With the coronavirus outbreak canceling tours across the globe, musicians are finding it more difficult than ever to pay their bills. To aid artists in their time of need, Bandcamp has chosen to donate its cut of music sales made on March 20 directly to the musicians.

Bandcamp has long operated as one of the most equitable methods for musicians to sell their art. With the artist receiving 85 percent of each sale, it’s no wonder why underground bands have used Bandcamp as a primary means of income. Comparatively, iTunes takes 30 percent of each sale, with labels and distributors taking their cut after the fact.

In another artist-friendly move, Bandcamp will operate at cost on March 20, giving fans an opportunity to more directly support their favorite musicians. Bandcamp CEO Ethan Diamond explains:

The Covid-19 pandemic is in full force, and artists have been hit especially hard as tours and shows are being canceled for the foreseeable future. With such a major revenue stream drying up almost entirely, finding ways to continue supporting artists in the coming months is now an urgent priority for anyone who cares about music and the artists who create it. The good news is that we’re already seeing many fans going above and beyond to support artists across Bandcamp.

To raise even more awareness around the pandemic’s impact on musicians everywhere, we’re waiving our revenue share on sales this Friday, March 20 (from midnight to midnight Pacific Time), and rallying the Bandcamp community to put much needed money directly into artists’ pockets.
For many artists, a single day of boosted sales can mean the difference between being able to pay rent or not. Still, we consider this just a starting point. Musicians will continue to feel the effects of lost touring income for many months to come, so we’re also sharing some ideas below on how fans can support the artists they love and how artists can give fans new, creative ways to provide support.

It may sound simple, but the best way to help artists is with your direct financial support, and we hope you’ll join us on Friday and through the coming months as we work to support artists in this challenging time.

To visit Bandcamp and browse their selection of music, click here. To support artists on March 20, make sure to purchase music between the hours of midnight to 11:59PM Pacific Time.

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