On the cusp of its 17th birthday, Bandzoogle's artist-first philosophy continues to show up and pay off for musicians’ digital presence

Long-lasting success and ethical approaches can go hand-in-hand in the music industry: just look at Bandzoogle. Founded by Chris Vinson, formerly a prominent bassist in Montreal’s alt-rock scene, the company has spent nearly 17 years helping a total of over 100,000 musicians build and manage their online presence. With tools for professional website building, promotion, and commission-free music and merch sales, Bandzoogle’s direct-to-fan model offers valuable resources for artists to thrive in the constantly-changing landscapes of music and technology.

Since Stacey Bedford took the reins as CEO in 2018, Bandzoogle’s active member roster has grown by more than 60% with over 50,000 current users. In the last two years, $30 million of the company’s overall $65 million in commission-free payouts came to fruition. When researching new features, the company prioritizes ethics, sustainability, and the needs of musicians, rather than untested trendiness.

The company’s close-knit team is largely made up of musicians and other staff with personal connections to the industry. Bedford, who joined Bandzoogle in 2007 and was named a Billboard 2019 Digital Power Player, describes herself as “a passionate music fan,” an identity crucial to her leap of faith from real estate management to the music business. “I’ve always wanted to be in a job that involved communicating with other people,” she says of her start as the company’s first tech support rep. “Making sure that our members are happy and cared for is paramount to my drive for anything that we do. The fact that it comes from the top down is a recipe for success.”

A stable foundation allows Bandzoogle to quickly respond to urgent needs and sudden shifts. Vice President of Business Development Dave Cool notes that, in the midst of an earth-shattering pandemic, that’s exactly what many artists are looking for. “There’s a renewed focus for musicians to monetize their music online,” he says. Bandzoogle’s new Tip Jar feature offers just that, letting artists easily collect donations through their websites. The results have been impactful - since the Tip Jar was launched in mid-May, Bandzoogle members have earned nearly $500k from that feature alone.

There is a strong correlation between Bandzoogle’s artist-minded philosophy and longevity. Some of their clients have been with them from the start, and their longest-serving employee recently celebrated 15 years with the company. “We’re steady and we’re going to be around for the long haul,” says Cool. Bedford adds, “We’ve constantly been on top of the needs of artists and building out the tools to help them successfully market their business online.” Music, technology, and global conditions may be constantly in flux, but Bandzoogle is a company artists can and do depend on to set them up for success in every situation.

About Bandzoogle

With the Bandzoogle platform, musicians build their website and manage direct-to-fan marketing and sales. Musicians can create a professional website without having to know how to code, or hire expensive designers, and they can quickly build an online store to sell music, merch, and tickets, commission-free. The all-in-one platform also includes features like mailing list management, detailed fan analytics, and integrations with social networks.