Bandcamp’s mission is to help spread the healing power of music by building a community where artists thrive through the direct support of their fans. We believe that the human connection found through music is a vital part of our society and culture, and that music is much more than a product to be consumed. It’s the result of a human cultural dialog stretching back before the written word.
Similarly, musicians are more than mere producers of sound. They are vital members of our communities, our culture, and our social fabric. Bandcamp was built to directly connect artists and their fans, and to make it easy for fans to support artists equitably so that they can keep making music.
Today we are fortifying our mission by articulating our policy on generative AI, so that musicians can keep making music, and so that fans have confidence that the music they find on Bandcamp was created by humans.
Our guidelines for generative AI in music and audio are as follows:
- Music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not permitted on Bandcamp.
- Any use of AI tools to impersonate other artists or styles is strictly prohibited in accordance with our existing policies prohibiting impersonation and intellectual property infringement.
If you encounter music or audio that appears to be made entirely or with heavy reliance on generative AI, please use our reporting tools to flag the content for review by our team. We reserve the right to remove any music on suspicion of being AI-generated.
With this policy, we’re putting human creativity first, and we will be sure to communicate any updates to the policy as the rapidly changing generative AI space develops. Thank you.
There are strong arguments on both sides.
Personally, and in line with the platform’s ethics as they have been so far, I believe BC made the right decision. There are already plenty of other platforms that are being flooded with AI-generated content.
I think it could — and perhaps should — eventually lead to BC splitting into Bandcamp and BandcampAI. There should be space for all creators, but in the future there also need to be AI-free spaces.
Wow took your time this should have happened a while ago. Very easy decision to make that BC is only making now that AI artists are more prevalent. It is the right decision of course but should have been done years ago
In the future, there will (have to) be AI-free spaces on the internet.
Bandcamp has decided, at this early stage of AI, to offer such a space.
That is not an easy decision — but it is one I support. There are plenty of other platforms that AI musicians can move to.
I agree with the doubts mentioned by the Side-Line magazine, https://www.side-line.com/bandcamp-bans-ai-music-new-generative-ai-policy/
* Most users will be unable to recognize AI music reliably.
* A purely user-based method opens an ugly door to denunciation.
* Real, human artists exist that use AI-tools in a creative, responsible way, creating new forms of sonic art. Either these artists feel forced to conceal their use of such tools, or they risk to get banned.
I’m an artist that uses AI responsibly. Basically I use it for session musicians. The lyrics, melody, etc are mine. This is too broad of a move.
The complaining about Bandcamp banning AI is real…. You all took over the streaming platforms – so now you know you can’t earn money from streaming you’re complaining about losing money from bandcamp? You’re probably going to whine that it’s got nothing to do with money – So…. why are you on bandcamp then? Bandcamp have closed their platform to AI and it’s their decision to make.
The vast majority of AI art IS indeed “slop,” and I fully understand why a platform like Bandcamp would feel a need to ban it categorically. But it is going to be the main art tool in the future. Bandcamp has a right to be reactionary, conservative, and conventional and to protect their business model.
However, the idea that a human, including established artists and musicians, couldn’t use AI to explore new horizons and make new content is a startling admission of imaginative impotence. Speak for yourselves. If you say “AI art isn’t art,” you confess that you personally couldn’t make art with it. I will accept your word for it. You lack that creative capacity to make art out of anything. Seeking to punish others or censor them for making art you are yourself incapable of is anti-art and anti-artist jealousy, resentment, and hate.
I agree, we are dehumanising Songwriters and alienating them from beautiful spaces and communities like Bandcamp. Are we conveniently forgetting how new Songwriters ( majority) who dont have the financial and network dont get the opportunity to get their voice heard? Ai is a tool which gives birth to these new ideas. In the end the market decides
This comment is actually pretty obnoxious, saying that artists who don’t connect with AI tools must therefore be totally uncreative in their other realms. Smacks of aggressive defensiveness, and it’s obviously untrue
It does not say that at all. It says nothing about other people using other mediums. I fully support people using analog methods.
Unsure how Bandcamp sees decades of making dance music on DAWs or sampling is ok or the zillions of ‘unsolicited’ remixes by ‘real’ famous artists (uncleared) that riddle the site and are worse than slop but generate dollars for ‘the team’ is any worse than some AI music? It seems a bit of a stunt and also opens the door to any spite, how can you prove say a dance track was not a Suno/Udio job, there are no codes on anything (watermark) and a lot of Spotify are fake for years!
