“Staying in the streaming world and trying to play that game is probably more of a threat”: Bandcamp executive says its business model is “timeless” and “well positioned for the age of AI”Bandcamp’s direct-to-artist approach isn’t just “timeless”, it’s also well-equipped to navigate the challenges of an AI-driven music industry, says General Manager Dan Melnick.
Speaking to MusicRadar in a new interview, the executive posits that Bandcamp’s system is the norm, while streaming – where artists often receive only fractions of a cent per play – is the outlier.
“The biggest differentiation is our business model,” Melnick explains. “Bandcamp is about buying music directly from artists and labels. The majority of the money goes to artists and labels directly. They get paid. It’s a very simple value-based transaction, I think that’s sort of core to the ethos as well.”

READ MORE: Bandcamp union accuses Songtradr and Epic Games of unfair labour practices

“[When you think about it] it’s a timeless model,” he adds, “and the way streaming works is more of an anomaly than how we work at Bandcamp. What it does is it aligns all of our incentives very clearly. So, we do well, when artists do well. And, if labels sell more, we make a little bit more money, but if they don’t, we make nothing.”
As AI-generated music becomes more prevalent, Melnick sees Bandcamp’s model as a safeguard for human artists. “Bandcamp is not built to break you as an artist,” he says. “I think our business model is very well positioned for the age of AI. If the streaming world gets flooded with AI music, then it reduces the pie for living musicians.”
“I think because we’re already so focused on these direct fan relationships and sort of human-to-human connection and commerce, that we’re actually very well positioned in that sense.”
The executive also hopes that AI’s growing presence will encourage more musicians to rethink their reliance on streaming platforms.
He says: “I’m hopeful that it’ll actually cause more artists to realise, that’s how they should be running their careers. Staying in the streaming world and trying to play that game is probably more of a threat to your career than getting out and building those relationships. Letting fans interact on platforms where we can verify each other’s humanity.”
When asked where he sees the music industry in a decade, Melnick remains cautiously optimistic.
“I think, it’s obviously going to be extremely interesting to watch how disruptive AI is,” he says, adding that it’ll be important to differentiate between “AI as a tool versus AI as a finished product”.
“But I think musicians are going to adopt AI just like they’ve adopted all technology, you know, I think musicians are actually very adaptable to technology as a tool, and always figure out incredibly creative ways to use it.”
Meknick continues, “I think music and musicians are incredibly resilient, and I have a lot of faith that we’re still going to be listening to music made by human beings in 10 years and we’ll still be going to concerts for human beings in 10 years. That doesn’t keep me up at night.”
“I think the question is – how can musicians still make a living? I think that’s why Bandcamp is so important.”
The post “Staying in the streaming world and trying to play that game is probably more of a threat”: Bandcamp executive says its business model is “timeless” and “well positioned for the age of AI” appeared first on MusicTech.

“It was built from my own challenges as a producer”: Amy Winehouse and Adele Producer Dom Morley launches Multiband.io studio collab toolGrammy-winning producer Dom Morley, known for his work with Amy Winehouse, Adele, and more, has launched Multiband.io, a studio collaboration and organisation tool designed to keep every stage of a music project aligned.
The tool, which draws from Morley’s over 25 years of industry experience, bridges the gap between creative vision and technical execution, allowing users to track the progress of their productions from start to finish.

READ MORE: Producer Djrum on why having “too much of a goal” in the studio can be “restrictive”: “I’m always starting up sessions and not finishing them, but I don’t see that as unproductive”

Unlike venture capital-backed software platforms, Multiband.io is a passion project built by a producer who understands the real-world demands of audio professionals. It aims to eliminate the chaos of email chains, misplaced files, and miscommunications — problems that have long plagued producers, engineers, and artists who often find themselves working on multiple projects at once.
The tool basically offers a centralised workspace where everyone in the team can efficiently manage multiple projects, track mixes, and share updates in real-time. Users can upload the latest audio versions, ensuring that everyone always references the correct mix, while project sharing and commenting features improve collaborative workflow.
Free project templates for you to organise productions and arrangements efficiently are also included, along with switchable light and dark themes for a personalised workspace.
“I’ve been using Multiband.io for months, and honestly, I wouldn’t want to do a project without it now,” says Morley. “It was built from my own challenges as a producer, to make sure everyone is working in sync and achieving their best.”
There are three versions of the tool offering a varying number of features: Basic, which is free, Standard, which costs £4.50/month or £45/year, and Professional (coming soon), which will set you back £9/month or £90/year.

