5 ms·

> This is not the right thing to do. Spotify is peanuts to artists. If you want to do the right thing, buy music at Bandcamp The right thing to do is to direct

> This is not the right thing to do. Spotify is peanuts to artists. If you want to do the right thing, buy music at Bandcamp The right thing to do is to directly subscribe to their Patreon. It not only gets you access to exclusives, behind the scenes and even events, it also crowdfunds the future projects of the artist.

survirtual 4y ago
I think subscriptions are part of the problem. I personally compensate artists with a one time payment on Bandcamp, download permanent files to my NAS, and replicate them in devices I use for music. I don’t want recurring payments.
Closi 4y ago
The right thing to do is to identify where the artist lives, then withdraw unmarked and untraceable cash which you post through their mailbox as a 'gift'. This means that you can guarantee all the money goes directly to the artist.
- unity1001 4y ago
  Patreon takes something like ~8%. Its chump change for the service given - they also handle sales tax, EUVAT and equivalents, chargebacks, fraud etc.
- cassianoleal 4y ago
  If you mean that as opposed to part of it being converted to taxes, I'd argue that's not quite "the right thing". Or does the artist not benefit from public goods and services, like roads, public lighting, police, firefighting, etc etc etc?
  - zirgs 4y ago
    It's the artist's responsibility to pay their own taxes. And yes - anonymous gifts like that are taxable income too.
    - prirun 4y ago
      I disagree. A gift is not taxable. If I send a check to you in the mail because I like your HN nickname, you don't pay taxes on that. You might need to pay taxes on a Patreon account if you have set it up for the purpose of supporting a business venture, but if you have set it up for donations to an ailing relative for example, IMO you do not owe taxes. https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employe... Take this with a grain of salt, I am not a tax attorney nor an accountant.
      - ptman 4y ago
        Depends on where you are based. It may not be a gift if you receive something in return. And in Finland, where I live, gifts over a certain value are taxable income
  - Closi 4y ago
    Ha, I was joking - I was just playing the game of 'claim the original suggestion isn't what a true supporter would do, and heighten the previous suggestion' by suggesting a semi-illegal 'stalk and dump unmarked cash' technique. i.e. If you were a true supporter, the right thing to do would be to form a legal trust and make the beneficiary of the trust the artist's children, and put your money into that, as this would help them legally avoid income taxes on the money you are giving them while using the money for their children's education. Or a TRUE SUPPORTER wouldn't use band camp, instead they would evaluate the quality of roads and infrastructure around the artists house and pay for a series of contractors to improve the surrounding roads and areas, which will not only improve the artists quality of living but will also improve the value of their house. etc. etc. In reality there is no 'right thing to do' - just choose whatever channel the artist has put up that supports them at the level that you want them to, and where you get value out.

survirtual 4y ago

I think subscriptions are part of the problem. I personally compensate artists with a one time payment on Bandcamp, download permanent files to my NAS, and replicate them in devices I use for music. I don’t want recurring payments.

Closi 4y ago

The right thing to do is to identify where the artist lives, then withdraw unmarked and untraceable cash which you post through their mailbox as a 'gift'. This means that you can guarantee all the money goes directly to the artist.

unity1001 4y ago
Patreon takes something like ~8%. Its chump change for the service given - they also handle sales tax, EUVAT and equivalents, chargebacks, fraud etc.
cassianoleal 4y ago
If you mean that as opposed to part of it being converted to taxes, I'd argue that's not quite "the right thing". Or does the artist not benefit from public goods and services, like roads, public lighting, police, firefighting, etc etc etc?
- zirgs 4y ago
  It's the artist's responsibility to pay their own taxes. And yes - anonymous gifts like that are taxable income too.
  - prirun 4y ago
    I disagree. A gift is not taxable. If I send a check to you in the mail because I like your HN nickname, you don't pay taxes on that. You might need to pay taxes on a Patreon account if you have set it up for the purpose of supporting a business venture, but if you have set it up for donations to an ailing relative for example, IMO you do not owe taxes. https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employe... Take this with a grain of salt, I am not a tax attorney nor an accountant.
    - ptman 4y ago
      Depends on where you are based. It may not be a gift if you receive something in return. And in Finland, where I live, gifts over a certain value are taxable income
- Closi 4y ago
  Ha, I was joking - I was just playing the game of 'claim the original suggestion isn't what a true supporter would do, and heighten the previous suggestion' by suggesting a semi-illegal 'stalk and dump unmarked cash' technique. i.e. If you were a true supporter, the right thing to do would be to form a legal trust and make the beneficiary of the trust the artist's children, and put your money into that, as this would help them legally avoid income taxes on the money you are giving them while using the money for their children's education. Or a TRUE SUPPORTER wouldn't use band camp, instead they would evaluate the quality of roads and infrastructure around the artists house and pay for a series of contractors to improve the surrounding roads and areas, which will not only improve the artists quality of living but will also improve the value of their house. etc. etc. In reality there is no 'right thing to do' - just choose whatever channel the artist has put up that supports them at the level that you want them to, and where you get value out.