I'm not so sure I like the free downloads being limited for artists. It's a business so I understand the financial aspect of it...but I think all these changes, with the way the music is handled, are going to turn a lot of people off from the site. I like bandcamp and think it's about as good as it gets until something better comes along. Some artists just want to give away stuff for free and by limiting that it really makes an artist pay for free downloads or be forced to find other means of distribution.

Originally Posted by Tony Pascarella

But see, you can still use Mediafire or whatever if you want to do that.

Yeah I understand that. On the other hand I thought that was kind of one of the coolest things about bandcamp. The ability to give away something (or charge) and be able to choose and allow people different types, etc. Without tons of limitations found on the alternative sites. That was really the main appeal to me.

It was a great way for any artists to get their music out, and bandcamp up until a couple months ago had a winning way of doing things. All these changes are business oriented and for money and I know that's how things go. Bandcamp isn't the end all of digital distrobution and I think another site will come around that doesn't have all these new limitations and bandcamp will become a thing of the past.

I just don't see this kind of thing lasting with the kind of changes that make fickle music fans very irritated.

I think it is funny because an artist, I think it was someone from You, Me, And Everyone We Know, made a commment a while back when bandcamp was starting to take profits. They were talking about people making a big deal about profits and he joked about bandcamp taking profits from artist free downloads. It was a big joke and he said something like "They are taking a percent of our free." Everyone quoted him with laughs and thought it was hillarious (myself included). Funny thing is bandcamp really does want a percent of people's "free."

Sites like bandcamp would be nothing without artists getting behind them and the second they get even the least bit successful the site comes out and wants all this money from the very people that make their site a relevant place to buy music. In my opinion bandcamp should be paying Sufjan Stevens for the amount of free promotion he gave them. They certainly name dropped him in their forums and made a big promo ad out of it. All he had to do was give them a bunch of his own profits. It just seems wrong.

It really is crazy. It's like an artist having to pay fans to download their album if they want to give it away on bandcamp.

Sorry for the long winded response just airing my thoughts.

Originally Posted by theappreeshpost

I was kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop with Bandcamp. They've nailed everything today's bands could ever really want and I was surprised it a took so long for a "pay what you want" site to come along. Charging bands to give away their songs to fans for free is a little much to expect. Yes, maybe it'll weed out the riftrafts, but not all bands are looking to profit. You need to cover the bandwidth costs? Just put some banner ads up, BC. You alledgedly have 10 times the audience myspace does (is that saying much?). It wouldn't hurt anyone. Except maybe bandcamp's too-cool indie aesthetic.

I agree with you. Way better way to make up the bandwidth cost.