4 ms·

Ok, but do those listeners earn you any significant money? Maybe compared to a traditional album sold on Bandcamp?

• KozmoNau7 9y ago
  Maybe not directly, but it does gain him new fans, which means more people show up at shows, which means he can get booked for bigger shows and sell more merch.
  • thirdsun 9y ago
    Yes, I see this argument everywhere, but I really don't like the idea of artists earning their money with cheap merchandise instead of the product itself: The music. The album should be the good to sell, not some unnecessary accessoires. And remember that not every project is a rock band. Think of an ambient, experimental artist creating calm music for home listening and an adult audience - those artists won't fill any venues or impress their listeners with colorful t-shirts. They rely on album sales.
    • KozmoNau7 9y ago
      The vast majority of money-earning musicians don't earn anything significant from album sales, they have to rely on live gigs and merchandise sales. This shouldn't come as a surprise. And a lot of musicians don't make anything, or are actually losing money. But they keep doing it for the love of the art. Would I like to see these talented individuals properly compensated? Hell yes! But between predatory record labels and the sheer vast number of people out there also producing music, it's not easy to break through.