Read this article, it’s really good:

"Digital DIY music platform Bandcamp finds its footing with artists like Amanda Palmer, Sufjan Stevens and RJD2"

Which begs the question, what’s better, Bandcamp or Topspin?
That’s exactly the question I asked on Twitter.

Cathy Pellow of Sargent House tweeted this:

@Lefsetz this is what i think of @Bandcamp – http://sargenthouse.bandcamp.com been on their since early days. Topspin is too expensive.

Ian Rogers of Topspin responded thusly:

@sargenthouse Actually we’re not more expensive than Bandcamp. Give me a call to discuss. /cc @Lefsetz

And in response to Tim Luckow’s tweet:

@Lefsetz With Bandcamp there’s no need to use Topspin.

Ian said this:

@TimLuckow I respectfully disagree, there are many features in Topspin which they don’t offer. Our March launch will show ’em off. @Lefsetz

Then I got this e-mail:

Bob,

Please withhold my name, as I work with both of these companies, and with bands working with both as well.

If I had to call it right now, Topspin has the clout and the connections, they are hustling and making it happen. It seems every band or artist is being courted by the boys at Topspin, and the majority are starting to go that way. But my heart belongs to Bandcamp.

Bandcamp is great technology. Topspin is great marketing. So Topspin is winning. But Bandcamp is so easy to use, they just don’t have people going to the bands and pushing the product. Topspin’s platform isn’t all that great to work with. It’s sloppy, it’s not as sleek and streamlined. Even when you get in bed with them, you still need to have one of the Topspin programmers assist you in getting set up, or hire your own just to get set up.  There is none of that hassle at all with Bandcamp. You sign up, you get your page going, you upload tracks and you are ready to go. There is so much customization, and it’s all pretty easy to set up. The back end is informative and useful. Topspin has great people, great talkers, but the platform still needs a lot of work. From working with both companies and talking to all the heads, it’s a case where Bandcamp focused more on building a better platform first, while Topspin focused on grabbing all the acts they can.

They are both innovating though, and adding new features. Topspin is getting in to concert ticketing, allowing bands to bypass Ticketmaster completely. Bandcamp is adding all kinds of physical distribution packages, and third-party vendor access.  It’s like two boxes of parts, and both companies are building the same thing. Convergence is coming.

For now though, if the DIY music sales and distribution platform was a drug, Bandcamp is the Chronic, but Topspin has better dealers.

P.S. Topspin costs more, without a doubt. There is no fixed percentage, it’s all dependent on the band/artist.  As an example, one of the first Topspin projects was the Brian Eno/David Byrne album.  Topspin wanted that album, so they came in low. David Byrne’s manager even got them to agree to setup packages for a few other acts he managed, basically for nothing. That was a few years ago. Now, Topspin is entering iTunes territory as far as percentages. The difference is they are offering physical packages and ticketing, and of course getting a piece of it all.

Up until the last few months, Bandcamp was FREE.  They only just recently started up with the pricing model. They’ll even help you get setup with a discounted PayPal rate for microtransactions.