They are on the wrong side of history as all major labels use it to cut studio costs, fact..Sabrina!!
The difference is that they are musicians. You need musical skills and creativity to do that. An ai artist just types in prompts.
Hooray and good for you!
I recently purchased AI-generated music without my knowledge. There were no signs, tags or indications that it was AI-generated music. The label and bands had only vague and nonsensicle descriptions without any real information. Every other day, a new album was uploaded from this label.
This is dishonest and destroys the trust in real artists.
The feeling that we can no longer be sure what is ‘real’ and authentic is upsetting.
We live in a world where fake news is a daily issue; we don’t need it in the music industry as well.
Therefore, BCs decision is necessary and important.
In addition, all music existing on BC that contains AI elements should be labeled as such, including the cover artwork.
Only then can consumers truly decide whether it is worthwhile to listen to and support this music.
How about musicians that copy or transcribe the AI generated song and lyrics into a live performance?
I became ill while I was in the middle of writing and composing my music, and I continued working on it from my hospital room. However, I couldn’t sing there, nor could I look for a singer. So I explored what I could do with the laptop I brought with me, and eventually decided to use AI and Vocaloid for the vocals and mixing. I was able to complete and release the music while still hospitalized.
For that reason, I have been open about using AI for vocals and mixing. For someone with a disability like myself, AI has become an extremely valuable and empowering tool.
Today, generative AI is used not only in services like SUNO and Udio, but also throughout DAWs and even in plugins. In this environment, it is becoming increasingly difficult to completely exclude AI from the music production process.
Of course, I understand and respect Bandcamp’s position as a service that chooses to exclude AI-generated content. However, I find the criteria for these decisions unclear and difficult to understand.
I sincerely hope that Bandcamp will consider establishing clearer and more transparent guidelines on where the line is drawn.
I have been part of the music industry since before I became ill, so I understand the feelings of musicians who do not want to accept AI. At the same time, I also understand the feelings of those who are only able to participate in music creation thanks to AI.
However, I am opposed to a system that relies on users reporting one another. Such a system would likely not be used in the right way, and instead would create resentment and hostility.
I sincerely hope that no division will arise among people who all share a love for music.
I love you all.
My account was summarily deleted, overnight, without notice, offering me no opportunity to even contact my followers to prepare them. I have lodged an appeal and asked for the following clarifications:
(1) Decision basis
Please identify the specific Terms of Service or policy clause relied upon in removing the account.
(2) Review process
Please explain what review process was used to assess the level of AI involvement across a catalogue of this size, and whether the decision was automated, semi-automated, or fully manual.
(3) Assessment methodology
Please describe the criteria or tools used to determine the degree of AI involvement in each track.
(4) Track-by-track assessment
I request a track-by-track indication of the level of AI involvement Bandcamp believes applied to each release, along with the basis for that assessment.
(5) Opportunity to respond
I request the opportunity to respond to any such assessments, including the ability to provide a factual explanation of how each track was authored, recorded, and produced.
(6) Third-party reports
Please confirm whether this action was triggered or accelerated by a report or denunciation from another user. I appreciate that identities cannot be disclosed, but it would be helpful to understand the nature of any such report and whether it materially influenced the timing or outcome.
Additionally:
At present, the only guidance I can give other independent musicians is that Bandcamp may remove an account overnight, without notice, explanation, or opportunity to respond. I would like to be able to provide more accurate and constructive information.
If people are going to flag other people without real evidence I can’t help but think of the chase of communists in the US…
Should I send in my Logic project file with every song? Those will be HUGE files. And they will then assess what is substantial or not? Who and how?
Or should I send them after take down for “proof”? And it will be published again?
Maybe an automated process upon file upload will work. But DO NOT TAKE DOWN WHAT IS ALREADY THERE WITHOUT CONTACTING PEOPLE FIRST…
There is NO way this is going to work long term.
Or Drummer, Bass and Keyboard player in Logic Pro X?
Please read for perhaps a different perspective: I write mainly as a consumer not an artist. I can appreciate what AI can do for people who are fans of, but not creators of, music and art. I am creative, but only in certain areas. I am not gifted in art or music but I greatly appreciate both. I am gifted with words, but if I need to illustrate points, I cannot generate my own art if you gave me 100 years. So, I either have to hire it out, or use AI to try and come up with an illustration that isn’t complete garbage. And it is harder than you might think. Therefore, I can appreciate the AI generated stuff that can help illustrate a point that I make with my words.
