Hi,
After being frustrated with the existing download sites, I decided to built a new platform that combines the best of the Bandcamp and Beatport with an improved user interface, tools for DJs and more comprehensive features for labels.
I’ve got an exciting roadmap of features to add too.
If you are a label or self releasing artist then now is the time to join up and get a great discount on the revenue share.
If you have any questions please ask!
Join up at www.artcore.com
Can you say a bit more about why it’s better than those other platforms?
Beatport and Bandcamp are very different services with very different selling points. What are you doing better than them, and why should people use this instead?
What is better about the UI, and what are the features for DJs and labels that other services don’t have?
Is this just aimed at artists and labels? What’s in it for fans and listeners?
I think outlining all this stuff up front could make it much more compelling, and tbh it’s better to be specific about your strengths rather than calling out specific competitors, as you’ll then be compared to them directly. That’s just going to make things harder for you.
If 75% of revenue share is an early adopters deal, what is the standard percentage? Can’t find it on the webpage.
Hi @TRAINTRACS Thanks for your interest, yes you are right on all points!
It’s tricky to get the balance between a short summary to give flavour or providing a long list of features/differences! Sometimes it’s simpler just to answer questions, so I’ll give that a go.
Beatport and Bandcamp are very different services with very different selling points. What are you doing better than them, and why should people use this instead?
As a user (buyer) of both sites I’ve found both lacking in terms of discovering the music I like, navigating, filtering, previewing, purchasing. I felt I could do something better and this is the start of that. I feel both have stagnated and I have lots of ideas to improve on it, some are already implemented.
For example, despite buying mainly techno on bandcamp, it constantly shows me folk music and other things I have no interest in and there are no controls to manage it. Artcore has filters that can tailor the site to what you like.
I also find it hard to preview back catalogs and buy music on bandcamp and find myself opening hundreds of tabs. Artcore UI is designed to help you preview and navigate much quicker. It also has DJ friendly features like multiple carts.
From the artist/label point of view, Artcore is a marketplace similar to Bandcamp. Artists and labels set their own prices and have full control of their profile and releasing. Artcore takes between 1% and 20% depending on discounts applied. The artist/seller gets the rest minus any paypal fees.
Artcore also supports optional payment splits between labels and artists (and remixers) and also between members of a group/band. You just allocate a % to the artist and it will be directed to them.
Is this just aimed at artists and labels? What’s in it for fans and listeners?
Not at all - I’m just promoting it to artists/labels at this point to get people on board before full public launch.
The site also has this comparison chart to give more specific details.
Please feel free to ask about anything else or if you would like me to elaborate on any point.
Thanks!
Hi, yes standard fee is 20% but there are no monthly costs for labels (as bandcamp charge).
The super early bird adopter discount brings that down to 5% until end of Jan 2024 (so 13months from today).
You can also bring it down all the way to 1% by inviting other artists/labels. Each other artist that sells after joining using your own referral code gives an additional 0.25% discount for 1 year.
Paypal fees apply (like bandcamp) but we apply over a single basket not per seller which should bring some benefits to smaller basket sizes.
Very cool!
It looks good, but why the name?
indeed. my mind immediately went to this lol
Agreed. If I’m not mistaken ArtCore is a specific type of electronic music. With that in mind, it makes me think the site is just for that style of music. Brand names are always best when they don’t create possible limitations for growth.
Seems nice. I just signed up, I want to release some of my music in 2023 so I’ll give it a go🙂
Yes, good question.
It’s a name/domain name I’ve had for many years. It was the name of the first website I made in 1998/99. That was a music and art site - a cross between mp3.com and deviant art.
It was actually the name of a Drum’n’bass compilation series on React back in 1996 with good old Adam F - Circles on it.
I wasn’t aware of the genre ‘artCore’ until more recently.
I did try to think of a better name but most of the ideas I had were either taken already or too close to other sites. So I’ve focussed on building the site rather than worrying about the name for now.
At least it’s short and easy to remember and not too cheesy.
I’ve learnt though that the actual name doesn’t matter as much as you might think. People eventually forget the word itself and simply associate with the brand (or not).
I intend for Artcore to be synonymous with championing good underground and independent music. I want it to be a good discovery platform for music you’d hope to find rather than just being pushed the top 10 or top 100 tracks. So hopefully that’s what people will connect with.
Of course I always have the opportunity to rebrand in the future if I (or someone else) comes up with a better name. Please feel free to suggest some ideas!
Maybe I should have a competition at some point.
Thanks for the question.
It is indeed.
It’s also a model of Ibanez guitar.
And a local arts collective up the road from me.
Don’t think the name really matters, I mean, what the fuck is Spotify supposed to fucking mean? And bandcamp is a shit name.
So nice you just had to sign up to Elektronauts immediately and let us know…
Great to have you on board!
If you have any existing releases to publish before the 12th then I can activate your early bird discount.
re the name - yes exactly.
Nightflight isn’t affiliated with us, just incase that’s what you might have thought.
I had an older account for an alias I forfeited so😊
One of things I really like about bandcamp, is that it does not have an algorithm that ‘tailors’ the site to my tastes.
My tastes are all over the place, or eclectic as you might say, so I dont want any filter.
Does Artcore allow filterless use?
Ps. I use bandcamp both as a listener, and as a self releasing artist.
Yes, it’s totally optional. It starts with a set of genre/tag filters that you choose yourself and you can turn filters on or off.
On
Off
The site changes immediately.
Later we will make it more powerful but I want to keep it customisable and give you control so you can tune it to suit your needs.
Agreed, both names are meh. I think the benefit of some of those names is no competition on search results. If you can create a name that stands out and is easily to remember if being verbally told it will help. Even better if you get your brand name turned into an adjective like “Photoshop”.
Wow. Trip down memory lane. I have the album.
