Saving Bandcamp

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

Yo j. I absolutely agree, and I'm thrilled by your enthusiasm about underground music.
I'd like, however, to state that the internet is an important room to make counterculture visible (and hence efficacious), to allow exchange, and formation. If we want to keep any cultural optimism, we mustn't forfeit to partake in it. We need rooms where underground media can be presented online, and while I agree that a) online isn't everything and b) bandcamp isn't irreplaceable, it has a important role in many aspects of non-commercial music (another important platform in that regard is soundcloud, and it is also in private hands). It would be really good if community driven alternatives to the private platforms for sharing, exploring and listening to underground music that are practically used would emerge.

[Memory]

[removed by author]

[DiffydaDude]

a community-driven alternative to Bandcamp is likely to have the same issues as Bandcamp does, similar to how Mastodon (and the rest of the Fediverse) has had the same issues as Twitter

Honestly i think its very hard to make a platform that has none of the problems that other sites have. that's just impossible and isnt what we should strive for. we should strive for the alternatives to be better and preferable to the main sites.

[purelyconstructive]

The above video by Weaver Beats gives a little more context to the situation. In addition to the petition, The Bandcamp United FAQ offers a few other suggestions of what people can do to help.

One of the most important qualities of Bandcamp is how it connects artists with their audience. Artist pages have a "Contact" link in small text on the bottom right. Encourage all artists on the platform to host their own music and interact directly with the people who care about it as much as possible.

If they cannot, help them to find a good temporary alternative. For example, there is Suricrasia's Blamscamp Editor that helps one to, quote: "create a bandcamp-style audio player for selling albums on itch.io".

If I'm not mistaken, the 10% cut that Gumroad takes from sales is pretty much equivalent to Bandcamp, and one can sell all of the same kinds of items (i.e.: digital downloads and physical merchandise).

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

Hi j.
I understand what you say, and I basically share your idea of making my art mainly for myself. Anything else would be rather frustrating, tbh ;).
However, if we want art, and especially underground art - to take effect - and this is indeed a wish I do have - it needs to create resonance. As things are, the counter cultural movement is - imho - much stronger stripped from presence in the mainstream media than it was some decades ago, and that is a problem - not only for the underground art, but also because the effects this has on societies. To break this, places where new ways of communication and interaction can exist have to be established. I agree that cloning bandcamp (or mastodon) only recreates the problems of these platforms (that are, in their core, products of a capitalist reality and thus can hardly overcome these or help to do so).

Self hosting is cool, but it will remain largely unnoticed; the community is a comparably small echo chamber. Imho we rather need to create platforms with impact where progressive agendas are part of the design.  I can't claim that I know how to do this - but I'm sure that we ought to try.

[DiffydaDude]

However, if we want art, and especially underground art - to take effect - and this is indeed a wish I do have - it needs to create resonance. As things are, the counter cultural movement is - imho - much stronger stripped from presence in the mainstream media than it was some decades ago, and that is a problem - not only for the underground art, but also because the effects this has on societies. To break this, places where new ways of communication and interaction can exist have to be established. I agree that cloning bandcamp (or mastodon) only recreates the problems of these platforms (that are, in their core, products of a capitalist reality and thus can hardly overcome these or help to do so).

I think that the resonating thing is why a lot of these alt things have trouble gaining footholds; it's because not everybody is an anti-capitalist or a socialist, a lot of people online are just people who just wanna do stuff online and play games and whatever. But really, privacy is for everyone, and ive seen that they have the same problems about privacy and other stuff that we are fighting against, whether its my mom talking about issues with shopping or credit cards, or youtubers talking about demonetization, or whatever else. We need to show how these alternatives can help people with their problems and how little risk there is to simply make their online lives better. And for the alternatives, i agree; we need new ways to do stuff, and not just doing the same things for the 10 thousandth time. It obviously doesnt work anymore, so why should we keep using it? These new things need to not only bring something new to the table, but be compassionate and earnest, like a warm hug, or a 80s tv host; they need to be solid and founded upon something that isnt whatever google is nowadays. If we wanna split up things, or decentralize, then there should be a bunch of different solutions, each different in their own way.

[Melooon]

A fun resource site put together by someone    https://www.bandcamp2.com/

[wetnoodle]

A fun resource site put together by someone    https://www.bandcamp2.com/

Oooh this is so helpful thank you!!