But I’m not pushing my AI illustrations into the arena of art, and competing for the already small dollars art brings in. If there is a bot that pushes out inspirational teachings or devotionals, it may have a salient point here and there but by and large it is soulless, and there is no life experience behind it or driving it home. And I don’t like it. It’s not art, and I resent that its on the same platform as I am masquerading as art. What can I do? I can rage against the machine all I want and not create any more art…or I can create my best art I can and hope and pray there is an audience that appreciates it.
This is an unacceptable form of censorship. In many cases, AI-generated music is superior to that created solely by humans. It’s like trying to force the use of shovels for digging trenches and banning excavators. Either way, AI music will remain and there will be more of it. Such a decision will only bring losses, both moral and financial, to the platforms that ban AI.
There are other, platforms that you can upload Your Ai generated performance, band camp has a right to what business model it wishes to promote.
There are lots of restaurants we can eat at but they all don’t serve meat ..do I demand a vegan restaurant serve omelette…no I go to burger king..
Go chose the right platform that serves your Ai generated sound Scape.
Question can I give merit or pride or respect to anyone that has just let a machine dish out a sound scape, using a few limited prompts, and then promoting it as there own…?..The machine is where all the praise is due….the machine,it is the artist…
There is a place to promote false art..if one wants to be part of the lie and have people believe that one is a fantastic artist then Spotify is a good platform to promote this lie ..For those the use AI to generate soundscapes ..I can’t call it music… unfortunately have a reality to face that one never created a thing …and one can’t sing or play an instrument.
Bandcamp wish to preserve the culture of real music artists,which is fantastic if you are musical and have talent.
If not ,the truth is, that one is left with a soundscape that …The machine … created, and that one needs to find a place to fool others into believing a lie ..
bandcamp is not the place for you….
Thanks a lot. I’m glad that you decided to stay loyal to artists and fans. Especially since Bandcamp is my primary source of music.
I have two questions:
1. Some of my music has auto-generated drums depending on parameters provided (but the rest is created manually in the DAW).
2. I have a former work colleague who programmed an algorithm that automatically generates music.
Both are on bandcamp. Do they qualify as “AI”? Or are they kosher/halal?
In addition, I generated music with the Korg DS-10 software on the Nintendo DS by choosing a musical scale and then randomly playing notes in that scale. Does that automatically-generated music count as “AI”?
I want to know so I’m not breaking any rules.
My account was summarily deleted on the night of the announcement of this policy shift. no notice, no email until well after the account had already been deleted. It made me feel very special 🙂
Bandcamp is a tiny part of my music marketing efforts but I am supportive of their aims and believe strongly that the true enemy of all independent artists is the corporate machine that screws you all again and again.
I have lodged an official appeal of this decision, not because Bandcamp is critical to me, it’s not, but to clarify how they make these decisions.
At present, the only guidance I can give other independent musicians is that Bandcamp may remove an account overnight, without notice, explanation, or opportunity to respond. I would like to be able to provide more accurate and constructive information.
I have specifically asked for the following information:
(1) Decision basis
Please identify the specific Terms of Service or policy clause relied upon in removing the account.
(2) Review process
Please explain what review process was used to assess the level of AI involvement across a catalogue of this size, and whether the decision was automated, semi-automated, or fully manual.
(3) Assessment methodology
Please describe the criteria or tools used to determine the degree of AI involvement in each track.
(3) Track-by-track assessment
I request a track-by-track indication of the level of AI involvement Bandcamp believes applied to each release, along with the basis for that assessment.
(4) Opportunity to respond
I request the opportunity to respond to any such assessments, including the ability to provide a factual explanation of how each track was authored, recorded, and produced.
(5) Third-party reports
Please confirm whether this action was triggered or accelerated by a report or denunciation from another user. I appreciate that identities cannot be disclosed, but it would be helpful to understand the nature of any such report and whether it materially influenced the timing or outcome.
Additionally:
Broader concern
I believe strongly in Bandcamp’s stated mission and have actively supported it. My concern is not limited to my own account but extends to the lack of clarity around process. At present, the only guidance I can give other independent musicians is that Bandcamp may remove an account overnight, without notice, explanation, or opportunity to respond. I would like to be able to provide more accurate and constructive information.
I hop they respond in a positive way to this attempt at clarity. If I end still losing the account , so be it, but at least others will have some clarity.
I don’t usually bother replying to posts like this, but on this occasion I will.
I, for one, do not understand why you need such a detailed justification for a clear violation of a new policy that the Bandcamp community has unanimously voted in favour of and has been asking to be implemented for a long time.
