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ATR

Patreon Has Finally Added Free Fan Membership Tiers

Posted on 29 June 2023

Even though Patreon has been gaining popularity as a platform, many independent artists still feel uncomfortable with setting up a profile and tapping their fans for cash in exchange for exclusive content.

We get it. It is an uncomfortable position to put yourself in, especially if your social media posts announcing your profile result in tumbleweed and you are conscious of the economic times we are all trying to navigate. Knowing disposable income is dissolving, Patreon has moved with the times and finally added free fan membership tiers. But that isn’t the only innovation from the platform, which can now facilitate Direct-to-Fan digital sales; in a similar way to Bandcamp.

While Bandcamp probably isn’t quaking in its metaphorical boots quite yet after the change was announced on the 21st of June, it is a major milestone for the subscription-based platform. Going forward, the platform will enable creators, including musicians, to hawk their digital wares to fans on the platform. In a press release, a spokesperson for Patreon dubbed the new changes as a mark of a new era of creative control.

Obviously, the platform will make its own gains from becoming a new form of e-commerce platform; however, they chose to market it as a new way for their creators to strengthen their relationships with their communities and build sustainable businesses.

Patreon is quickly becoming the antithesis of platforms such as TikTok, which makes it easy to become a viral sensation overnight and impossible to create long-lasting and meaningful connections with their communities.

How Do Patreon’s Free Membership Tiers Work?

The new membership tiers are free-to-use for fans and creators alike; the platform created the tiers to build a ‘freemium gateway’, for new artists and creators to bolster their fanbase on the site.

Creators already established on the platform will also benefit, as they can add more casual fans and diehard fans who don’t have the cash to burn on memberships to their community.

There are two main benefits for artists and creators:

  1. Once fans are on the platform, they will get a feel of it and potentially be more likely to pay for a paid membership to their favourite artists’ exclusive content.
  2. Artists can send updates to their community through the Patreon mobile app and via the web without needing to pay for sponsored posts or having to negate algorithms that will diminish the reach of posts.

How to Sell Digital Products via Patreon

Getting your music and other digital products in as many places as possible is important for independent artists looking to expand their reach by casting their nets as wide as possible.

Now, along with ensuring that your music is on YouTube, Spotify, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Tidal and Apple Music, you will also want to publish it on Patreon.

As of June 2023, musicians can sell the usual digital wares, such as songs, albums, and EPs, via the platform and any other form of digital content, including artwork, music videos, live performances and podcast episodes. The site now facilitates global payment processing, which will make downloadable files accessible to the general public and fans with memberships alike.

To sell your music or other downloadables via Patreon, create a product page and set a price for your content. Once your browsable shop is open for trade, you can publicly share the shop on social media platforms, your official website and other streaming services which make it harder to see any revenue from your audience’s interest in your music – we’re obviously talking about Spotify here!

For commerce sales, Patreon will keep a 5% percentage of all sales, plus fees for payment processing, applicable taxes, currency conversion and payouts. For paid membership fees, the percentage is slightly higher at 8%.

You can read the full update on the Patreon website here.

How Popular is Patreon in 2023?

In the last decade since Patreon’s inception in 2013, the platform has become one of the most successful ones of its kind. As of February 2023, Patreon:

  • Has over 8 million active Patrons.
  • Allows its creators to collectively make over $100 million each month.
  • Has over 250,00 active creators, with over 220,00 having at least one patron.
  • Has paid $3.5 billion to its creators.

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A few months ago, we wondered what has the potential to replace Spotify and considered Patetron as an option. With these two new major shakeups, the platform has become a frontrunner in the race, at least for artists and creators with hardcore fanbases willing to part with cash to support them. It may not be able to boast the same seamless and effortless streaming capacity yet, but who knows what the future holds for the platform.

Article by Amelia Vandergast

UK jazz singer, Chris Weeks, is sublime enough to seduce Sinatra with ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’

Posted on 16 June 2023
Chris Weeks

With crooning vocals sublime enough to seduce Sinatra, the latest feat of easy listening, I Only Have Eyes for You, from the jazz singer Chris Weeks, is a cinematically smooth affirmation of why he’s come to be renowned as one of the most talented figures in the UK jazz scene.

Soulful catharsis is scarcely as fervently profound as Weeks’ reimagining of the 1960s single by the Flamingos. While it would be blasphemous to insinuate the original is anything but arresting in its dreamy, almost ethereal resonance, Weeks effortlessly succeeded in instilling more ardour into the lyrics and vocals while the loungey jazz keys, sax lines and teasing percussive fills take a sonic backseat.

So far in his career, Chris Weeks has performed as the male vocalist for the Oxford University Jazz Orchestra, created a viral sensation with his collaborative single, 100 Years, which has amassed 13 million streams. Something tells us that the best is yet to come.

I Only Have Eyes for You will be officially released on June 16; check it out on Chris Weeks’ official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Live Review: The Dirt Turned Poetry into Psychedelic Theatre in Their Launch of Agitator

Posted on 15 April 2023
Agitator by The Dirt

It takes some talent and ingenuity to bring poetry out of the insular arena and translate it into psychedelic theatre; that was exactly what the Dirt achieved during the live launch of their debut LP, Agitator. If the pen is mightier than the sword, the duo dropped an atom bomb onto the crowd who made the Dirt t-shirts in-vogue.

