DistroKid Acquires Music Web Platform Bandzoogle

Digital distributor DistroKid has acquired Bandzoogle, a platform specializing in helping artists create websites and sell their wares. Launched in 2003 and based in Ottawa, Canada, Bandzoogle powers more than 60,000 artist websites and e-commerce stores, and provides solutions for crowdfunding, subscriptions and mailing lists.

“At DistroKid, we’re always working on innovative ways to help artists,” said Philip Kaplan, founder and CEO of DistroKid. Bandzoogle CEO Stacey Bedford added, “DistroKid has always put artists first, just like we have, so we’re thrilled to join forces to continue to empower artists.”

Bedford previously told Billboard that Bandzoogle’s suite of e-commerce tools, which cost a monthly fee, helped artists generate $100 million in sales in 2022 by enabling them to run their own businesses. “It’s important to us that we offer those tools,” she said. “We have never taken a commission on sales — 100% of that $100 million went directly to artists. This amazing accomplishment is really their own.”

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It’s also been a busy stretch for DistroKid, which earlier this year launched an iPhone app along with an AI-powered mastering tool called Mixea that helps artists prep their songs for radio. Last year, it introduced DistroVid, which enables artists to upload an unlimited number of music videos to leading digital service providers for one flat price. And in 2021, it rolled out Upstream, a service that allows artists to share data with record labels in hopes of grabbing attention — and hopefully signed.

Now in its 10th year, DistroKid helps artists distribute their music to streaming services and digital stores, and pays artists 100% of their earnings (minus banking fees and taxes). With the Bandzoogle acquisition, artists will now be able to manage the digital and physical sales of their music — and other merch — all inside the DistroKid ecosystem.