Published
Tue, Oct 17, 2023, 18:00
- In a statement, Bandcamp's union, Bandcamp United, said it will return to the "bargaining table" with Epic Games tomorrow.
"At least half" of Bandcamp's employees have been laid off, according to a statement from the music retailer's union earlier today, October 17th.
Yesterday, Epic Games, Bandcamp's former owner, and Songtradr, its new owner, completed their acquisition deal, which was first announced last month. According to Bandcamp United's statement, around 50 percent of Bandcamp's staff have been let go as a result.
"This is heartbreaking," the statement continued. "We love our jobs, the platform we've built, and the Bandcamp community. We're glade we have our union—coworkers who have each other's backs. We'll be moving together to decide what our next steps are. On Wednesday, we return to the bargaining table with Epic Games, and we'll keep you updated."
Among the layoffs are JJ Skolnik, Diamond Sharp and Atoosa Moinzadeh, who worked on Bandcamp's popular editorial arm, Bandcamp Daily. It's unclear what will happen to the platform now. Each of them posted on X (formerly Twitter) to confirm the news. Read their posts below.
Today's news follows comments from Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney, who in an email to staff last month said that the gaming giant would be laying off 16 percent of its staff. In a statement sent to Vulture today, Epic Games said "these are not new layoffs" in relation to Bandcamp.
In response to the acquisition, Bandcamp United said it was seeking employment offers for all members, as well as voluntary severance offers and a continuation of the bargaining process that began at Epic Games.
Last month, Songtradr told Resident Advisor that it would review the Union's demands and that its support for the Bandcamp community was its "number-one priority once the purchase is completed." RA contacted Songtradr earlier today about the layoffs. This is the company's reply.
"After a comprehensive evaluation, including the importance of roles for smooth business operations and pre-existing functions at Songtradr, 50 percent of Bandcamp employees have accepted offers to join Songtradr. Those who didn't receive offers will receive severance from Epic as part of their layoffs as communicated on September 28th."
Epic Games bought Bandcamp in March 2022. A year later, Bandcamp United was formed. We'll report more on this story as it unfolds.
In response to today's news, artists from across the electronic music community expressed their condolences and frustrations at the situation. Read some of their posts.