For June 5’s Bandcamp Day, many artists directed their own profits toward racial justice causes and dropped new benefit releases find ten of them farther below.

When the site did it again on May 1, artists sold $7.1 million, besting March’s record by 40 percent. (Most music for sale on Bandcamp has a minimum price, but you can always pay more to go directly to the artist.) Many labels gave up their share too, and some even made all their music pay-what-you-can. It’s also given fans a conundrum: What’s the best way to support independent music right now? Bandcamp provided one answer on March 20, when the music-distribution site gave 100 percent of profits directly to artists and sold $4.3 million in music and merch - 15 times a typical day of sales. The coronavirus pandemic has put indie musicians in a tougher spot than most have ever been in before, with no ability to tour traditionally - and, therefore, sell more merch in person - due to social-distancing measures and bans on large gatherings.

Photo-Illustration: Vulture, Fire Talk/YouTube, Getty Images and Run For Cover Records/YouTube

Bandcamp friday