Bandzoogle, a website hosting platform for musicians and independent labels, reportedly facilitated $16.45 million in revenue for its users in 2023.
The figure underscores the growing trend of musicians leveraging direct-to-fan (D2F) sales channels to build sustainable careers and connect directly with their audiences.
Bandzoogle’s platform provides artists with a comprehensive suite of tools, encompassing website building, online stores, fan engagement features, and marketing capabilities. Its members subscribe to various tiers, with fixed monthly fees ranging from $8.29 for the ‘Lite’ tier to $16.62 for the ‘Pro’ tier.
By streamlining the D2F process, Bandzoogle says it removes intermediaries and helps musicians retain a larger share of their earnings. This allows them to invest back into their music, build stronger relationships with fans, and ultimately, achieve greater creative freedom.
The 2023 sales numbers on Bandzoogle represent a 21% YoY increase, Music Ally reported Wednesday (March 20), citing an infographic from the company.
The infographic shows that of the total revenue, $8.8 million came from merch sales, $4.1 million from ticket sales, $1 million from tip jar donations, $800,000 from fan subscriptions, and $1.7 million from digital music sales.
In December, Bandzoogle said its members generated a cumulative total of $117.2 million in sales through the company’s platform. Launched in Canada in 2003, the company first surpassed the $100 million sales milestone in January 2023. This revenue went directly to artists connected with Bandzoogle.
“This is really an incredible feat and we are so proud of all of the artists who put in the time and energy to sell merch and music through their websites,” Bandzoogle CEO Stacey Bedford said in a blog post in December. Ottawa-based Bedford joined Bandzoogle as a support technician in 2007 and was named CEO in 2018.
Bandzoogle was acquired by independent music distributor DistroKid last September, a move that enabled artists “within the DistroKid ecosystem” use Bandzoogle’s digital, physical and on-demand merch and music sales services.
“Bandzoogle has built incredible tools that make it super easy for every artist to set up an impactful public website & e-commerce store,” Philip Kaplan, Founder and CEO of DistroKid, said at the time.
The success of Bandzoogle’s users reflects a broader industry shift towards D2F sales. According to a recent industry report by Luminate, D2C (direct-to-consumer) sales in the US music industry reached $12.7 million last year, with physical D2C sales up 27.8%. This growth is fueled by the increasing popularity of streaming services and the rise of fan communities fostered on social media platforms.
Luminate CEO Rob Jonas, in a presentation delivered at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, last week (March 15), revealed that 18% of US music listeners are superfans. Superfans spend 68% more money on music each month than the average US music listener, Jonas noted.
Superfans are dedicated fans who go above and beyond in their devotion to their favorite artists. Separate research by Goldman Sachs last year estimated that superfans represent a $4.2 billion untapped monetization opportunity for the music industry.
Music Business Worldwide
