PledgeMusic

PledgeMusic

An example PledgeMusic campaign.
Web address	http://www.pledgemusic.com/
Slogan	Music As It Happens

PledgeMusic is an online Direct-to-Fan music platform, launched in August 2009, that facilitates musicians reaching out to their fanbase (termed Pledgers) to pre-sell, market, and distribute music projects including recordings, music videos, and concerts. Broadly speaking it bears some similarities to such platforms as ArtistShare, Kickstarter, Indiegogo, RocketHub and Sellaband.

Features

PledgeMusic considers itself a direct-to-fan platform as opposed to a crowdfunding website. Features of PledgeMusic that distinguish it from other crowdfunding systems include that it:^[1]

• is solely focused on raising funds for musicians
• does not retain any ownership or rights to any music created through the platform
• encourages artists to include contributions to charity as part of their fundraising project
• absorbs all transaction processing costs involved in pledging on a project
• encourages artists to offer a wide range of incentives and exclusive content to pledgers
• does not process any funding transactions until the funding target is reached
• is international, accepting artists, projects and pledgers from all over the world
• allows pledger refunds

PledgeMusic allows two distinct types of campaigns: direct-to-fan and preorder. In direct-to-fan campaigns, fans are not charged until the project target is reached, at which point money is collected in an "artist account" that holds the money for disbursement to the intended recipients. If a target is not reached, fans are not charged. In preorder campaigns, fans are charged immediately, and the artist is paid directly upon project completion, much like traditional online retail.^[2]

Results

Success Rate

PledgeMusic is reported to have a 90% campaign success rate (higher than Kickstarter or Indiegogo), with most artists raising an average 140% of their goal.^[3]

Notable Artists Who Have Launched Campaigns on PledgeMusic

This incomplete list is frequently updated to include new information.