Learn more at Multiband.
The post “It was built from my own challenges as a producer”: Amy Winehouse and Adele Producer Dom Morley launches Multiband.io studio collab tool appeared first on MusicTech.

Pro-Ject’s new fully automatic A1.2 turntable is a masterclass in effortless vinyl playbackAustrian hi-fi maker Pro-Ject has unveiled the A1.2, the latest belt-drive, fully automatic turntable in its AUTOMAT lineup
Building on the success of the original A1, this new model refines its performance with a series of thoughtful upgrades aimed at enhancing sound and built quality, and ease of use.

READ MORE: These glam shots of Gadhouse’s new COSMO Solar turntable are so sexy they might just make you buy one

To start, the A1.2 features an all-new die-cast aluminium platter, replacing the A1’s stamped version. This upgrade, combined with CNC machining for greater precision, is said to bring a more stable, low-resonance playback experience.
Another notable improvement is the deck’s 8.3-inch “ultra-light-mass” aluminium tonearm, which now features a redesigned headshell made from carbon fibre-reinforced polymer. This construction increases stability while keeping weight to a minimum.
“The thoughtful engineering extends to the A1.2’s fully mechanical operation, eliminating motors or electrical components on the tonearm,” says Pro-Ject. “By eschewing these potential sources of interference, unwanted resonance is avoided, and once a record is playing, the mechanics disengage entirely, preserving playback quality.”
Similar to its predecessor, the A1.2 is handmade in Germany by a traditional manufacturer renowned for its expertise in automatic turntables, while final assembly is done in the Czech Republic by technicians with decade long experience.
Image: Pro-Ject
Setting up the A1.2 is straightforward, given that the tracking force and anti-skating are factory-adjusted, and the included Pro-Ject Pick it MM E cartridge is aligned and mounted for peak performance right out of the box.
Users can toggle the built-in phono preamp by lifting the mat and adjusting the switch, allowing seamless integration with any hi-fi setup. Operating the turntable is as simple as selecting 33 or 45 RPM, removing the stylus cover, and pressing start/stop — the platter will begin spinning, and the tonearm will move to the correct position before gently lowering itself onto the record. Once playback finishes, it returns automatically to its resting position.
Set to launch in the UK this April, the A1.2 is available in black or white finish, and is priced at £469.
If understated decks like the A1.2 aren’t your style, Pro-Ject had something louder in store earlier this year with the release of an AC/DC-themed turntable, complete with a bold lightning bolt design that screams High Voltage.
Learn more at Project Audio.
The post Pro-Ject’s new fully automatic A1.2 turntable is a masterclass in effortless vinyl playback appeared first on MusicTech.

“We will always remain unapologetically pro-Palestine”: Boiler Room issue statement addressing new ownership after artists pull out of eventsBoiler Room has issued a statement addressing concerns over its new owners, Superstruct Entertainment.
The online music broadcaster and club promoter was recently acquired by Superstruct Entertainment, the second largest festival group in the world, from ticket site DICE.
According to Resident Advisor, Superstruct’s parent company is KKR, a private equity firm with alleged ties to weapons manufacturers and businesses involved in the development of Israeli settlements on the West Bank, including Axel Springer, Guesty, Circor International, and Advanced Navigation.

READ MORE: 100-strong crowd breaks into Ministry of Sound with bolt cutters, hosts illegal rave and is chased out by security

Following the acquisition, various artists, including Ikonika, Beatrice M., Mia Koden, BasicDisarm, jtamul, and 8ULENTINA, have cancelled their Boiler Room performances in protest.
Of their decision to pull out of Boiler Room’s London festival performance this summer, electronic musician Ikonika wrote, “In light of this, I will no longer be performing at the event and urge my peers on the lineup to reconsider appearing. I will always stand in solidarity with the Palestinians and Indigenous people across the globe.”
And now, responding to the backlash on social media, Boiler Room says that while KKR holds “investments that categorically do not align with our values”, the platform had no control over the acquisition.
“No Boiler Room staff at any level held any ownership or voting rights in the company and had no control over the sale. We are also unable to divest because we have no say in our ownership.”
The platform also maintains that despite the new ownership, “we will always remain unapologetically pro-Palestine”.
The statement continues: “Boiler Room has been through various changes in control, investors, boards, and ownership, and through this our commitment to editorial independence and Palestine has never wavered. No investor, past or present, has ever influenced our output, this will never change. “

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The post “We will always remain unapologetically pro-Palestine”: Boiler Room issue statement addressing new ownership after artists pull out of events appeared first on MusicTech.

