Subvert – join the resistance
When was the last time you released music and it found a few people, even 10 who were like-minded and wanted to see more of your work? This may sound like a dream in our modern day, but I assure you, this was the Internet before 2014, but they have caused us to forget about it. Imagine a place where your music matters, where you as the artist can find a real group of people who want to discover and dig into your actual catalog? We who lived in those days remember it and that memory is still fresh in our minds, thanks to places like, SoundCloud, Tumblr, and of course Myspace..
At this hour, we are living in such a time where the threat to the indie artist is the greatest and what do people do when they feel threatened? They fight for change. That change starts with you, and what you do about it, or where you release music and where you listen.
Streaming companies have taken over the scene and with the acquisition of Bandcamp in 2022, we have lost, the last indie platform to release direct to, in fact, the new owners ‘twice over’ fired many who were on the original staff. The major labels themselves are all holding the cards now and you’re left holding the bag. Now there are other efforts such as Nina Protocol so we wait on them to become larger but – with as much arbitration going on, no one can really do anything about it. Bandcamp was the last hope we had, and what independence was ours, now belongs to them. How can you really thrive in a ad-driven social media society that requires you to be a marketing rep, where your music does not hold its merit or find like-minded people?
They’ve duped the public into believing that ‘this is the best place to live and play, but you can’t move ahead unless you drop that new single, create content, upon content, or push yourself to death’s door just to be found by a small few.’ Tiny fragments of people might trickle in now and then and by the end of the day, you either hate being a musician or you hate releasing music. “this isn’t how it’s suppose to be” even in the real world, you have more from your effort by talking to strangers in a coffee shop at least, or the store – and that is what Subvert plans to do, give The Internet back its balance, its place of rest.
Artists were suppose to be the value of the era; the art that helps us enjoy believing, there is something good in the world. – #WEATNU
– With big tech pushing us down daily, no one, not even the major artists have a place to live online. If YouTube takes down your music, Spotify might complain about your music being ‘bot-driven‘ or worse, removing your whole catalog, not to mention paying you only if you achieve 1000 plays per song. These are the kind of things we question right now, those things are in the minds of the artist who uploads to Bandcamp – I wonder what will happen in the near future now that my so-loved platform I have relied on since 2010 is now owned by the bad guy?
Subvert takes the stage, finds a way around all these changes, and gives us back the power, by making us co-owners with them. What a concept in terms of the modern internet where the next billionaire might pop up today, taking even more digital real-estate from us.
#WEATNU
What is going to happen when they buy up all the small .com domains and .fm and what not? No freedom left and we better do something right now to stop it. Start making websites, push the music out of social media, put it on your homepage, make places that people want to come to visit – form web rings (again). The mind-set is strong these days, and people are tired of being bought out by big tech, but your music matters and so do your fans. The future holds the key and the vision is a marketplace that lets your music find its listener, its group of fans, not breadcrumbs falling from big tech’s table.
When subvert formed they realized that it was time to do something before we lost it all, and streaming might becoming the de-facto way to take in music, this of course, is a travesty. If all the digital download and direct download sites go away, they will have complete control, and labels such as Warner Bros and Universal will hold all music captive. Do you want that? I don’t, no thank you, and we need to stop it from happening. WEATNU is actively taking part in spreading the word across the board to everyone, all artists, all supporters, anyone who makes music, anyone who loves music about – Subvert.
They are in fact doing things the right way, providing a marketplace as a ‘successor’ to Bandcamp and giving us all something very soon – ownership – where we as the label, artist, supporter have a share in a company – together – where a platform never changes without request upon the board. There is no worry about a 3rd party coming in who are shareholders, and investors who are quietly changing things that you hold dear. The marketplace becomes the free internet we will own, not one owned by outsiders who aren’t music-driven. Subvert it taking back the scene and continues to draw over 5000 into their website. (their marketplace will be an influence for others in the future and help us grow a thriving scene for the artist on other websites)
With the right amount of people and those with a heart for change, we will see a future for the indie artist that doesn’t have to force people to listen. The old way of posting till you drop – ends – social media has become that late night informercial that continues to play until you either go to sleep or turn it off, it is twice dead now. We’re in a time of re-runs and complete boredom through ad-content and requirements from these companies that if you work hard enough, people will find you. It’s all for nothing, but we will press on and move with those who are breaking us out of our bubble.
Join Subvert – and get your free zine, if you live in the US.
Their free PDF will outline this future we will have in 2025.
Their hope is a level playing field, and all supporters can take part in them.
As things develop, so will our articles about this.
Their platform will be a place where our artists and many others will release for years to come.
Act now before the window closes, they are taking in a limited amount who are the co-owners with them, and WEATNU is one honored to be one of them as their 600+ labels and growing.
Almark – #WEATNU Digital Magazine – May 2025