Bandcamp Acquired by Epic Games

I was shocked when I saw this today and am concerned about the future of BC

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The heart’s for raising it but the acquisition isn’t to my liking. This is a little ominous:

The company shut down Houseparty last year after acquiring it in 2019, and its team was apparently folded into a larger push to expand Epic’s social features. Bandcamp, however, has a much greater existing fanbase and clearer economic model than Houseparty — it’s widely beloved as an alternative to streaming platforms like Spotify that offer less control and smaller revenue shares for most artists.

I’m sure shutting down the service isn’t the plan, but if things don’t go to plan…

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From the article -

Huh?

Oh not sure how to feel about this.
A big fan of Bandcamp but not of Epic.
I am guessing that this will be an interesting story.

Bandcamp probably get about 70 to 80% of my digital spend.

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Well at very least you’ll have to make your peace with Epic getting that now.

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This is very true.
If nothing changes then nothing changes, so let’s hope that it runs independently as said in the article.

Tim Sweeny love’s to be disruptive so it could be good or bad, so I will hope for the former.

But I have the option of moving my spend elsewhere if not

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On the whole I preferred his work in the 70s

image

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Not sure what you are referring to, but I can stream for free from bandcamp. Not via roon. But via LMS and a plug-in.

Stream how and to where?

Can you pick an entire album and stream it to your system?

I haven’t tested everything, but any album in their catalog I’m interested in, I’ve been able to select and stream to my Squeezebox system (uses LMS server) feeding Squeezebox players connected to home system (similar to Roon and Roon endpoints). System can also stream Spotify, Tidal, and Quobuz.

Edit. LMS let’s me search, browse, etc the bandcamp database. Works essentially just like spotify.

Can you stream an entire album or even more than one Bandcamp selected track from an album?

Entire album

Sorry, I just don’t get what you are referring to.

I think you mean you can stream, rather than download, something once you have bought it.

If that’s it, then I don’t consider that an alternative to Spotify, or any subscription model streaming service.

That’s the question I had as how Bandcamp can be a replacement for Spotify. It might be called a supplement, but replacement? No.

No. I can stream an album with or without buying it. With no charge.obviously bandcamp has a smaller number of potential artists and albums. If I really like something I usually then buy the downloads.

Again I do this on LMS server with bandcamp plugin installed. All free. But this has nothing to do with Roon.

Via the ‘band’s campout’ plug-in?

Low quality Chromecast from what I have tested (on my Android phone).
Ok for sampling but don great for actual listening. Downloads are also low quality MP3 in the app.

Yes, the LMS bandcamp plugin for Squeezebox capable players. I’m sure the streams are not lossless. Probably 128kbps mp3. I’m away from home for a week so can’t check. But my purchased downloads are FLAC for sure.

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Certainly not a replacement for spotify. Not near the library size.

Can you always stream the whole album, or only the tracks that Bandcamp has freely available? For example, on this album:

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Epic Games is a tremendous force for bad so I will no longer be using Bandcamp.

I want no part of a future where I’ll be forced to buy a Corpsegrinder Fortnite skin in order to download a new Cannibal Corpse album.

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