Following the moody post-punk sets from Bloodworm and Dim Imagery, Pray for Mojo devilled the capacity crowd with their ear-blistering staunchly 70s rock rancour; their White Walker cold guitar tones cut through the atmosphere of their massive sound that I didn’t think the Peer Hat PA was capable of.

The Dirt started their set with the palpitatingly exhilarant standout single, Ignorance is Bliss; beneath the psychonautic vortex of guitars lay a brashy caustic backbeat, visceral enough to reminiscence Nine Inch Nails, but even Trent Reznor himself couldn’t match the sharp convictive stage energy that Jack Horner arrested the room with.

Veering straight into the second single from the album, Power Junkie, the Dirt maddened the Madchester sound to the nth degree; Sachiko, armed with her Rickenbacker and a pedalboard that lights up like Blackpool illuminations, drove through her guitar lines through the narrated credence of how insurmountably trodden on the masses are. More than keeping their finger on the pulse of current political scandal and sleaze, The Dirt grips the liberties taken by our disaster capitalist leaders by the throat to squeeze out the odious juice.

Towards the end of the set, the experimentalism amplified around the demands to match the dissenting nature of the Dirt and get off the fences we have got cosy on in recent years. From Cyberman-ESQUE deliverances of vocal lines to wailing psychedelic static capable of tripping switches in your mind that have gathered dust through inexposure to aural innovation, it was an unforgettable performance that exceeded all expectation.

Listen to Agitator on Bandcamp, or grab a vinyl copy from the Golden Believers Records page.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rachel Burns beat the odds in her theatrical retro-soul track, I Did It

Posted on 30 September 2022
https://soundcloud.com/user-833584567/i-did-it/s-6UmFsIbrglA?in=user-833584567/sets/rachel-burns-living-my-breast-life-ep/s-IriEnnKxT4F&si=2c05c690b2fc476f8e1252532534154c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Slip into the retro soul of Rachel Burns’ latest pop single, I Did It, which spins a tale of triumph over trauma and adversity. The journey from surviving to overcoming to thriving is scarcely pretty; the Washington, DC-based singer-songwriter brought a profound amount of grace to the subject matter regardless.

The Gospel-Esque backing vocals take Burns’ soul-awakening vocal timbre to mind-blowingly celestial heights. When she stretches for those stridently high vocal notes, you’ll get a first-hand account of her resilience and the resilience that most of us have to muster to piece ourselves back together.

Inspired by Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner, Rachel Burns has exactly what it takes to become a legend in her own right with the theatrical twists to her signature sound, which plays with nuances of blues, country and jazz.

I Did It will officially release on September 30th. Check it out on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mistake Me For A Rookie: MATRIXX shows us where the zone is on KNICK KNACK (feat. GXLD FVBRK)

Posted on 20 August 2022

With the debut EP due for release on the 30th September 2022, MATRIXX holds the milk and shows us where the cookie is on the most explosive single your ears will be exposed to today on KNICK KNACK (feat. GXLD FVBRK).

MATRIXX is a New Jersey, USA-based, EDM music producer, and the CEO of Nebula Productions who is joined by South Jersey indie hip hop trio GXLD FVBRK.

“Knick Knack speaks volumes both lyrically and sonically. Its intensity is the kind that melts your face.” – MATRIXX

Kicking the haters away from the exit door, MATRIXX and GXLD FVBRK form a rather tasty combo and lace our lips with that hot sauce that might change your mood. With a scintillating production that fuses in two genres together like a successful 1st date, there is so much to get excited about on this fantastic new release.

“Raw, unapologetic, and showcases our versatility as we embrace our hip hop roots. The nursery rhyme that defines bossing up.” – S.K.Y. from GXLD FVBRK

KNICK KNACK from MATRIXX (feat. GXLD FVBRK) is a rather impressive effort that will please those who like it electrifying and all about leaving the dog alone to live in peace. With perfect timing and a punchy beat that Mike Tyson would be proud of, this is a statement track for our day to be flipped over for the better. Vocally pleasing throughout and never going into a sleepy slumber, you might feel you’ve been placed in a whole new galaxy to do whatever you want inside.

Piping hot and steaming with illuminated energy to feel transformed by, showing us that the underground is where it’s at.

Check out this top track on Spotify and see more via the IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

ATR pushed the boundaries of punk to its limits in It’s Not Enough, featuring Kellii Scott

Posted on 7 July 2022

For their latest volatile slice of off-kilter power-pop, It’s Not Enough, ATR borrowed the percussive flair of Kelli Scott (FAILURE) and used the extra set of hands to push the boundaries of punk further to its limits.

The unsated howl into the void is undoubtedly something that will resonate with many in our new normal, which notably has never known anything of normalcy. The noisy overdriven discord wrapped around the punchy melodies and modernist discontent of doom scrolling as a pacifier and other worrying symptoms of our times provided 3-minutes of the sweetest catharsis I’ve felt all day. We knew it was worth saving a space on our radar for ATR.