Campaign End Date	Artist	Project Type	Project Title	Label	References
Ongoing	Marillion	Album
Ongoing	Sum 41	Album			[4][5]
Ongoing	Esmee Denters	Album	New EP	PledgeMusic	[6]
Ongoing	Christian Death	Album	The Root of All Evilution	PledgeMusic	[7]
Ongoing	Dweezil Zappa	Album		PledgeMusic	[8]
Ongoing	Ash	Album		Atomic Heart Records	[9]
Ongoing	Shayne Ward	Album	"Closer"	PledgeMusic	[10]
Ongoing	Macy Gray	Album	The Way	PledgeMusic	[11]
Ongoing	Plain White T's	Album	American Nights	PledgeMusic	[12]
Ongoing	Guster	Live Album		Nettwerk	[13]
Ongoing	Black Veil Brides	Album	"Black Veil Brides IV"	Universal/Republic	[14]
Ongoing	Unlocking the Truth	Debut EP		RED Associated Labels	[15]
Ongoing	Erasure	Album	"The Violet Flame"	Mute	[16]
Ongoing	RX Bandits	Album	"Gemini, Her Majesty"	INgrooves	[17]
Ongoing	Echo & the Bunnymen	Album	"Meteorites"	429	[18]
Ongoing	Rufus Wainwright	Album	"Prima Donna"	Independent	[19]
Ongoing	Matt Pond	Album	"State of Gold"	BMG Rights Management	[20]
Ongoing	The Birthday Massacre	Album	"Superstition"	Metropolis	[21]
Ongoing	Chali 2na	EP	"Against The Current"	Independent	[22]
October 2015	The Zombies	Album	"Still Got That Hunger"	The End Records	[23]
September 2015	Silversun Pickups	Album	"Better Nature"	New Machine Records	[24]
December 2014	Dexys	Album	"Nowhere Is Home"	Absolute Marketing and Distribution	[25]
December 2014	The Enemy	Album	"Dancing All Night"	Cooking Vinyl	[26]
November 2014	The Vines	Album	"Wicked Nature"	Wicked Nature	[27]
November 2014	Terri Clark	Album		Baretrack Records / EMI	[28]
November 2014	Weezer	Album	"Everything Will Be Alright in the End"	Universal/Republic	[29]
November 2014	Interpol	Album	"El Pintor"	PIAS Entertainment Group	[30]
October 2014	Mobb Deep	Album	"The Infamous Mobb Deep"	Infamous Records	[31]
October 2014	Antigone Rising	Album	"Whiskey & Wine (vol. 1 & 2)"	Independent	[32]
October 2014	Jack Strify	Album	"ILLUSION"	Independent	[33]
June 2014	SPONGE	Tour	Endless Summer Tour	Independent	[34]
June 2014	Sevendust	Album	"Time Travelers & Bonfires"	7Bros Records	[35]
June 2014	Peter Murphy	Album	"Mr. Moonlight Tour: 35 Years of Bauhaus"	Nettwerk	[36]
June 2014	K.Flay	Album	"Life As A Dog"	Independent	[37]
June 2014	Klaxons	Album	"Love Frequency"	RED	[38]
May 2014	The Clarks	Album	"Feathers & Bones"	Independent	[39]
May 2014	Lindsey Stirling	Album	"Shatter Me"	Lindseystomp	[40]
May 2014	Buzzcocks	Album	"The Way"	Cooking Vinyl	[41]
May 2014	Devin Townsend	Album	"Casualties of Cool"		[42]
May 2014	Peter Andre	Album	"Big Night"	Independent	[43]
April 2014	Blake Lewis	Album	"Portrait of a Chameleon"	INgrooves	[44]
April 2014	Steel Panther	Album	"All You Can Eat"	Kobalt	[45]
April 2014	The Babys	Album	"I'll Have Some Of That!"	All In Time Records	[46]
April 2014	Joan Osborne	Album	"Love and Hate"	Membran	[47]
April 2014	Dan Wilson	Album	"Love Without Fear"	Kobalt	[48]
March 2014	311	Album	"Stereolithic"	INgrooves	[49]
March 2014	Natives	Album	"Indoor War"	Transmission Recordings	[50]
March 2014	Kate Miller-Heidke	Album	"O Vertigo!"	Cooking Vinyl	[51]
March 2014	Tokyo Police Club	Album	"Forcefield"	Mom + Pop	[52]
March 2014	Stiff Little Fingers	Album	"No Going Back"	Rigid Digits	[53]
February 2014	The Presidents of the USA	Album	"Kudos to You!"	PUSA Inc.	[54]
February 2014	Reverend and The Makers	Album	"ThirtyTwo"	Cooking Vinyl	[55]
January 2014	The Hold Steady	EP	"The Unified Scene"	Razor & Tie	[56]
January 2014	The Rifles	Album	"None the Wiser"	Cooking Vinyl	[57]
January 2014	Hard-Fi	Album	"Hard-Fi: Best of 2004 – 2014"	Warner	[58]
December 2013	Flyleaf	Album	"Between The Stars"	Loud and Proud Records	[59]
November 2013	Mike Doughty	Album	"Circles, Super Bon Bon, and The Very Best Of Soul Coughing"	Independent	[60]
November 2013	Apocalyptica	Album	"Wagner Reloaded"	RCA	[61]
November 2013	Umphrey's McGee	Live Album	"Hall of Fame: Class of 2012"	Nothing Too Fancy Music	[62]
October 2013	Slash	Album	"Nothing Left to Fear (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)"		[63]
September 2013	Katatonia	Album	"Dethroned & Uncrowned"	Burning Shed	[64]
September 2013	Lissie	Album	"Back to Forever"	Columbia (UK/EUR) Fat Possum (US)	[65]
August 2013	Juliana Hatfield	Album	"Wild Animals"	Ye Olde Records	[66]
June 2013	Sam Duckworth (GCWCF)	Album	"Amazing Grace"	Independent	[67]
May 2013	Donots	Live DVD/Album	"Wake the States"	Solitary Man	[68]
April 2013	Bring Me the Horizon	Album	"Sempiternal"	RCA	[69]
March 2013	IAMX	Album	"The Unified Field"	61seconds Records	[70]
March 2013	Kate Nash	Album	Girl Talk"	INgrooves	[71]
December 2012	Ian McCulloch	Album	"Pro Patria Mori"	Independent	[72]
November 2012	Kissy Sell Out	Album	"San City High ALL STARS"	San City High Records	[73]
October 2012	LCD Soundsystem	DVD	"Shut Up and Play the Hits"	DFA	[74]
August 2012	Kill It Kid	EP	"Rarities"	Independent	[75]
July 2012	Ginger Wildheart	Album	"Hey! Hello!"	Round Records	[76]
July 2012	Ginger Wildheart	Album	"Mutations/Mutations 2"	Round Records	[76]
April 2012	The Libertines	DVD	"There Are No Innocent Bystanders"	Absolute	[77]
March 2012	The Infamous Stringdusters	Album	"Silver Sky"	High Country Recordings	[78]
October 2011	The Lumineers	Other		Dualtone	[79]
September 2011	Crystal Fighters	Deluxe Album	"Star of Love"	Independent	[80]
September 2011	The Subways	Album	"Money and Celebrity"	Independent	[81]
September 2011	Art Brut	Album	"Brilliant! Tragic!"	Cooking Vinyl (UK/EUR) Downtown (US)	[82]
July 2010	Ginger Wildheart	Album	"555% (aka 100%)"	Round Records	[83]
May 2010	Kopecky Family Band	Album	"The Disaster"	ATO Records	[84]

