Bandcamp Raises Default Digital Album Price to $9, Empowering Indie Artists to Earn More
- Tamara Jenna
- Jun 14
- 2 min read
First pricing update in a decade reflects rising production costs and fans’ willingness to pay fair value
According to Bandcamp’s official blog post published April 25, 2025, the platform has raised its suggested default price for digital albums from $7 to $9 and individual tracks from $1 to $1.50—the first adjustment since 2014. While artists can still set any price (including free/pay‑what‑you‑want), Bandcamp says the higher default better reflects “the real costs of creating music in 2025” and the community’s growing readiness to support creators directly.
Bandcamp cites internal data showing that fans routinely exceed suggested prices on Bandcamp Fridays—a monthly event where the company waives its revenue share (next dates: Aug 1, Sept 5, Oct 3, Dec 5). In 2024 alone, fans paid an average of 18 percent above the default album price during these events, indicating that $9 is well within perceived value.
For independent artists, the math is straightforward: at the new default, a 1,000‑album micro‑release could net nearly $8,500 after Bandcamp’s 10‑15 percent cut, versus roughly $6,600 under the old $7 benchmark. By contrast, 1 million Spotify streams—no small feat for a DIY act—average about $3,000–$4,000 in payouts.
Artist advocates applaud the move. Why More Artists Are Staying Independent columnist Dara Liu notes that Bandcamp’s price nudge “signals confidence in fan‑driven patronage models” and gives musicians “
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