The Declining Tradition of Discovering New Digital Music

In a recent discussion with MusicTech, Avalon Emerson, co-founder of the Buy Music Club, conveyed her thoughts on the declining tradition of discovering new digital music. This organization provides a space to compile and explore lists of independent music available for purchase on Bandcamp. Emerson, also the co-founder of the record label Another Dove, noted that the digital music landscape can be a vast, daunting abyss for DJs. That music browsing tools can prove invaluable in navigating this expanse.

DJs represent one of the few demographics still purchasing music files

According to Emerson, large music stores tend to promote releases from well-established labels, often neglecting smaller, independent artists. She expressed concern about this imbalance in the industry, noting, “DJs represent one of the few demographics still purchasing music files. Unfortunately, this habit is on the decline.”

She added that the means to discover music through recommendations was sorely lacking, making it a real challenge to find fresh, interesting music. She expressed, “In this massive digital universe, some larger platforms seem to monopolize the space, leaving little room for smaller, innovative projects like Buy Music Club or even Bandcamp. I wish the dynamics could be different.”

Bandcamp provides a genre-based music search

Buy Music Club serves as an online platform, primarily catering to electronic and dance artists. It allows them to craft themed playlists containing direct links to the purchase pages on Bandcamp, a music store and community. Bandcamp provides a genre-based music search. It offers the opportunity to connect with other music enthusiasts, providing insights into their real-time purchases. It also provides visibility into real-time buying activity globally across all Bandcamp users.

Bandcamp employees made a move to unionize in March

On March 2, 2022, Bandcamp, the premier global independent music marketplace, was acquired by Epic Games. They’re recognized as the company behind Fortnite, one of the globe’s most beloved video games. But it also developed the highly popular game engine, Unreal Engine. Moreover, Epic Games holds ownership over other video game subsidiaries, including Harmonix and Psyonix. Bandcamp serves as a hub where artists have the ability to sell and offer limited streaming of their music. Despite Epic Games promising to propel Bandcamp‘s development, the progress has been less than impressive. A new playlist feature has been added to its mobile app, but otherwise, major enhancements have been few. As a response to stagnating wages and transparency, Bandcamp employees made a move to unionize in March.

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Photo credits: Wccftech.com