Kilohearts Drops FREE Clipper Plugin for Windows and macOS
On Tuesday, Kilohearts dropped its free Clipper plugin, a no-frills design capable of producing some very interesting sounds, particularly for drums.  Clipper is a macOS and Windows release for VST, AAX, AU, and the Kilohearts snapin format.  At first glance, Clipper looks like your standard free plugin, with just four parameters on a bare-bones interface.  [...]
View post: Kilohearts Drops FREE Clipper Plugin for Windows and macOS

Hit’n’Mix RipX Backstage now available Hit’n’Mix have announced that the augmented/virtual reality version of their innovative DAW software that was previewed recently has now officially launched.

Music subscriber market shares 2024: Slowdown? What slowdown?Record label streaming revenue growth slowed to 6% in 2024 but there was no such slowdown in subscriber growth. In our just published ‘Music subscriber market shares Q4 2024’ report, we reveal that the 85 million net* new subscribers added in 2024 was only two million less than in 2023, resulting in 818 million subscribers and growth of 12% i.e., around double label revenue growth. 

So, just what is going on? How could subscriber and revenue growth become so de-coupled? Normally, the answer for music industry questions like this is ‘it’s complicated’ –but this time it is not. It can be boiled down to two key things: Global South and incentivised growth.

On to those in a bit, but first market shares:

Spotify continues to set the pace: Spotify’s market share (32%) is around where it was in 2015 and has remained relatively stable in all the intervening quarters. That might sound like stasis, but it is anything but. Between 2015 and 2024, the global base of music subscribers grew by more than 850%. So, to maintain market share, Spotify has had to grow at a similar rate. During 2024, Spotify added 28 million subscribers in 2024, that is more than the combined total number of subscribers added by the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest DSPs (Tencent, Apple, and Amazon). The simple arithmetic is that when you command a strong market lead, you have to add a lot more subscribers than the rest to maintain your market share. It is easy to take Spotify’s success for granted. Don’t! This is what a highly effective company that retains an obsessive appetite for growth looks like

Tencent Music Entertainment: Even though it operates in China, Tencent  is the 2nd largest DSP globally, with 120 million subscribers. What is more, it grew so strongly that it slightly increased global market share in 2024. Though its key competitor NetEase Cloud Music grew even faster and so gained China market share at Tencent’s expense

Apple Music and Amazon Music: Apple and Amazon held onto 3rd and 4th spots respectively, but both had underwhelming 2024s, adding just six million subscribers between them

YouTube making up ground, fast: In percentage terms, YouTube was the fastest growing global DSP in 2024, growing market share and only missing out on knocking Apple off 4th spot by a margin in the low hundreds of thousands. Spotify and YouTube are the ones setting the global pace and though YouTube is far behind Spotify globally, it is the top DSP in a number of key Global South markets, including India

Now, on to why subscriber growth is so much faster than revenue growth:

1 – The Global South

The Global South (by which we mean regions that are not North America and Europe) is now the music industry’s growth engine. Last year we entitled our music forecasts report ‘Rise of the Global South’ and our view was borne out in 2024, with these regions accounting for 78% of all subscribers added in 2024. Let that settle in for a moment: four fifths of all subscriber growth came from outside of Europe and North America. Of course, those two regions still account for the majority of revenues, but as subscriber growth slows in those markets, it is lifting off elsewhere. This is nothing less than a rebalancing of the global music industry.

Which creates a major uncoupling of growth metrics for Western rights holders. Global South markets have lower ARPU and Western repertoire share is low there. So, Western rights holders see a double discount on subscriber value compared to Western markets.

2 – Incentivised growth

In the first phase of streaming growth, ad supported users acted as the key means of converting subscribers. In mature Western markets, most people on free tiers are there because they like free stuff rather than being prospective subscribers. This is why free trials have become the key tool for driving conversion. In saturated Western markets, it seems that these trials are being used liberally to try to squeeze out the last pockets of subscriber growth. In turn, denting ARPU. 

Consider the case of the US: According to the RIAA’s figures, subscription revenue grew by 5.3% and ARPU growth was 1.9%. Meanwhile US inflation was 2.9% but the streaming price ‘inflation’ rate was 9.1%. So, a $1 price increase resulted in ARPU decreasing by one percentage point in real terms (ie inflation adjusted).

Foundations for more growth

2024 was a great year for global subscriber growth and was a particularly good year for Spotify, YouTube, Tencent, and NetEase. The divergence between revenues and users is clearly cause for concern, but it is better for the long term to be growing subscribers as once you have them monetised you can start focusing on growing monetisation. Hello supremium.

