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“The role of the music webstore is becoming less significant”: Independent music webstore Juno Download has shut downAfter two decades, Juno Download has called it a day – without any prior notice. The abrupt closure comes as a massive shock to users, with some netizens claiming they were buying music from the digital store mere hours before its surprise shutdown.
The news broke when Juno Download updated its online webstore, which now restricts you from searching through its music catalogue. Now, it simply displays a bittersweet farewell on the homepage. “It’s been our privilege to share some of the most incredible music from the most amazing artists, but we’re sorry to say, that the time has come to say goodbye,” the announcement reads.
The message also redirects customers to competitor stores Traxsource and Beatport, explaining that “for now, this is Juno Download signing off”.
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For anyone worried about their pre-existing purchases, the announcement explains that users can get in contact if they need any help securing content from their accounts. “You can download previous orders from your account, and if you need to get in touch, please send us a message, and we will help out however we can,” it concludes.
Juno Download has also seemingly deleted its social media accounts, with its Instagram and Facebook pages both currently inaccessible.
Speaking to Resident Advisor, Juno Download’s COO Lucas Garcia also suggests that webstores like Juno Download have simply become obsolete. In his opinion, buying digital music just isn’t as common in the age of streaming. “It’s obviously a sad day, but as streaming has become the dominant model of digital music consumption, artists and labels are now more connected than ever with their fans via social media and ‘direct to fan’ services like Bandcamp, so the role of the music webstore is becoming less significant” he explains.
First established in 2006, Juno Download has served as a holy grail for dance music lovers. The independent store has not only been a great way to discover new artists, while also keeping pricing lower than its competitors.
Over on Reddit, Juno Download customers are mourning the abrupt closure of the store. Users note that Juno Download was a blessing in comparison with the site’s “expensive” competitors – however, while this was a perk for customers, it may have lead to the store’s downfall. Some users note that the site had experienced some price increases over the last year, concluding that the hiked prices may not have been enough to make ends meet.
Despite Juno Download saying goodbye, Juno’s vinyl store is still running. While downloading digital music has gone out of fashion, physical media is back in. Back in April, Forbes reported that the vinyl market surpassed $1 billion in 2025, due to the recent boom of ‘going analogue’ and embracing reliable, physical forms of media.
The post “The role of the music webstore is becoming less significant”: Independent music webstore Juno Download has shut down appeared first on MusicTech.
“The role of the music webstore is becoming less significant”: Independent music webstore Juno Download has shut down
musictech.com“Streaming has become the dominant model of digital music consumption... the role of the music webstore is becoming less significant.”
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