000 (that's their target) to a local charity at Christmas. Is there a chance that Bandcamp will default on payment to the artists? Or do the bands get their funds on a sale-by-sale basis? 

Bands pretty much get their share of a sale (or sales) within a few days.

Yeah, they usually issue payment for sales the day after (almost 70% of the sale price) and the rest depends on how the band has chosen to receive payment. They've been, by a long way, the fairest service for musicians and fans alike.

This came up a few weeks back online when the idea amongst their staff was anyone in the bandcamp union wouldn't be offered a contract with the new buyers.  Yesterday that seems to be what actually happened - anyone in the union wasn't renewed before the ownership transferred over so Epic (previous buyers) will pay out their redundancy and the remaining staff are all on new contracts.  Bizarre, cost cutting shit everywhere.  I fully expect them to gut the service to death and eventually raise fees to run a larger profit from it.  Worth noting too that nowhere does it say they were running at a loss - operating costs increased sure but it was always know to turn a profit.

It won't disappear quickly but I do imagine the format of the site will change drastically and costs passed on to all users some way.  Download yout music if you haven't already, continue to buy while it is good for the bands, keep an eye for alternatives I suppose.  There will be a few, no doubt.

Quote from: Bürggermeister on October 17, 2023, 09:11:45 AMThey've been, by a long way, the fairest service for musicians and fans alike.

Bandcamp is 92% of the revenue for my music with the remaining 8% coming from apple/amazon/streaming etc. Would be pretty devastating if they went under.

Bandcamp is/ was the business. It'll be a shame if it dies on its arse.

It would be an awful awful pity to see it go. I had considered it the fairest model for this day and age and don't think it needed to be changed at all

It may or may not change the model. All tech companies are cutting staff due to hiring so many during covid. Hopefully it stays the same as it's the business. More likely it'll get fucked though.

Should hang on, though fees will inevitably rise. Shopify laid off a pile of people with no notice last year and they're still going strong.

Hope it keeps going. One of few phone apps I could say I actually enjoy.

Neil Young's music is returning to Spotify. Good news for fans like myself who rarely get a chance to listen to their physical collection.
Looking forward to streaming On the Beach in low resolution on my phone on a train to work just as Neil intended.

https://variety.com/2024/music/news/neil-young-returning-spotify-music-joe-rogan-1235940353/

Saw that earlier but no sign of old Neil back on it yet. Is it he there for anyone else?

Deja Vu was still up throughput but missing his tunes which rendered it a waste of time.