Bandcamp’s platform for independent artists and labels is getting a bit more physical with a new vinyl pressing service.

Bandcamp provides a streaming platform and digital store for artists and labels to easily share their music with fans and the world. Their store lets uploaders choose to add merch and physical copies to their releases but now they want to open up the wonderful (and thriving) world of vinyl music to independent artists and labels.

Bandcamp announced the new service last week, citing that in the last 5 years vinyl sales have grown 600% on their platform alone. With 3,500 unique vinyl albums added to the site each month, Bandcamp decided that they can no longer ignore the new wave of vinyl popularity.

They felt that, as vinyl becomes the physical music of choice with streaming services replacing CDs, that it should be prioritised better for smaller musicians. They note that only 9% of albums with sales on Bandcamp in 2018 offered a vinyl version of their record – and even then they are often very limited pressings. Vinyl is still in many ways inaccessible for lots of small artists and labels.

Bandcamp’s new vinyl service will require no up-front investment so artists won’t be left out of pocket if their sales don’t perform as well as expected. To ensure quality of all pressings, Bandcamp’s vinyl partner has over 60 years experience in pressing vinyl that looks and sounds great.

The vinyl service will be launched for all artists and labels later this year with four pilot campaigns to show what they’ll be capable of with their vinyl service.

Bandcamp promise:

Eliminates risk. No out-of-pocket costs—your fans’ orders finance your pressing, you don’t.

Eliminates hassle. We press your records, print your packaging, and ship to your fans (and fulfill digital too).

Complete control. Your record’s design, and your campaign’s pricing and desired profit are all up to you.

High quality. Our manufacturing partner has over 60 years experience producing vinyl, ensuring your record will sound, and look, its best.

Ideal for offering vinyl at the same time as a digital pre-order, a first pressing of an existing digital-only release, or a repress of a sold out record.