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Bandcamp will keep waiving its fees one day a month through the end of 2021

Artists and labels have earned $56 million from Bandcamp Fridays.

Igor Bonifacic / Engadget

Since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic really took hold in most of the world, Bandcamp has waived its commissions on the first Friday of each month. The Bandcamp Friday initiative is now set to continue through the end of the year. The next edition takes place on August 6th.

Almost 800,000 music fans have participated in Bandcamp Fridays, paying artists and labels $56 million in the process. On Bandcamp Fridays, artists and labels receive approximately 93 percent of sales revenue after payment processor fees. On every other day of the month, artists and labels still receive approximately 82 percent of revenue from purchases, Bandcamp says.

Although the world is slowly returning to a semblance of normality and musicians can once again play shows in some regions, the long-term financial impact of the pandemic is something artists and labels (particularly smaller ones) are still dealing with. Initiatives like Bandcamp Fridays could put some extra cash in their pockets to alleviate some of the strain, so it’s good to see Bandcamp continuing the effort for another few months.