In the Charts

Various PledgeMusic albums have achieved significant chart success, including:

• Stiff Little Fingers - No Going Back - #1 in UK Rock Album Charts - #28 in UK Album Charts
• Ginger Wildheart - 100% - #27 in the UK
• Charlie Simpson - When We Were Lions - #6 in the UK
• Ben Folds Five - The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind - #10 on the Billboard Top 200
• The Subways - Money and Celebrity - #16 in Germany, #43 in the UK
• Bring Me The Horizon - Sempiternal - #3 in the UK, #1 in Australia
• Lindsey Stirling - Shatter Me - #2 on the Billboard Top 200, #1 in both Classical and EDM
• Sevendust - Time Travelers and Bonfires - #19 in the US
• Kate Miller-Heidke - O Vertigo! - #3 in Australia
• 311 - STEREOLITHIC - #6 on the Billboard Top 200
• Mindi Abair - #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart
• Casey Crescenzo - #2 on the Billboard Classical chart
• The Puppini Sisters - The High Life - #1 debut on the UK Itunes Jazz Chart, #3 debut US Itunes Jazz Chart

More than 30 PledgeMusic artists have been subsequently signed to major or independent label recording contracts.^[85]

Charity

PledgeMusic artists have the option of donating a percentage of their total or post-goal revenue to a charity of their choice. Currently, 67% of projects are linked with a charity.^[3] Artists without a cause in mind are able to meet with the company's charity outreach specialist to pair them up with charities.

Affiliated companies and partnerships

PledgeMusic Recordings^[86] and PledgeMusic Publishing^[87] are both affiliated companies providing the traditional services of a record label and a publishing company to select Artists.

PledgeMusic and the following companies have entered into commercial partnerships to provide more integrated services to Artists:

• MySpace^[88]
• SonicBids^[89]
• SoundOut (Slicethepie's insight and analytics service) ^[90]
• Lyric Financial
• Nimbit^[91]
• Topspin Media ^[92]
• Artist Growth ^[92]
• Firebrand ^[92]
• INgrooves Fontana ^[92]
• Inertia ^[93]
• INDMusic ^[94]
• The Agency Group ^[95]

PledgeMusic has partnered with the Hotel Cafe for SXSW 2011^[96] and 2012.^[97]

PledgeMusic has hosted showcases with CMJ.^[98]

Awards, nominations, and notable commentary

PledgeMusic was nominated for the 2010 BT Digital Music Awards in the category "Best Innovation or Gadget".^[99]

While discussing the Digital Economy Bill Lord Errol, in the UK House of Lords, has described PledgeMusic as a "rather clever idea" in the context of new ways of releasing music.^[100]

PledgeMusic was nominated for the 2011 Music Week Awards in the category "Consumer-Facing Digital Music Service of the Year".^[101]

PledgeMusic was nominated for the 2011 BT Digital Music Awards in the category "Best Innovation or Gadget".^[102]

Ginger Wildheart was awarded the 2012 Classic Rock Awards 'Event Of The Year' award for his PledgeMusic campaign.^[103]

PledgeMusic was noted as one of Billboard's "Five digital startups to watch in 2013".^[104]

PledgeMusic won the Grammy Music Technology Lab in 2013.^[105]

PledgeMusic was nominated for SoundCtrl's 2013 Best in Artist Support award.^[106]

PledgeMusic was nominated for the American Association of Independent Music 2013 Annual Libera Awards (The “LIBBYs”) 21st Century Award – celebrating the service provider or platform that was most beneficial to Independent labels and artists.^[107]

Co-founders Benji Rogers and Malcolm Dunbar were named to The Hospital Club 100 list in 2013 in the category of Music.^[108]

Benji Rogers, founder and president of PledgeMusic, won A&R Worldwide's International Music Industry Awards' Distinguished Digital Executive of the Year, 2014

"Super Fans"

In 2014, PledgeMusic and Lynda.com teamed up to produce a documentary about super fans and their role in the future of the music industry. The documentary features footage and interviews from SXSW and interviews with artists such as Nicole Atkins and San Fermin.