It’s Not Enough will officially release on July 7th. Check it out on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Skinny G Radio burst ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ in his theatric piano pop single

Posted on 28 June 2022

If you abstracted the annoying aspect to Tim Minchin, you would be left with something akin to Skinny G Radio’s standout single, Delusions of Grandeur, from his debut album, The Heightening.

The piano-led melodies around the organs and synths jauntily add a touch of theatrical flair to the baroquely tinged single, inspired by the likes of John Mayer and Billy Joel, while the vocals animatedly wrap around the vindicating lyricism.

“Don’t get caught up in their pretension” may just be one of my favourite lyrics of the year. It completely bursts the bubble of ego-driven self-importance that most artists drift around the industry in.

Whichever way he is infiltrating it, the Connecticut-born and raised, LA-based artist, songwriter, producer, and performer will perceptibly brighten the creative crevices of our late-stage capitalist world. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Delusions of Grandeur is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

John G Drake knows it will take some sweat but ultimately worth it on ‘Young Like Frank Sinatra’

Posted on 9 June 2022

Taken from his recent 8-track album called ‘Play On‘, John G Drake shows us inside the rubble that ultimately helps you succeed if you put the work in with, ‘Young Like Frank Sinatra‘.

John G Drake is a Central Illinois, USA-based indie-rock singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has returned to his music roots after many decades away.

”John began playing violin, piano and saxophone at age 10 and quickly switched to guitar, which has remained his primary instrument.” ~ John G Drake

With an expert glance at a legend who somehow excelled in two fields that are notoriously hard to break into, John G Drake sends us into a nostalgic vortex that might have you feeling like you have just heard a single that puts everything into perspective just right.

Reminding the misplaced youth that hard work and failure are part of the journey that leads you into that badge of toughness, this is a life lesson sung with much gusto from an artist that has seen so many flounder when they could have swum in prosperity.

”John is deeply influenced by American roots music (blues, bluegrass, folk, country and western) although his music is multi-genre.” ~ John G Drake

‘Young Like Frank Sinatra‘ from Central Illinois, USA-based indie-rock singer-songwriter John G Drake is one of those real singles that might have you lost inside his deep vocals that reminds you of those classic days when the world seemed a lot less crazy. His storytelling brilliance is for all to see on this timeless gem that shall catapult you into a dreamy state of mind.

A single to close your eyes with as you imagine staying young forever is on offer here, from an experienced musician who has truly lived.

Hear a true master at work on Spotify and see more on his Facebook page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Post-punk goes guitar pop in Furrowed Brow’s latest feat of sonic theatre, I Threw The Bathwater Out

Posted on 25 May 2022

We ‘witnessed’ a Furrowed Brow gig in Manchester the other week, and we say ‘witnessed’ because we felt like an accessory to some kind of strange event, like sneaking into an ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ type cult affair without the correct passwords.

These Manchester typ(k)es saw us slightly affronted by the spectacle of a ‘Drummer in a Kaftan’ (sung to the tune of ‘Vicar in a Tutu’?) who smashed the tom and snare (no kick drum) like he was Bobby Gillespie circa 1985 in JAMC. All fronted by a snarky/sarcy singer that reminded us of Richey Manic snogging the Divine David and three awesome artists (guitar, bass, keys) that frankly held that shit together like their lives depended on it.

Think Earl Brutus meets Felt in a Britpop toilet cubicle whilst Jarvis Cocker takes bad coke with Morrissey in the next cubby.  I think you get the drift.

The new single ‘I Threw The Bathwater Out’ is classic c86 style guitar pop echoes, sort of David Gedge fronting ‘Fire’ era Pulp. But it’s really just the tip of the iceberg that sunk the Titanic because the live show is a must-see riotous affair with early Fall style energy mixing wit and irony with the ultimate broadside of a spot-on cover of Johnathan Richman’s 50-year-old Modern Lovers’ classic ‘I’m Straight’.

Not only was it funnier than the original, but it suddenly makes more sense in these gender-fluid times. Instead of singing about ‘Hippy Johnny’ and his stoned antics, the narrator’s declaration of ‘I’m Straight’ now has much more meaningful cultural resonance with ‘Hipster Johnny’ and his ‘paedophile moustache’ completely trumping the original antagonists’ comparatively lame crimes of basically liking to smoke weed.

I guess what we’re saying is, buy the single and go to the next live show. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.

Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify, YouTube, Bandcamp, Instagram.

Review by James Cook

The Prods struck a satrical pose in their punk-meets-Britpop hit, Catalogue Model

Posted on 20 May 2022

White-hot frenetic punk guitars meet Sleaford Mods-Esque satirical animosity in The Prods’ latest single, Catalogue Model. With a bite of Blur in the Britpop nuances, Catalogue Model throws texture from all across the alt-spectrum to originally outscore every playfully scathing hit to precede it.

I just wish I could have been in the room while the concept of a track around the swagger of a 1980s catalogue model was born. The London-hailing outfit is clearly a cut above the rest when creating ridiculously immersive pop-hooked punk hits.

Catalogue Model officially released on May 20th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast