June 16, 2020
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Bandcamp will donate 100% of its commissions on Juneteenth to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund as part of its effort to support black musicians and fight racial justice.
A database compiled by members of the Bandcamp community has provided a platform for supporting more than 1,800 black music industry members.
The Google Drive spreadsheet is one of many being passed around social media as a way to generate support for black communities in the wake of nationwide protests against racism and police brutality. The Philadelphia group 8fields has created a similar database for finding volunteer opportunities.
The Bandcamp database includes links to the Bandcamp pages of black artists, producers and record labels from around the world. Their individual pages allow people to stream and purchase music.
The database was created by volunteers seeking to highlight the work of black musicians. New entries are submitted for review to ensure that the list remains focused. Any artist that wants their information edited or removed can email collectivedatavol@gmail.com.
The list was created prior to the third "Bandcamp Friday" a series of fundraisers being held the first Friday of every month between March and July.
The Bandcamp Friday fundraisers began as a way to support musicians affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Bandcamp waives its revenue share during the fundraisers. The first two events resulted in nearly $11.5 million for artists.
Bandcamp is now addressing systemic racism brought into focus after the killing of George Floyd.
On Friday, Bandcamp will donate 100% of its commissions to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund as way to observe Juneteeth, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of the last slaves in the United States. The slaves in Galveston, Texas received their freedom more than two years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Bandcamp selected the NAACP as the beneficiary because it is "a national organization that has a long history of effectively enacting racial justice and change through litigation, advocacy, and public education," the company wrote in its announcement.
Bandcamp also pledged to allocate $30,000 annually "to partner with organizations that fight for racial justice and create opportunities for people of color."
The artists included on the database have music that can be enjoyed on various platforms indicated by the spreadsheet. The full database can be viewed here. Requests to add an artist, producer or record label can be made here.
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