See also

• Comparison of crowd funding services
• Fan Funded
• Crowdsourcing
• Netlabel
• Social commerce
• Web 2.0
• Music 2.0

References

1. "FAQ". PledgeMusic. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
2. "PledgeMusic FAQ".
3. "PledgeMusic Looks To Change The Future Of The Album Release | Digital Music NewsDigital Music News". Digitalmusicnews.com. 2014-01-30. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
4. "Sum 41 to release comeback album".
5. "Sum 41 : New Album".
6. "Esmee Denters: New Ep".
7. "CHRISTIAN DEATH: New album".
8. http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/dweezilzappa. Missing or empty |title= (help)
9. http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/ash. Missing or empty |title= (help)
10. "Shayne Ward announces new album for February 2015".
11. http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/macygray. Missing or empty |title= (help)
12. http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/plainwhitets. Missing or empty |title= (help)
13. "Guster: PRE-ORDER THE NEW ALBUM GUSTER ALBUM".
14. "Black Veil Brides: New Album Pre-Order on PledgeMusic".
15. "Unlocking The Truth: New EP on PledgeMusic".
16. "Erasure: The Violet Flame".
17. "Rx Bandits: The New Album! on PledgeMusic".
18. "Echo and the Bunnymen: Meteorites on PledgeMusic".
19. "Rufus Wainwright: Prima Donna on PledgeMusic".
20. "Matt Pond: State of Gold Pre-Order".
21. "The Birthday Massacre: We're Making a New Album!".
22. "Chali 2na: Against The Current on PledgeMusic".
23. "The Zombies: New Album on PledgeMusic".
24. "Silversun Pickups on PledgeMusic".
25. "Dexys: Nowhere Is Home on PledgeMusic".
26. "The Enemy: New Album on PledgeMusic".
27. "The Vines: Wicked Nature on PledgeMusic".
28. "Terri Clark: New Studio Album".
29. "Weezer: Everything Will Be Alright in the End".
30. "Interpol: El Pintor".
31. "Mobb Deep: The Infamous on PledgeMusic".
32. "Antigone Rising: Whiskey and Wine on PledgeMusic".
33. "Jack Strify: ILLUSION".
34. "SPONGE: Summer Tour 2014".
35. "Sevendust: New Acoustic Album on PledgeMusic".
36. "Peter Murphy: Mr. Moonlight Tour: 35 Years of Bauhaus on PledgeMusic".
37. "K.Flay: NEW ALBUM".
38. "Klaxons: Love Frequency".
39. "The Clarks: New album "Feathers & Bones"".
40. "Lindsey Stirling: My New Album".
41. "Buzzcocks: My Way on PledgeMusic".
42. "Casualties of Cool: Casualties of Cool on PledgeMusic".
43. "Peter Andre: New Album".
44. "Blake Lewis: New Album".
45. "Steel Panther: The New Album - All You Can Eat!! on PledgeMusic".
46. "The Babys: Brand New Album Coming April 2014".
47. "Joan Osborne on PledgeMusic".
48. "Dan Wilson: Love Without Fear on PledgeMusic".
49. "311: Pre-order 'STEREOLITHIC' on PledgeMusic".
50. "Natives: Indoor War on PledgeMusic".
51. "Kate Miller-Heidke: New Album on PledgeMusic".
52. "Tokyo Police Club: Forcefield on PledgeMusic".
53. "Stiff Little Fingers on PledgeMusic".
54. "The Presidents of the USA: New Studio Album".
55. "Reverend and the Makers: New Album on PledgeMusic".
56. "The Hold Steady: The Unified Scene".
57. "The Rifles: New Album on PledgeMusic".
58. "Hard-Fi: Best of 2004 - 2014 on PledgeMusic".
59. "Flyleaf: Between The Stars".
60. "Mike Doughty: Soul Coughing Songs: Reimagined".
61. "Apocalyptica: Wagner Reloaded on PledgeMusic".
62. "Umphrey's Mcgee: Hall of Fame: Class of 2012".
63. "Slash: Nothing Left to Fear Soundtrack".
64. "Katatonia: New Album on PledgeMusic".
65. "Lissie: New Album".
66. "Juliana Hatfield: brand new album 2013".
67. http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
68. "Donots: USA Tour DVD & Live Album".
69. "Bring Me the Horizon: New Album".
70. "IAMX: NEW ALBUM".
71. "Kate Nash: Girl Talk".
72. "Ian McCulloch: New Solo Album on PledgeMusic".
73. "Kissy Sell Out: San City High ALL STARS Album on PledgeMusic".
74. "LCD Soundsystem: Shut Up And Play The Hits on PledgeMusic".
