The Marketplace Reader

Want to invest in rock ‘n’ roll?

Richard Core Aug 27, 2008

With all the problems the music industry is having, artists and entrepreneurs are looking for new business models.

The Guardian has a report today about a new venture that allows music fans to invest in new bands and share in the future profits — if there are any. The business, called Bandstocks, “is being billed as the latest innovative funding model that could provide artists with an alternative to major labels,” the Guardian article said.

So far, the enterprise has launched with just two artists — singer-songwriters FrYars and Jersey Budd.

Some similar projects have gotten off the ground in the last few years, including the ArtistShare project that allows fans to fund their favorite artists’ recording efforts.

The Guardian story also includes an audio interview with Bandstocks’ founder Andrew Lewis about how the business is envisioned to work.

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