*All growth figures refer to net additions i.e., the difference between the total number of subscribers one year to another. They do not account for churn. The total (gross) number of subscribers added is significantly higher. The net figure thus refers to the total after churned out subscribers have been removed from the totals.

Native Instruments Claire: Avant Piano PluginNative Instruments describes their new piano virtual instrument Claire: Avant as an “avant-garde instrument, developed in collaboration with Galaxy Instruments, [which] transforms the sounds of a 10-foot Fazioli concert grand piano into a canvas for experimental soundscapes, featuring unconventional techniques that bring out the raw textures and hidden harmonics of the instrument. A piano like no other, Claire: Avant is a bold reimagination of the piano, capturing the character of a 10-foot Fazioli F308 concert grand, one of the world’s most revered and sonically rich pianos. Known for its exceptional craftsmanship, extended resonance, and powerful low end, the Fazioli F308 delivers a depth and clarity that few instruments can match. Recorded with the lid off, Claire: Avant unveils the intricate resonances, overtones, and percussive textures often lost in traditional sampling. From metallic hits to delicate droplets, deep basses to high-grit tones, it invites artists to explore new sonic territories with scraped, struck, plucked, and dampened articulations.”The next evolution of their sampling capture of the Fazioli Grand Piano Claire, Claire: Avant is not designed to be a standard capture of a Grand Piano. Optimum for film scores or any music where a different piano sound is desired, many of the timbres available would fall into the category of prepared piano. Claire: Avant is designed to be expressive and unconventional. Claire: Avant introduces nine distinct articulations and preparations, including: brushed textures, Flageolet harmonics, damped una corda, soft, rubber and metal mallets, muted strings, wooden and ivory plucks. All these unique articulations are very malleable, which multiple mic variables and tonal combinations of textures that make Claire: Avant an enormously powerful and deeply variable sonic palette. Claire: Avant features the NI’s Particles engine, enabling each note to evolve with dynamic harmonic textures that change over time. The Particles Engine aims to inject dynamic and organic elements into your music by triggering and processing additional samples, or "particles," in response to your keyboard inputs. Combined with 40 custom presets for Kontaktʼs Pattern Tool, the instrument creates organic sequences and randomized textures.Native Instruments is one of the top leading companies in sampling. The innovation and depth of Claire: Avant is remarkable and not something that can be explored in one day. Featuring 122 presets, the sonics are top notch and unusual sounds are in every patch. The presets sound incredible and can be further edited substantially. This is an instrument that will continue to provide textures and inspiration for those inclined to explore it. Claire: Avant works both as a standalone application or as a plugin within Kontakt 8 and requires the very latest version of Kontakt 8.2.Claire: Avant $99; Special Bundle Offer: Claire: Avant and the Claire grand piano $199For more, visit native-instruments.comThe post Native Instruments Claire: Avant Piano Plugin first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

US DOJ says it seized Hamas crypto meant to finance terrorismThe US Justice Department (DOJ) seized more than $200,000 in cryptocurrency intended to benefit the militant group Hamas it said in a statement on March 27. The cryptocurrency with a total value of $201,400 was traced to fundraising addresses allegedly controlled by Hamas and used to launder more than $1.5 million in digital assets since October 2024. The laundering occurred through a series of “virtual currency exchanges and transactions by leveraging suspected financiers and over-the-counter brokers,” the DOJ said. The funds are currently held in a combination of at least 17 wallets.Affidavit to seize the Hamas-linked cryptocurrency. Source: US DOJIn January 2024, the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, along with corresponding organizations in the United Kingdom and Australia, announced sanctions against networks and facilitators of crypto transactions linked to Hamas. Those sanctions were built on US Treasury sanctions from October 2023.In January 2024, three families of victims of the Hamas attack against Israel sued Binance and its former CEO Changpeng Zhao, alleging that the exchange had provided “substantial assistance” to terrorists. In oral arguments, a lawyer representing Binance claimed the exchange had “no special relationship [with] Hamas […].”Binance has faced scrutiny from the US government over alleged shortcomings in its Anti-Money Laundering controls. The exchange settled with the DOJ for $4.3 billion in November 2023.More regulation needed?According to a December 2024 report by the Congressional Research Service, Hamas has allegedly sought cryptocurrency donations since at least 2019, although the “scale and effectiveness” of these efforts have been unclear.Terrorist organizations using crypto for fundraising have increasingly drawn the attention of the US, with some officials questioning whether the industry needed more supervision or regulation to stop such behavior.According to a 2023 Chainalysis report, terrorism financing accounts for a very small amount of crypto usage, with illegal groups sticking to using traditional, fiat-based methods to fund operations.Magazine: Terrorism and the Israel-Gaza war have been weaponized to destroy crypto

Certification platform Certiverse nabs $11M Series A led by CherryrockCertification platform Certiverse raised an $11 million Series A led by Cherryrock Capital, it announced this week. The company was founded by Ruben Garcia, Pablo Meyer, and Federico Lopez in 2023. It lets organizations develop certification exams at, its founders say, far less cost than traditional methods.  Certifications are an age-old method to gain technical […]

Dua Lipa wins copyright lawsuit over hit song Levitating (with a little help from Ed Sheeran)Warner, Sony, and Universal were all co-defendants, as were Lipa's co-writers on the global smash
Source

Inside a Fake WiFi RepeaterFake WiFi repeater with a cheap real one behind it. (Credit: Big Clive, YouTube)
Over the years we have seen a lot of fake electronics, ranging from fake power saving devices that you plug into an outlet, to fake car ECU optimizers that you stick into the OBD port. These are all similar in that they fake functionality while happily lighting up a LED or two to indicate that they’re doing ‘something’. Less expected here was that we’d be seeing fake WiFi repeaters, but recently [Big Clive] got his hands on one and undertook the arduous task of reverse-engineering it.
The simple cardboard box which it comes in claims that it’s a 2.4 GHz unit that operates at 300 Mbps, which would be quite expected for the price. [Clive] obtained a real working WiFi repeater previously that did boast similar specifications and did indeed work. The dead giveaway that it is a fake are the clearly fake antennae, along with the fact that once you plug it in, no new WiFi network pops up or anything else.
Inside the case – which looks very similar to the genuine repeater – there is just a small PCB attached to the USB connector. On the PCB are a 20 Ohm resistor and a blue LED, which means that the LED is being completely overdriven as well and is likely to die quite rapidly. Considering that a WiFi repeater is supposed to require a setup procedure, it’s possible that these fake repeaters target an audience which does not quite understand what these devices are supposed to do, but they can also catch more informed buyers unaware who thought they were buying some of the cheap real ones. Caveat emptor, indeed.

Dom Morley launches Multiband.io Multiband.io has been designed to align every stage of the production process and help creators to ensure that everyone involved with a project is working from the same page.

Plugin Boutique’s Scaler 3 brings huge changes, and you can get 20% off for a limited timeScaler Music‘s celebrated Scaler plugin is now in its third iteration, and you can grab 20 per cent off for a limited time only.
Originally launched back in 2018, the plugin has been praised by the likes of Carl Cox and Jean-Michel Jarre, and is a tool for musicians, producers and composers looking to try interesting scales and different chord patterns in their work.

READ MORE: We tested five of the best kick drum plugins in 2025 — here’s which one you should buy

Its second edition, launched in 2020, received a whopping 10/10 from MusicTech in our review. Normally priced at £99, Scaler 3 is retailing for just £79 from Plugin Boutique until 30 April. Existing owners of Scaler 1 and 2 can upgrade for even less, at just £29 (list price £39).
So, what’s new in Scaler 3? Plugin Boutique says it’s been “re-imagined and powered up”, now making it easier to “take new directions, solve musical puzzles, and improve your works-in-progress in completely new ways”. Essentially, it now runs as a standalone app and doesn’t even require a DAW.
The launch also improves on its UI, which is now more intuitive and quicker to use, and it also introduces the ability to host third-party VST and AU instruments and effects, all directly within the software.
Users can simply load any third-party instrument from their plugin collection, directly from the preset browser in Scaler. This means you can hear how certain chord voicings or progressions sound when played on your favourite synths or a sample instrument, and no MIDI routing or exporting is needed.
Scaler 3 hosts three main work pages: Browse, Arrange, and Create – the latter of which offers an Explore Page, where users can experiment with Chord Constellations; these are collections of chords organised by genre and mood. Over in the Arrange Page you’ll find pre-made chord sets and progressions, and can edit multiple layers of MIDI instruments, allowing for detailed composition without leaving Scaler.
Check out more in the video below:

Find out more about Scaler 3’s new features, or purchase now directly from Plugin Boutique.
The post Plugin Boutique’s Scaler 3 brings huge changes, and you can get 20% off for a limited time appeared first on MusicTech.

Excite Audio Bloom Drum PercussionIgnite your rhythm with Bloom Drum Percussion – a vibrant collection of percussion and organic grooves featuring hand-played Latin & African instruments. From the groove of Brazilian samba t... Read More