Bandzoogle 2023 direct-to-fan sales rise 21% to $16.4M commission-free

Musicians earned more than $16.4 million in commission-free revenue using Bandzooogle’s direct-to-fan sales tools, an increase of 21% over 2022.

From musicians to major labels, direct-to-fan commerce has become an increasingly important revenue stream at a time when income from streaming falls short and once reliable sources like touring are threatened by rising costs and increased competition.

For the more than 65,000 artists using Bandzoogle’s robust toolkit, all those sales happen 100% commission-free.

Where did all that money come from?

Fans bought $8.8M in merch last year via Bandzoogle, including apparel, CDs, and vinyl. Digital music also continued to bring in significant revenue for musicians, with over $1.7M in commission-free sales in 2023, an increase of 28% from the year before.

Ticket sales saw the biggest increase year over year, with Bandzoogle members selling $4.1M worth of tickets for events in 2023, a 102% increase from 2022.

Virtual tip jars were a popular way for fans to support artists, with nearly $1M in donations going directly to Bandzoogle members. The built-in fan subscription feature generated over $800,000 in 2023.

“One of our main goals is to help make it easier for musicians to make money from their music by selling direct to their fans,” says Stacey Bedford, Bandzoogle CEO. “Seeing our members make over $16.4M in sales through their websites last year, all commission-free, is truly rewarding for our whole team.”

“It’s clear that last year musicians took advantage of having the ability to sell tickets to events directly to their fans, with no commission taken, and no hidden fees,” continued Bedford.

Bandzoogle was acquired by d.i.y. music distributor DistroKid in September 2023 and powers over 65,000 websites for musicians.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.