75. "Kill It Kid: Rarities/Demos EP on PledgeMusic".
76. "Ginger Wildheart: Mutation and Hey! Hello! on PledgeMusic".
77. "The Libertines: There Are No Innocent Bystanders on PledgeMusic".
78. "The Infamous Stringdusters: The Infamous Stringdusters "Silver Sky"".
79. "The Lumineers: We've Been Robbed...".
80. "Crystal Fighters: 'Star of Love' - Deluxe Edition on PledgeMusic".
81. "The Subways: New Album".
82. "Art Brut: New Album + live EP on PledgeMusic".
83. "Ginger Wildheart: Triple Album on PledgeMusic".
84. "Kopecky Family Band: New Record The Disaster!".
85. "sevensixtytwo". sevensixtytwo. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
86. "Home". Pledge Music Recordings. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
87. "PledgeMusic opens publishing arm". Music Week. 2011-03-07. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
88. "(Press Release) PledgeMusic Partners With MySpace to Help Independent Artists With New Technology". Marketwire.com. 2010-10-04. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
89. "(Press Release) PledgeMusic Direct-to-Fan Funding Engine to Be Integrated Into the Sonicbids Robust Offering of Tools for Artists". Marketwire.com. 2010-10-11. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
90. Archived August 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
91. "PledgeMusic Partners With Nimbit To Launch PledgeStore". hypebot. 2011-10-20. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
92. (Press Release) Pledge Announces New Integrated Marketing Partnership. PledgeMusic. Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
93. (Press Release) News: Inertia announces new strategic partnership with PledgeMusic! - Inertia. Inertia-music.com (2012-11-26). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
94. 4-12 Weekend Wrap-Up: INDMUSIC Partnership, Jesse Malin and More!. PledgeMusic (2013-04-12). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
95. . PledgeMusic, The Agency Group Announce Partnership]. Billboard. Retrieved on 2014-04-10.
96. SXSW 2011!. Hotelcafe.com. Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
97. presents The Hotel Cafe at SXSW 2012. PledgeMusic (2012-02-21). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
98. [http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/pledgemusic-announces-lineup-cmj-day-party-night-showcase-rockwood-music-hall-1569817.htm PledgeMusic Announces Lineup for CMJ Day Party and Night Showcase at the Rockwood Music Hall. Marketwire.com (2011-10-06). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
99. (Press Release) BT news releases. Btplc.com. Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
100. Archived May 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
101. Williams, Paul. (2011-04-18) Awards nominations announced. Music Week. Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
102. Archived September 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
103. Award-winning Ginger Wildheart Pledge campaign 'testament to commercial viability of D2F'. Music Week. Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
104. Five Digital Startups to Watch in 2013 | Billboard. Billboard.biz (2012-12-14). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
105. (Press Release) Wins Grammy Music Technology Lab. PledgeMusic (2013-02-27). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
106. (Press Release) Thanks to SoundCtrl for Nominating Us for a 2013 FlashFWD Award!. PledgeMusic (2013-04-16). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
107. American Association of Independent Music — Blog — A2IM LIBBY Awards Final Nominees Announced. A2IM (2013-04-24). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
108. "The Hospital Club 100 list 2013 | Culture professionals network | Guardian Professional". Theguardian.com. 2013-11-19. Retrieved 2014-06-01.

External links

• Official website