Half of Bandcamp’s staff have misplaced their jobs following the corporate’s acquisition by Songtradr, in line with SFGate and Selection. Songtradr spokesperson Lindsay Nahmiache has admitted to SFGate that solely 58 of Bandcamp’s 118 staff acquired a suggestion throughout the transition. A remaining worker has confirmed Nahmiache’s assertion to the publication, reporting that half of the corporate has disappeared from its Slack chatroom and that the account owned by co-founder and former CEO Ethan Diamond has been deactivated. Some former staff who did not obtain provides have taken to social networks to disclose that they’d been saved in the dead of night and were in limbo over the previous couple of weeks.
Based mostly on Songtradr’s assertion to Selection, the transfer was financially motivated: “Over the previous few years the working prices of Bandcamp have considerably elevated,” they mentioned. “It required some changes to make sure a sustainable and wholesome firm that may serve its group of artists and followers. We’re dedicated to maintaining the present Bandcamp companies that followers and artists love, together with its artist-first income share, Bandcamp Fridays and Bandcamp Every day. We’re trying ahead to welcoming Bandcamp into our musically aligned group. We share a deep ardour for all issues music and can proceed to serve artists, labels and the followers who make all of it doable.”
What the spokesperson mentioned echoes an e-mail written by Songtradr CEO Paul Wiltshire to the remaining Bandcamp staff. He mentioned that Bandcamp has not been wholesome financially, and that whereas its income has been constant, its working prices have “considerably elevated making it unattainable to proceed operating the enterprise the way in which it has been.”
Songtradr bought Bandcamp from Epic Video games in September, merely a yr and a half after the sport developer’s shock acquisition of the music firm. Bandcamp staff had organized underneath Epic, and so they’re now combating for Songtradr to acknowledge their union. Members informed SFGate that they’ll now negotiate severance packages with Epic, whereas nonmembers will obtain six months of severance pay.
