2019 marked the debut of a pilot program in which Bandcamp offered vinyl record pressing services to 50 content creators. The music and merchandise download store has now expanded the program to accommodate 10,000 artists and labels, and they plan to give access to even more users by the end of the year.
In both the U.K. and the U.S., vinyl record sales reached record highs in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Bandcamp’s program will allow artists otherwise unable to afford pressing their own vinyl the chance to do so through crowdfunding. Limited as it was, last year’s pilot program saw the company sell 13,000 records to buyers in 65 countries, according to Rolling Stone.
After dozens of successful pilot campaigns and thousands of records shipped, we’re now opening our vinyl pressing service to the wider Bandcamp community. Details here:https://t.co/ZoAShpbJ5S
— bandcamp (@Bandcamp) January 14, 2021
Since its 2008 launch, Bandcamp has grown popular among artists and labels for allowing users to set their own music and merchandise prices. 2 million vinyl records were sold on the website in 2020 – nearly double that of 2019. Only 12% of releases on the website have a vinyl option, however, which the company hopes to remedy with its vinyl pressing service.
Meanwhile, Bandcamp also recently shared plans to extend its no-fee holidays through May 2021.