The policy is clear. ANY music wholly or partially AI-generated is not permitted to be uploaded and sold on this platform.
We aren’t just using vibe coding to make songs. As a musician, I have to work a 9-5 job to earn money to invest in gear, then invest my own time to learn, practice and create music, not to mention the time and money I have invested in developing the skills to record, mix and master, package and market off my own back because the “industry” is already unfairly stacked against creatives.
Sorry (but not sorry at all) if removing your music hurts your revenue-generating plans, but the fact you do market AI-generated music forces actual musicians (like me) to compete with bedroom “producers” who have little or no talent and only see music as something to scalp so you can create better AI generated music and a way to make revenue rather than invest time and effort in creating music like the rest of us do.
Just like with AI artwork and photos generated with AI, just because you can do a thing doesn’t mean you should, or should be profiting from it at the expense of people like me.
I believe that BC is making a horrible decision by catering to so called “real artist” whims. I say this because musical talent comes in so many different ways through means like recordings, performances, writing lyrics, compositions, instrumentation, etc. You are trying to establish yourself as the new gatekeeper killing creatives dreams of being heard. Any type of artistry starts from a thought or concept. It doesn’t derive from any notes, instrumentation, vocals, melodies or harmonies. There are so many artist of the past and today who’s music has been released and never made any charts or radio air play, but does that make them ok to have there music on your platform? I am a musician. I am not the most gifted musician there is out there either. I am a lyrics. I have been writing lyrics since I was a pre-teen. I performed on stages from high school talent showcases, to performance contest at nightclubs and the likes. No one ever came to me about signing me to there label, playing me on their stations, or giving me the opportunity to become better at my dreams of becoming an artist. If you feel that AI shouldn’t be on your platform, then you should remove every song that has auto tunes, used a DAW to help create tracks and stems of instruments and vocals, any graphics that were digitally enhanced, etc because I guarantee that some form of AI was used to help develop it. I know music theory, but I also use AI as mastery of my knowledge of that theory. So for anyone to say that someone using AI to help generate their thoughts and concepts based off of their knowledge of theory is a farce! Music is and always will be evolving until the end of time!
This is quite simply the greatest statement by any streaming and sales platform for music in a long long time. AI generated music is being created and sold wholesale on all platforms so seeing someone take a stand AGAINST AI generated music means you should be able to trust everything on the bandcamp platform.
Unfortunately, there are still AI generated albums available but I am fairly certain that the community who can recognise the difference (AI isnt that good that it creates clean music without artifacts and digital generative noise) will report anyone who is selling albums on this platform, and I know of artists who are moving their material here because of the statement (most notibly Ola Englund who covered this story in his Sunday With Ola youtube video this week).
Once again, Bandcamp have remained the champions of musicians and confirmed once again that giving musicians the opportunity to sell their music and merch is not only fair but can be successful for music distribution in the modern age.
Well Done Bandcamp.
Hi everybody,
My two cents: if were a poet, I would not get any satisfaction publishing an anthology of poems the AI wrote. No matter the inputs I gave to the AI: the AI made the job, I just made data-entry.
In the same way, IMHO, no matter how much I refine AI generated stuff and balance the sound, I am just a sound engineer, not an author.
Would you buy the paintings of a painter who tells the sofware “Draw me a face!” and just put on it the final, transparent enamel coat? I bet no, you’d rather give the AI the input yourself and “draw” how many faces you want.
I am a songwriter, I am able to write a song, and I don’t need any freaking AI.
IMHO, AI songs are rather “flat”; this is because the AI, currently, lacks talent, as well as some human songwriters today. But, at least, a human songwriter (including me) struggles to write a good song, and when he’s finished, and the song is finally released, he is proud of it.
AI makes life easier: this is good, but the lack of attrition and effort will make all of us less strong in time.
If you’re not a songrwriter, please don’t let somebody else write songs for you.
It’s not a matter of money (unfortunately is, though), it’s a matter of pride and honesty.
Charles Parker wrote:
“How about musicians that copy or transcribe the AI generated song and lyrics into a live performance?”
Well, such musicians missed the opportunity to write a song by themselves 😉
A final suggestion. AI sogwriters, try quitting your AI software, take your piano, your guitar, your doorbell or whatever you play and try to write a song, nothing coplicated: verse-chorus, verse-chorus and, if you make it, you will feel sooooooo good you will get rid of the AI.
Well done Bandcamp!
Thank you, Bandcamp, for banning this pernicious technology. 100% support for your decision!