Fairsharemusic Fundraises With Charitable Music Sales

UK-based Fairsharemusic is a digital music retail outlet that raises money for good causes. They haven't gotten a lot of attention in the States, since their service focuses on UK-based charities, but their stock now includes over 18 million tracks. Fairsharemusic is an example of a "commercially-run social enterprise" in the music industry that seeks to profit from doing good, in this case raising money for charities.

Fairsharemusic is a pretty straightforward proposition. They sell digital music at market rates and 50% of the profits go to charities. The charities are mainstream and the music includes major pop hits. It's a low key approach to doing good whose strength is in the potential for establishing a new institution for fundraising.

Fairsharemusic – Breaking Down The Numbers

Fairsharemusic was founded in 2010 by Lee Cannon and Jonny Woolf, two music industry vets who participated in such events as Live Aid and Amnesty's Secret Policemans Ball. They describe Fairsharemusic as the "home of feelgood downloads" and emphasizes legal downloads that support musicians as well as charities as part of their message.

Lee Cannon recently stated:

“We stimulate change in giving by promoting social action, connecting people and charities through music — making it easier for people to give directly to a cause through something they’re passionate about, whilst promoting further a culture of giving and increasing the amount existing donors give to charity.”

Fairsharemusic is making their website more mobile-friendly and has plans for native Android and Blackberry apps.

Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith blogs about business at Flux Research: Business Changes and about dance at All World Dance: News. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.