Half of Bandcamp’s staff reportedly laid off following Songtradr acquisition

Half of the workforce at on-line music and merchandise retailer Bandcamp has reportedly been laid off following its present acquisition by music licensing market, Songtradr.

Layoffs at Bandcamp had been swiftly rumoured to occur remaining week after the data was launched on 28 September that Epic Games was selling the site to Songtradr for an undisclosed sum.

Songtradr states that the rationale for the sackings are elevated working costs, together with that it “required some modifications to maintain up a “sustainable and healthful agency”.

“Over the previous couple of years the working costs of Bandcamp have significantly elevated. It required some modifications to ensure a sustainable and healthful agency which will serve its group of artists and followers,” Songtradr tells Rolling Stone.

“After a whole evaluation, along with the importance of roles for straightforward enterprise operations and pre-existing options at Songtradr, 50 per cent of Bandcamp employees have accepted gives to hitch Songtradr. We’re devoted to holding the prevailing Bandcamp suppliers that followers and artists love, along with its artist-first revenue share, Bandcamp Fridays and Bandcamp Every day.”

How is the commerce reacting?

The layoffs have sparked a backlash on social media amongst outgoing Bandcamp employees, Bandcamp clients and musicians who rely upon the positioning to advertise their music.

One Instagram shopper, an artist known as Fermata Ark, took to the platform to jot down: “The underground is the lifeblood of mainstream music, and it should exist inside a bunch. It should be supported by the people who really see its price and by no means by annoying tech-bro CEOs who equate their success in a single house of their life as one factor which will lengthen to one thing they’ll afford to buy.

“Chances are you’ll’t buy group, I hope they know what they now preserve of their fingers.”

In March, some Bandcamp employees unionised in a push for fairer wages, going by the determine of Bandcamp United. As we converse, they posted the subsequent to X:

Substitute on proper now’s layoffs: pic.twitter.com/yyUkcifXdQ

— Bandcamp United (@bandcampunited) October 17, 2023

Musician, vlogger and music tech commerce commentator Benn Jordan has slammed Fortnite creators, Epic Video video games, who took over Bandcamp in March 2022:

Should you want to make a̶n̶ ̶o̶m̶e̶l̶e̶t̶t̶e̶ Fortnite for the Metaverse you gotta b̶r̶e̶a̶okay̶ ̶a̶ ̶f̶e̶w̶ ̶e̶g̶g̶s̶ aquire a worthwhile indy music platform, make it unprofitable, then immediately market it to a 3rd agency which will fireside everyone and say it’s worthwhile and resell it.

— Benn Jordan (@bennjordan) October 16, 2023

Jordan later wrote that followers must “start asking how we’re in a position to prepare a platform or gateway that allows our listeners to assist us instantly”.

All people’s favourite plaid-shirt widespread music reviewer, Anthony Thee Fontano, moreover weighs in on the state of affairs, disregarding a comment by Songtradr that “enterprise is as typical”:

fires half of bandcamp employees

“enterprise as typical”

eat shit https://t.co/g6VudIC278

— Anthony Thee Fantano (@theneedledrop) October 17, 2023

Many of the layoffs are acknowledged to be inside Bandcamp’s editorial group. One now ex-staff member, who labored there for eight years, wrote:

formally laid off, after two weeks of limbo the place i anticipated which may be the case nevertheless had no affirmation. virtually eight years at bandcamp and it’s over. if anyone is looking for a faithful, gifted, {{and professional}} editor and custom creator, i’m out there available on the market

— jj skolnik (@modernistwitch) October 16, 2023

Bandcamp’s acquisition by Songtradr is an ongoing story. Protect up to date via MusicTech.